I'm pissed off and in need of some career advice!

[liberalhistorian]

As many of you know, I'm a paralegal/legal secretary/office manager for a local solo attorney who, in addition to his law firm (which is just he and I and the part-time bookkeeper), owns a title insurance agency. We all share the same office.

Even though he's president of the title company, and an attorney, he doesn't make much money. There's a lot of competition in the title insurance business, and in our relatively small county there are FIFTY other title companies, many of them local branches of national companies. So most of the money the company makes goes to salaries for the employees and overhead, he gets little of it. And as for the law firm, frankly most solo and small-firm attorneys don't make much money, usually enough to pay their employees and overhead with a little left over for themselves.

I have a B.A. in history and sociology, and a paralegal certificate. Yet I only make $25,900.00 per year. My last review in the spring was excellent, and he was upset because he wanted to give me a substantial raise but the law firm just couldn't afford it. So I got a 1.5% raise. Big whoopee! That's enough for an extra tube of toothpaste a month. And I am, as most of you also know, the single mother of a 12-year-old boy who, as I'm sure those of you who are parents are well aware, has a lot of monetary needs.

I know he's not lying about the financial state of the law firm, because I'm in charge of the money that comes in; I keep it safe until the bookkeeper, his former paralegal who left full-time work after she had her baby, comes in once a week and deposits it. We have almost $40,000.00 in outstanding unpaid accounts from clients, and I can frankly tell you that that is more often than not the case with a lot of law firms. We have a collection agency, but they are not miracle workers and can only do so much.

I am very close with my boss, and we've become good friends in addition to the working relationship. He works very hard managing both the title company and the legal work, both of which are full-time jobs, and I also work extremely hard. I'm basically in charge of everything with the law firm, the phones, the scheduling, the filing, all the correspondence, ordering supplies, as well as all of the legal research and writing, trial prep, client contact, drafting of pleadings, etc., etc. There's always more to do than there is time to do it in, and I often stay later than 5:30.

But what's got me so pissed off I can hardly think straight is what happened today. The title company hired a new sales representative five months ago, a former realtor and car saleswoman. At the time of her hiring, I had suggested to my boss that it would be a good idea to market the law firm as a benefit of the title company, since most title companies do not have lawyers on their staffs and must contract out work like preparation of deeds and mortgages, which, in turn, is generally more expensive. Writing is my main strength, and I'm also very creative. I believed the new salesperson and I could come up with a lot of good marketing strategies and materials to increase business. In February, I spent days putting together a memo for my boss in which I outlined my ideas for increasing the business of the law firm and making it grow, and how to integrate the law firm and title company marketing. It was almost ten pages; I divided it into sections according to topic, and was very specific. He said it was one of the best and most creative memos he'd ever read.

Since then, he hasn't done anything to implement any of the ideas, most of which, unfortunately, would cost money to implement. Not all of them, but a lot of them. But you can't sit back and expect business to just come to you, you have to take risks and do things that will increase business or you continue to spin your wheels and get nowhere. So, today he asked me to draft an addendum to the sales rep's contract. Fine, I thought, I've done a million of those and it shouldn't take long.

Well, lo and behold, he had apparently offered the position of overall sales manager (he'd been talking for over a year about creating that position) to the sales rep, and was increasing her salary by EIGHT FUCKING THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, starting IMMEDIATELY,, due to her "additional duties." And she doesn't even have any kind of degree beyond high school!!!! And the outline of ideas she'd given him had some things that were similar to some of my ideas. My boss must have heard the angry, choking noises emanating from my throat, because he then came in my office and knew immediately how furious and upset I was and he shut the door. "It must be nice", I said, "to be somewhere for only five months and get such a nice, fat, raise."

"Well, that's for her additional duties and responsiblities", he said, knowing there were some major ruffled feathers he had to smooth. "Really, like I don't have additional duties and responsiblities every goddamn day!" I snapped. The list of my duties would run to over ten pages, if I were ever to actually sit down and list them. He started to talk about the law firm's finances and how bad he felt, when I interrupted with the comment that perhaps if he'd bothered to implement any of my ideas from last winter we might be doing a little better. That memo was done on my own initiative, and was all my own ideas. I'd spent days putting it together. I had also put together an internet research resource manual from material I'd learned at a paralegal seminar I'd attended, also on my own initiative. Where the hell was my recognition for all of that? Where the hell was MY promotion and raise?????????????????????????????????? And I've been here working my ass off and then some for you for two and a half years, I practically screamed. He was desperately trying to calm me down, saying that he wanted her to implement the ideas for the law firm and the title company marketing because he and I simply didn't have the time to do it ourselves.

