What does a paralegal do?

Ex-Military with BA in History and Paralegal Certificate, what jobs can I do???

• Moving to Portland Oregon area and noticing that Paralegal jobs aren't real plentiful. I'm ex-Army and have a BA in History and a Paralegal Certificate. I've been a Paralegal in Denver the last 3 years. I also did my Student Teaching (to become a Teacher) 8 years ago in Kansas. Should I go back to Teaching? If so, do I have to do Student Teaching all over again? What are the hoops I'd have to jump through to Teach in the State of Oregon? What other jobs could I maybe do with my credentials???

• Answer:

  I won't question your motives for wanting to move to Portland without a guaranteed job, but if you want to get into teaching, Oregon is second only to California in difficulty to becoming a teacher. All states require a minimum of two things to become a certified teacher. One, a BA, you have covered, but it is in a specific field (History), rather than a Bachelor of Education. The second is a licensure, or certification to teach. California and Oregon also require testing in other areas, better known as CBEST. Other states still require testing such as PRAXIS exams. You should contact the Portland Board of Education for specifics in that area. The links will also give you requirements for that area. Good luck. P.S. With your Army background, you might also consider working for the Army Corp of Engineers as a civilian since they have a major office there in Portland.