Paralegals with certification are a dime a dozen. Paralegals with a criminology degree are not.

You have a college degree. Don't even consider looking for work as a secretary.

Law firms are definitely not hiring -- but NO ONE is hiring right now. Don't take that personally. This is the state of the country we're in. Remember those tax cuts to the rich from the last Administration that were suppposed to be so good for the economy? They weren't. We're screwed.

Nevertheless, it is possible to get a job as a paralegal or something else in your field. You've worked hard for that degree. Don't give up now.

First, read "How to become a paralegal" by Catherine Beale, veteran Wall Street legal assistant:

www.helium.com/items/1067576-how-to-be¦

That's where the big bucks are. Up there, it's a stepping stone to law school. And you have to have a fancy schmanzy diploma to get interviewed. My guess is that you don't have that. So you are going to have to compete with the kids who did to get anything decent.

However, those kids don't like the "dirty work" of litigation. This is your strength.

Criminal Law, Bankruptcy and Litigation are their own kind of paralegaling, totally different from Corporate Law or Estate Law (dead people -- lots of forms and wills).

You have to know how trials are run, how and where to file detailed forms, how to work the scores of special computer programs (Lotus Notes, Relativity), access a court docket via PACER, and more.

Lawyers depend on sharp, experienced paralegals for those skills. They don't have time to learn all that crap. Right now, Bankruptcy is booming, and Litigation never ends.

If I were you, this is what I'd do.

I'd check through all the job opportunities for SUMMER INTERNSHIPS that will give you great exposure, not just a view of the work from the inside but a foot in the door of a potential employer. This is how to get a job today.

I rent my 2 empty bedrooms every summer to college kids from out of town who have Internships lined up for the summer.

Last year, there was one from Pennsylvania who was graduating from Rochester Inst. of Technology this year; he worked for a Japanese multinational corporation FOR FREE. When they're hiring, they will make their first job offers to interns they liked. They know these people.

This year, a law student with an internship at a dinky little law firm 15 miles from here will be "auditioning" for a job with them when she graduates next year from a Washington, D.C. law school.

The competition is intense, yes. But if you have worked summers (proving you're not lazy and spoiled), and your grades are top notch (which they must be), and your professors liked you, your chances of getting a job in this field are very strong.

If nothing else, get a temp job -- they're out there, and I know several Case Managers (promoted legal assistants) working for New York law firms who started as Litigation and Bankruptcy temps. You have nothing to lose.

If you remember that these hard times are going to end, and that it is NORMAL to look long and hard for a new job these days, and that this is not about YOU but about the ECONOMY, I am sure you will land the paralegal job of your dreams.

In fact, after you do, your biggest problem may even be, Which job should I take?

Good luck.

There are no available jobs in this vocational field.

Second, you would need a BACHELORS degree in Paralegal Studies for an employer to even consider you - IF anyone was hiring, which they aren't.

If you want a JOB, look for employment in your criminology field - THAT's where job security is. Ask your school's guidance couselor for help seeking employment.

You are going to have to intern. Many of the government agencies will let you intern for experience. If they like you, they may offer you a job.

Re-visit your resume. Is it REALLY highlighting your strengths? Did you list the courses you took that would apply to the law field? Just listing your education means nothing to an employer. He/she needs to know that you had coursework that applies to the law field. Did you list what clerical skills you had? Did you emphasize your computer skills? It needs to show what you CAN do...not what you haven't.

Many graduates write very POOR resumes. You have to sell every skill you have and that will attract an attorney to choose you. Just because you have a bachelor's degree doesn't guarantee you anything. I can honestly say I was hired at my current position because I had the better resume. I had not even graduated with my associate's degree yet and was chosen above people with bachelor degrees and experience. Why? I sold my grades. I was maintaining a 4.0 GPA, I was the paralegal program's scholarship winner, and I listed all the courses and computer experience I knew they would be looking for. The first thing I was told was, "Impressive resume." They completely missed that I hadn't working for 8 out of the last 10 years.

Resume is crucial. If you don't know how to put in one page all of your best qualities and skills, lesser people will be hired over you. It's sad, but true. I can say, I was honestly one of those "lesser" people that has a really nice job because I write a good resume.

I took some criminology classes in college. Teey are more generalized and geared toward law enforcement. What law firms are looking for are people that are educated in paralegal studies. You might want to look into getting a certificate or taking some classes in paralegal studies.

It's tough for everyone to get a job nowadays so don't take it personally. Just keep at it. A job will come your way. It took me four months to land a gig and now i've been here four years and they're paying my way through college and i'm making a great wage.

Also, have you talked with the university about internship opportunities? Is your resume listed on all the major job banks like monster.com, careerbuilder.com? Look for networking events in your area. Put it out there on facebook about your situation. You never know. If you belong to a church, ask around.

Look up the major law firms in your city and just send them your resume, even if they're not advertising. Many firm websites have a "careers" tab where they list openings that may not be listed on the web.

Just be tenacious.