He was really bothered by how upset I was, and again brought up the lack of money in the law firm and the fact that he'd had to borrow money from the title company to pay my salary and benefits for the past two months. I knew that, but I was just so angry and pissed and upset and frustrated that I was really losing it. I'm 38 years old, college-degreed, and my son and I are still living with my parents, as we have since right before he was born, because I can't afford it otherwise. I work my ass off, staying late many nights, and this person comes along in the title company and after five fucking months is given an EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLAR RAISE to implement some ideas that I CAME UP WITH IN THE FIRST FUCKING PLACE! He was practically in tears, saying that he hadn't gotten any money himself from the law firm for months (which is true), but that he'd often thought of giving me extra checks from the law firm funds and making up for it with funds from the title company. Well, then, why the hell haven't you, I again almost screamed. I know that sounds cruel, but I'm sick of working my ass off and having no money while everyone else I know, especially people with no degree at all, make a helluva lot more. And the contract addendum just brought everything boiling to the surface, with almost unbearable frustration. You can work with her, he said. BULLSHIT, I almost yelled, not until I see some more weight in my light-as-air paycheck, since that would be "additional duties." And just when the hell would I find time for that, since there's too much to do all the time?

Well, he said, she (the sales rep) is accepting a promotion, a higher position, with additional duties, and she said she can do it better if she doesn't have to worry about money. Hoo, boy, was that the wrong thing to say, and he immediately knew it, as soon as the words left his mouth. Jesus, like I DON'T FUCKING HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MONEY? I DESERVE THE SAME FUCKING THING! I picked up my purse from my desk and said I was leaving to take a walk in the local cemetery (it's almost four acres, in a wooded area, a favorite walking place)to calm down before I started throwing things at him and the wall, and if it took me three hours to calm down, then that's how long it would take. I then left the office and drove to the cemetery and walked around. Then I drove around for an hour longer. I'd finally calmed down enough to go back to the office, but I told him he could finish the goddamned addendum himself because I was still too upset to even think about touching it. He needed it that afternoon to take to lunch with the sales rep and the title company manager. She signed it a few hours later, and he'll make the announcement tomorrow.

We had a long talk and he knew I was still extremely upset, angry, and frustrated. I don't know what happened, but I just snapped. I'm tired of just spinning the wheels in my life, I said. Here I am, with a college degree AND a paralegal certificate, and I'm not making much more than the federal poverty level for a family of two, especially after over two years! I can talk to him about anything, and get as angry or emotional as I want, which is what I did. He gave me a job after ten months of fruitless searching (that whole thing about paralegal positions being always in demand is total bullshit!) and gave me a chance even though I kept fucking up for the first six months because I'd only had paralegal training, not secretarial training, and the job was mostly secretarial. He said he knew how underpaid I was, and that most of my research, writing, and legal skills were going unused and I knew how bad he felt. But I also needed him to know and understand how upset I was, and why. He said he did, although I'm not entirely sure if that's the case, and that if I wanted to find a position more suitable to my skills, with the pay to match, he'd be upset and wouldn't want me to leave, but he'd understand. I had to do what was right for me.

It's been twelve hours and I'm still so upset I can hardly think straight. I'm tired of working my ass off and never getting anywhere. I'm tired of having two degrees and watching people with no degree at all make twice or three times as much as me. He told me that the sales rep was upset that I was so upset, and that I didn't talk to her when she came into the office in the afternoon. Well, tough shit, I don't really give a flying fuck. Normally, I'm very generous and magnanimous in these types of situations, and God knows I've had more than my fill of them, having to congratulate people who moved up into positions when I knew I could do just as well if given the chance. But, like I said, something just snapped today and my whole perspective has changed. I didn't fucking feel like being nice and pretending that everything was just hunky-dory, because it's not. This woman is getting EIGHT FUCKING THOUSAND MORE DOLLARS now than me, especially at a time when my son's father is playing hide-the-child support again, and partly to implement MY IDEAS THAT I CAME UP WITH IN THE FIRST FUCKING PLACE! I'm sorry, but that medicine just doesn't go down, even with a spoonful of sugar.

