Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / Returning to Work as a Paralegal After a Career Gap
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this stat that's been bouncing around in my head: over 60 percent of stay-at-home parents who try to re-enter the workforce say the biggest hurdle isn't skills—it's confidence. And today's guest, Mary Chen, is a perfect case study in that. She spent ten years out of the workforce raising her kids, and she's now a paralegal at a mid-sized law firm in Ohio. Luna: Ten years is a long time. What did she do before that? Lucas: She was a legal assistant at a small firm for about four years. So she had some legal exposure, but it was entry-level—she didn't have a degree or certification, and when she left, e-discovery was just starting to be a thing. When she came back, the whole landscape had changed. Luna: So she wasn't just dealing with a gap, she was dealing with an industry shift. What was her first step? Lucas: She did what a lot of people might do—she signed up for a legal assistant certificate program online. It took her about nine months, and she did it while her kids were in school. She told me that the hardest part wasn't the coursework; it was feeling like a beginner again at forty-two. Luna: That's such a real feeling. So how did she handle the confidence piece? Lucas: She got strategic. She volunteered at a legal aid clinic two mornings a week, doing intake paperwork and some research. It gave her something concrete to put on her resume and a way to get references. She also asked a former colleague from her old firm to be a mentor—they'd grab coffee once a month and talk through what the legal market was looking for. Luna: That mentor sounds key. Did she help with the networking side too? Lucas: Absolutely. Her mentor introduced her to a few managing partners at local firms, and that's how she found out about the paralegal opening. She didn't apply online—she was referred. That made a huge difference. She told me that her interview wasn't really about her legal skills; it was about whether she could handle the pace and the technology. Luna: What did she say when they asked about the ten-year gap? Lucas: She had a really good answer. She framed it as a period of project management—running a household, coordinating schedules, managing a budget. She even worked some of that into the interview by talking about how she organized a school charity auction. It showed she wasn't just sitting idle; she was developing transferable skills. Luna: That's smart framing. But what about the technology part? Like you said, e-discovery wasn't a thing when she left. Lucas: Right. She took a couple of short courses on Relativity—that's the software most firms use for e-discovery—and she put that on her resume. In the interview, she was upfront about not being an expert but eager to learn. Her firm was willing to train her on the job, and she said she picked it up faster than she expected because she was used to learning new things as a mom. Luna: I love that. So what does her day-to-day look like now? Lucas: She does a mix of legal research, drafting filings, and managing discovery documents. She says the research part is her favorite because she's naturally curious, and it's a skill that translates well from the critical thinking she used in everyday parenting decisions—like figuring out which pediatrician to choose or comparing health plans. Luna: That's a good point. So what was the salary negotiation like? Did she undersell herself? Lucas: She almost did. She had a number in her head from a few years ago, but her mentor gave her a reality check—she told her to look at the current regional salary data for paralegals with her experience level. Mary found that the average for her area was about 15 percent higher than what she was going to ask for. So she went in with that data and ended up getting exactly what she wanted. Luna: Good for her. That's the kind of story that makes you wonder: is it actually easier to come back after a longer gap because you've had time to think about what you really want? Lucas: That's a great question, and Mary's answer was actually that she knew she wanted a role with more responsibility and a better work-life balance. She didn't want to be a legal assistant again—she wanted to be a paralegal, and she went for it. She told me she 'wasn't going to apologize for taking time off' because that time made her a more organized, more patient, and more efficient person. Luna: That's a powerful mindset. But what about the reality of going back to work after being home for so long? Did she have any moments of doubt? Lucas: Oh, definitely. Her first week, she said she felt overwhelmed by the pace of the office. She was used to setting her own schedule, and suddenly she had billable hours to track. She almost called her mentor to say she'd made a mistake, but she stuck it out, and by the end of the month, she said she felt like she belonged. Luna: That's reassuring. So what's the one piece of advice she'd give to a stay-at-home parent thinking about doing this? Lucas: She said, 'Don't wait until you feel ready. Start with one small step—a course, a volunteer gig, a conversation with someone in the field. The readiness comes from doing.' And she also said to be prepared for the question about the gap, but to answer it with confidence, not apology. Luna: That's really practical. I also think it's important to mention that her certification program wasn't the gold ticket—it was the combination of that, the volunteer work, and the mentor that got her in the door. Lucas: Exactly. And I think that's the takeaway: it's not one big thing, it's a bunch of small, deliberate steps. She also told me that she found the job posting on the Ohio Paralegal Association's job board, which is a niche resource a lot of people overlook. Luna: That's a good tip. So for anyone listening who's in that position, what's the first thing they should do tomorrow morning? Lucas: I'd say: pick one area of your old profession you want to refresh, and sign up for a free webinar or short course. And reach out to one former colleague—just a quick email saying, 'Hey, I'm thinking about coming back, and I'd love to hear how the industry is now.' You'd be surprised how many people are happy to help. Luna: And if you're listening and you've been out of work for a while, you're not alone. Mary's story proves that a gap doesn't have to be a barrier—it can be a foundation. Lucas: Yeah, and honestly, if this episode helped you think through your own comeback plan, that's the kind of thing we love to hear. And if you ever feel like supporting the show, the simplest way is to buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's just a small token—the price of a coffee—and it keeps this podcast ad-free. Luna: Yeah, every little bit helps us keep doing these deep dives. You can find that link in the show notes, no pressure at all. Lucas: So, back to Mary—one last thing she said that I thought was clever: she updated her LinkedIn headline to 'Paralegal, Re-entering after a Career Break' while she was job hunting. She said it made her visible to recruiters who specifically look for returning parents. And it turned out to be true—she got a couple of messages from recruiters because of that. Luna: That's a pro move. So she wasn't hiding the gap; she was using it as a signal. That's a totally different way to approach it. Lucas: Right. She owned her story, and that's what made the difference. She told me that the most important thing she learned is that a career gap isn't a resume hole—it's a chapter in your story, and you get to write how it reads. Luna: That's a great way to end this. If you're a stay-at-home parent thinking of returning, Mary's story is proof that it's possible. And we'll have more comeback stories next week. Lucas: Until then, keep moving forward—one small step at a time.