u/Eponineswish

Hello all!  I'm a certified legal transcriptionist exploring a career in the legal field.  At this point, I'm looking into legal assistant and/or paralegal roles, and I wanted to get some questions answered so I can make better long-term goals and plans.  Here are some of the questions I have:

• What are the pros and cons of paralegal versus legal assistant positions?  I'm looking to understand the comparative work-life balance, stress levels, competitiveness in the job market, etc.  From the little I've seen so far, it looks like paralegal positions are fairly competitive and it may be wise for me to focus more on attaining a position as a legal assistant first, regardless of whether a position as a paralegal becomes the ultimate goal.
• What are the benefits of certification?  Is it essential to be competitive in the job market, or just an added bonus?  Do law firms tend to value experience over education?   How does this answer change for paralegal roles versus legal assistant roles?  Is it necessary if I am only pursuing roles as a legal assistant?  Is it the same certification for both roles? 
• Is this field extremely competitive?  Is it difficult to get hired for either of these roles?  What is your advice to maximize competitiveness?
• Lastly, I would appreciate any recommendations you have for certification programs.  Which programs are prestigious?  Which ones worked for you?  Is there anything specific I should be looking for in a program, or anything I should be careful to avoid?

I appreciate anyone who takes the time to answer any of my questions!  I'm interested in law and have enjoyed working as a legal transcriptionist and would love to dive further into the legal field for more of a challenge.