So now I'm at a major crossroads. On the one hand, I desperately need more money and a better job. On the other, I've never been so comfortable with a job or had a better boss. It's only a few miles from home, which cuts way down on gas and which helps with my son, and his school, tremendously, I even save lunch money by going home for lunch. It's a small office, I'm totally in charge of the law office, my boss leaves me alone to do the job the way I see fit, and I love my boss. But I need to do something in the near future, something has to change. I have to do something more with my life than this. And if I'm ever going to go to graduate or law school, I'll need more money. But then, I tend to be provincial and be afraid to take risks and make changes, which is probably why I've never really lived up to my full potential. So what should I do?

[LeftCoast]

1. My 2 cents

I would make a long-term and a short-term plan. The long-term plan should focus on what you want to do as a new career and how you can get there. The short-term plan should be how to keep the job you have and make it till you can get going on the LT plan. I think the biggest problem right now is that your boss may feel you will quit, or not work to your current level. You need to convince him that's not the case because he might just decide to replace you. ALWAYS leave on your terms and with your timing.

This is really way too short a response to your posting, but I don't know what else to advise!

Good luck!

[liberalhistorian]

3. Thanks for the feedback!

I appreciate it, and I hadn't thought of making a short and a long-term plan. I know I don't have to worry about him replacing me, he was almost begging me not to leave, even though he understood my frustration.

[diamond14]

7. good advice...don't burn your bridges....apologize to your boss

for loosing your temper at work, that does NOT show good working skills...and then just drop it and go back to work...at least you'll have an income while you look for a new job...and you'll need that good recommendation from your current employer, and a good performance review, so keep on the good side of the boss...including getting a great letter of recommendation before you blow your top and resign...try not to do that though...just apologize and assure the boss that you will try harder and do your best...but you should try to keep your job...it offers you a base of looking for a new job, including contacts, fax, phones, computer, etc.

grab a few good books at your local library like "what color is your parachute"...or look up career guidance books at a local university or college...

in my own career...the biggest jumps in pay for me were when I assessed my own career skills, and then applied those skills to ANOTHER field...for example...in your post, you indicate several career skills that could be applicable to a number of career areas...what kind of industries are in the area that you want to work in?....do you want to find a job in your commuting area, or are you willing to move...most jobs are NOT advertised but rather people seek the job....you gave your own best example...your current boss found you at church...not by advertising...and to a certain extent, he has managed to pay you regularly despite financial challenges...

first of all, you are an OFFICE MANAGER...so if you can manage a law firm, why not an Office Manager in a different kind of office....bank, real estate, government, art museum, cultural attractions, historical monuments, hospitals,....everyone is always looking for GOOD Office Managers....(P.S. don't ever assume that you are FRIENDS with the boss, that was a bad assumption, promise yourself never to do it again...a good, friendly business relationship is best, but NEVER friends....).....

second: you mentioned lots of other job areas: marketing, money, contracts, research, writing....you should keep some good examples of your writing and research efforts to bolster your job search....

third: look through your college courses to pinpoint coursework applicable to your desired job area...history and sociology and paralegal have applications in many business areas...expand your horizons to apply your coursework in OTHER areas...open the yellow pages ..look through the businesses, but also, look through the internet, because many businesses do not put their phone numbers in the book (Ford, GM, Harley-Davidson), but only on their internet pages...even small towns have internet links, and chambers of commerce...

fourth: put together a GREAT resume, which correctly describes your business skills...ask several friends to look at it and constructively criticise...expecially in the business field that you are interested in...I have seen so many POOR resumes from really smart and intelligent people...it's really amazing....but that is an area where you can read books about writing resumes and get help...

fifth: start going to business meetings in your area...chamber of commerce, business breakfasts, real estate conferences, Toastmasters' Clubs for public speaking, events at your local library...take your resume and a business card and make contacts...look at your rolodex file where you currently work...those people need GOOD employees...people leave, retire, get sick, pregnant...there is always a turn-over and always a need....

sixth: everyday, give yourself a pat on the back...you are already way above others in your education and job skill level....keep your job but work on your options and expand your horizons...YOU CAN DO IT....

[sandnsea]

2. New Job

Having been a legal secretary, let me give you some dire news, you're a secretary in his eyes and you always will be. That's my take and I could be wrong. But that's what I see and opinionated is my middle name!

I don't know anything about paralegal positions, salaries, etc. But you need a new job. Start checking city, state and county positions; I don't know, just start drawing up a plan for yourself. What kind of company do you really want to work in and how can your skills benefit that company. Maybe there's more demand for degreed people with paralegal skills then you think. Maybe just start checking the job web sites to get some ideas and then apply those types of businesses to the city you live in.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. It's just such crap. I hate working for other people, I just hate it.

[liberalhistorian]

4. The problem is that, while there are many paralegal

openings, there are also many applicants waiting to fill them, far more than there are jobs. The competition is brutal. When I got my paralegal certificate, I was told that I shouldn't have a problem getting a job because I already had a B.A. That was total bullshit, it took me almost a year to find a job for $9 an hour at an employment investigation agency, nothing like what I'd trained for or was capable of. I tried to find a paralegal position the whole four years I was there, without luck, I even had legal research and writing samples from my internship! And I again had no luck when I lost that job, for eleven months I looked without any success at all, until my boss stopped me at our church (we'd known each other from church for a long time) and asked if I was still looking.

I've also been thinking about my own business, I have several ideas, but don't know if I have the self-discipline and the ability to take the risks necessary.

[ScottKoziara]

5. I really admire you

I read this site all the time but I never post, but after reading your post I feel compelled to. I worked on the Gore campaign in 2000 and since then I have been unable to find a job that realizes my potential or at least pays a decent salary. Having to look at an illgetimate President every time you turn on the tv doesn't help.

If I were you...Don't quit yet. See what's out there. If you tell your boss off, you'll feel great for a day. But if you don't find anything within a couple months, you'd wished that you had bit your tongue. Keep fighting.

[liberalhistorian]

6. Thanks!

I appreciate any advice at all. The great thing about my boss is that you can tell him off, yell and scream at him, etc., and he doesn't mind. Believe me, I've been there long enough and know him well enough to know that. It took some getting used to at first, since I'd NEVER talked to a boss in any way other than respectfully before, but he's really different.

[jiacinto]

8. I sympathize with you

I really do. I've had similiar things happen to me before. Not to the extent that has happened to you, though.,

I have two degrees and I see people with less education making more money in better positions.

As cheesy and as of little consolation this statement will be all I can say is that that's life. Life is unfair.

In the short term I would mend any bridges with your boss. Quitely I would start sending out resumes to other companies and organizations that might interest you. Then I would move on.

The key is not to leave this position on bad terms or to be fired, as you might need a reference later down the line.

[gmoney]

9. Stinkeroo... and my twenty-two cents

A lot of employers will always see an employee as the person they were the day they hired them, and I guess to a degree, he's still seeing you as the green-as-grass paralegal you were when you started -- not the valuable partner you've grown into. That, and he can't afford to lose your day-to-day contribution, so he didn't want to try implementing your ideas, as that would take you off your mission.

To be honest, all this shuffling money from one business to the other is going to be a BIG red flag when (not if) this guy is audited, either by the IRS or a state regulator. He's likely to lose his business when it happens, and you will totally lose your job, if not worse.

Hiring this "rainmaker" chick is a last ditch effort, and she probably insisted on the $8000 to take on the extra duties. He's figuring that either she brings in the big fish that's going to save the business, or another 8 grand isn't going to matter when the ship goes down. She may even see the writing on the wall and figure she needs a little up-front money to set aside for the day things fall apart.

Maybe I'm wrong, but if your business is not making money in what has been the biggest boom market for the mortgage/title/etc. industry, something is totally fishy. Maybe the bookkeeper is skimming, or he is, or it's just gross incompetence, but if after all this time, he's not even close to being solvent, you need to bail.

The "intangibles" you mention in the last paragraph are worth something, but only if the job itself was fundamentally good. In your case, they're a "tender trap."

So, what to do: First, insist that your guy quit using a "bookkeeper" and get a good, aggressive CPA. (I switched my business about 3 years ago, and we went from total financial chaos to solvency and hiring two new part-timers this year.) The CPA will figure out how to structure the businesses so that you're audit-resistant, and won't have all this shifting of funds. And, if you play your cards right, the new CPA will relieve you of a lot of the "financial housekeeping" chores it seems you're doing now, leaving you more time.

Second, figure out what monetary situation will make you happy. Will it take a $10,000 raise? Or maybe less so at least you and the new chick are making the same amount of money. Or have him pay for your law school tuition or something. Even if he's cash poor, he does have equity in the business so it's conceivable that HE might end up the lowest paid of the three of you. But it's his business. (You could consider asking him for a share OF the business ownership in lieu of cash, but until he gets it straightened out, that could be more of a curse than a blessing.)

While you are doing this, explore your options elsewhere. Maybe THIS is the year you use your skills in an exciting new way, like maybe getting hired to the John "Moneybags" Kerry campaign? As a paralegal, you could end up being a big fish in his campaign in your state. And you would make TONS of contacts for jobs after the election, and feel you're contributing to a better country for your kid. It will look good on your resume (especially if he wins), too.

Or if there are a lot of little competitors, consider floating your resume to them. Even though there's been a surge in unemployment, people still change jobs for the usual reasons -- relocation, retirement, burnout, getting hosed by their boss (ahem). Someone with X years experience in the local market and industry is going to be attractive to a lot of other companies, especially the smart ones who rode the huge refinancing wave to prosperity. Don't tell them what you're making now... tell them what you're worth (if they ask) or see what they offer... they might surprise you with the big money! (Just be sure to dress more professionally than they might normally wear to work.)

Keep us posted on what you decide... and if you TOTALLY chicken out on asking for more money or quitting, at LEAST tell him you're going to cut back to 40 hours, and you want an extra week's vacation and take it SOON. That won't "cost" him anything, but it will let him see with fresh eyes, just what you contribute to the operation. Use the extra time to volunteer, hang with your kid, work out, or hunt for a new job on the sly.

[NJCher]

10. find a business niche and wean yourself off this company

Your boss bought into the dream that this person is going to go out and bring in all this new business. That is why he went out on a limb and paid her the extra money. He didn't do this with you because to bring in you would have meant getting down to realities (like the ones you put together in your 10-page memo). He's dealing with a dream, at this point, and he's going to get sc&^#@$ed. If this woman were such a hot sales person she would still be back in realty or car work. Instead, she is a young person jumping from field to field, using her sales personality to sell herself (but little else, otherwise she wouldn't be skipping from field to field).

Your boss made a bad decision. It's hard for him to see this now and it's going to be even harder for you because you'll have to watch this thing unfold. If you think it's bad now, it's going to only get worse as you see that extra money go right down the drain with no new business coming in.

I've seen this happen over and over. A fairly grim situation exists in business and the business owners think all they need is that miracle worker who can go out and bring in the sales. Sales is a very tough field these days and the only person worth paying that kind of solid money for is somebody who already has the contacts and who can walk in the door with plenty of business.

Now, as for you and what you should do, my two cents worth is that you have to admit your setup is ideal for certain purposes. It obviously does not fulfill your desire for a better life for you and your son and it certainly will not (now) satisfy any opportunities to put your creativity to work. That's where LeftCoast's suggestion comes in.

I would not depend on other people or waste one damn minute with resumes and looking for jobs. You've already wasted enough time on that route. Using your research skills, find one business idea that can be profitable and get if off the ground while you're still working with him. Then when it becomes partially profitable, go for a reduction in your work hours. Finally, when you can swing it on your own, completely quit and move on to your new life.


Cher

[Kenneth ken]

13. winner

This is the winner idea.

LH - you've already taken the first step out the door of your current job; you may not have realized it yet, but it's true.

Whatever happiness you previously found in your job, it has soured to some degree; you'll not get it back. You said you have some ideas for your own business; NJCher has given you the start-up process.

Once you start putting time and energy inot it, you'll find the self-discipline you need to make it work. You didn't get your degree without having self-discipline, so I already know it's in you.

You're already running the lawyer's business, so clearly you have the ability to run a business.

You're halfway there, already!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. Damn that sucks!

I wish I could offer more than my sympathies; but I've no clue about the biz you're in.

You, on the other hand, appear to have a clear picture of what's going on, and a strong sense of your value as an employee of the firm. Not only do you possess the intelligence that's deserving of a higher salary, you exhibit the kind of initiative that makes businesses grow and become successful. Your boss and his associates are fools if they don't appreciate this.

I'm glad you're angry about the way you've been treated, because you clearly deserve better. I wouldn't quit your job over this, and I wouldn't even hold on to the bitter feelings you have. But do hold onto your understanding of your self-worth. Don't allow their shoddy treatment of you to damage your spirit.

If an opportunity comes knocking, however, I think you should investigate it. You owe it to yourself.

~hugggggggggggs~

[Journeyman]

12. For what it's worth. . .

I found myself in a semi-similar situation about a decade ago. Shunted aside by management in favor of less-qualified, less-devoted employees, I was on the verge of quitting. I could stay at the job, in a reduced capacity, and as it turned out was not required to work as hard as I had been accustomed to work. A friend suggested I stick it out and use whatever time I remained with the company preparing myself for a change of career.

The first afternoon of my new decision, another employee invited me to lunch. We went to the local Chinese restaurant, where my life was changed forever by a fortune cookie. Tucked inside that brittle crescent was the best advice I received in those bleak days:


Fortune Cookie says: Put up with small annoyances to gain great results.


Good advice. I actually chose to start my own company in the same field, and spent the next 30 months preparing for my move. I've been on my own now for almost a decade and it's been more successful than I ever imagined. Can't say it will happen this way for you, but surely careful thought and considered action are best right now. That, and maybe you should treat yourself to some moo goo gai pan and a cookie.

[pasadenaboy]

14. I agree with the concensus

1) Whatever your boss thinks of you now, he will probably always think of you. If you haven't got a raise, or recognition for what you can do, you will probably never get it.

2) It does no good to burn bridges or be angry. It will only hurt you in the end. Apologize to your boss, explain what you are trying to do in a calm way, and see what he has to say.

3) Be grateful you know the truth about the situation. You have knowledge of yourself and the situation. Now you need to figure out what to do about it.

4) Be creative! Maybe you can go back to school part time and continue to work with a flexible schedule. Or maybe you want to move, or maybe you want to try something entirely different. Be openminded and don't narrow down your options until you come up with every possible option. Figure out what is most important to you. Challenging work? Flexibility? Money? Meaningful work?

5) Be positive and confident. If you don't believe in yourself, others will have a hard time believing in you.

GOOD LUCK!

[grasswire]

16. some perspective

The federal poverty guideline for a family of two is $12,120. Living with your parents at nearly $30,000, you're probably not scrabbling along.

And I'm getting the sense that this isn't all about the job, but maybe some other stresses in your life all piling up. Living with the folks, trying to get child support, etc. A job that gobbles up your life and tires you out may be just too much on top of those things that seem to hold you back.

If you could cut down on your hours, maybe you could layer another revenue stream by working for yourself somehow. Maybe it's time to stop making money for another person by being his support. Maybe if you were in a situation where your income was directly related to your effort, you'd feel rewarded.

Just fwiw, I worked in the same kind of situation, for a professional. I spent 60 hours a week and even got called at night, at home. I was everything, and indispensible. It was emotionally exhausting. I was poorly paid. Then he brought in his wife to do an hour of dictation every day, and paid her more than he paid me. Grrrr.

[liberalhistorian]

22. Great suggestions!

I think I'm going to start putting together a detailed business plan for a couple of my ideas. I realize it's up to ME, and no one else, to change my own situation in life.

[kodi]

15. hummmmm, comfortably numb with no goals is doubly bad

in the entire post i saw no clearly defined goals.

until you access (brutally with yourself) what you want over the next decade, you are spinning your wheels.

gotta' have a plan, and the two most important factors are.... where are you now and where do you want to be then.

would you get on a bus if the bus driver tells you that the seats are comfortable, but he doesn't know where the hell he's going?

[grasswire]

17. hmmmm just a question....

...and don't be offended.

Do you have romantic feelings toward this man?

[kodi]

18. what? towards the bus driver?

hehe, you responded to my post, not the originator of this thread.

[Pert_UK]

19. Difficult one...

IMHO (not necessarily right) you have to make a choice.

You have a good employer and a job which you seem to enjoy. Not many people get those things.

Financially though, consider this:

1. your employer seems to have shown, over a period of time, that cash will always be short, and there's unlikely to be a lot of it going available for your payrises. You are unlikely to get rich there.

2. you have shown your employer, nice though they may be, that you will put in extra hours and flog yourself for the good of the company, even if they give you a tiny % raise and promote someone else above you. They may well think that you are going to stay there regardless of the shit they deal out to you, and are therefore unlikely to give you any more money.

My opinion? If money is important for your survival, look for another job but keep working until you get one. When you resign, if they offer you more money to stay then you can think about staying on then, but it seems to me that you've proved to them that you'll stay even if they shaft you.

Prove them wrong, but not at your own expense.

P.

[Cheswick2.0]

20. start your own business on the side

I don't know what state you are in, but In florida paralegals are running their own businesses. They are doing all the things you are trained to to, but rather than earning money for a lawyer they are making it for themselves. I know because my divorce was all done through a paralegal office. You draw up the paperwork for people and you tell them how to execute it. Lawyers would like you to believe that they are indispensible in all matters contract, but in many cases, they are not. Why do you think so many of them have people like you generating income for them?
Do some research and don't be afraid to push the envelope. Just because no one else is doing it doesn't mean you can't.

[Bossy Monkey]

21. I would say move to a bigger firm in a bigger city and you'll print money

with your knowledge, ability, background, education and experience.