Alison Schuettler: Paralegal at GTSI

<<During the summers of her junior and senior years of college, Schuettler worked at an immigration law firm outside Philadelphia. Her work was appreciated, and soon she was offered a full-time position. After graduation, Schuettler said "yes."

She majored in communication studies, minored in criminal justice, and concentrated in conflict and mediation at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA, graduating in 2002.


"I felt like it gave me a lot of options for different career paths after graduation," says Schuettler about her concentration. "About half of the group that concentrated in conflict and mediation went to law school, and the other half entered the workforce."

Finally, after working there for several years, Schuettler left the immigration law firm. The area of law she wanted to work in soon became clear.

"I wanted a legal position that allowed me to work on different things each day," she says. "And that [is] what I found at GTSI."

Schuettler joined the GTSI team in 2005 as a paralegal.

"Coming to a company with over 700 employees was quite a change from the office of four people that I left in Pennsylvania," she admits. Nevertheless, she's "had a great experience working [there]."

Schuettler had done it. She had entered the legal field without any excess schooling. But she had one last exam to endure, the paralegal certification exam offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants. Five years out of college, Schuettler found studying a challenge. However, perseverance paid off.

"I passed on the first try," she says, "something only 40% of those who take it do."

Headquartered in Chantilly, VA, GTSI specializes in providing IT products and solutions to government customers. The company, founded in 1983, prides itself on being the "first government-focused IT infrastructure solutions provider offering a technology lifecycle management approach," as well as having a deep understanding of government technology environments, policies, purchasing requirements, and business objectives. GTSI offers numerous services ranging from management consulting services, financial services, and project management services to e-business services, network services, support services, and more.

"My position involves some typical legal duties, such as supporting three attorneys with litigation/disputes, corporate governance, and various legal research assignments," says Schuettler. "I'm solely responsible for handling immigration matters for our foreign-national employees. That group includes individuals who are in the country working for GTSI on a temporary basis, as well as some folks who are at various stages of the green card process."

"I'm also involved in the administration of our corporate compliance program, which includes new hire compliance training, internal corporate messaging, and regular policy updates/revisions," she adds.

One characteristic Schuettler tries to show the most is patience. To everyone she works with, she strives to offer it. New rules and norms are difficult for anyone, especially foreigners, to deal with. So, Schuettler says, "I always try to treat those clients like I would want to be treated if I were in a foreign country with unfamiliar norms and rules — with patience and respect."
 

Q. What do you do for fun?

A. Shop and play volleyball...and shop some more.

Q. What CD is in your CD player right now, or what music is on your iPod?

A. Keith Urban's new greatest hits CD. I actually don't have an iPod — I'm behind the times!

Q. What is the last magazine you read?

A. Glamour.

Q. What is your favorite TV show?

A. Grey's Anatomy.

And working with foreign workers has been one of Schuettler's most rewarding experiences.

"I've had the pleasure of working with hundreds of people from different areas of the world and helping them create better lives for themselves and their families," she says.

At GTSI, Schuettler has thrived, both as a paralegal and as a member of the Human Capital Steering Committee, a role for which she was selected. The steering committee focuses on "employee morale issues, with the end result being to make GTSI 'a best place to work.'"

"I have served on the committee for approximately one year," Schuettler says. "As part of the steering committee, I serve on the Career Development Process Action Team and have been involved in creating policies, processes, and tools that employees can use to take charge of their careers."

Not only has working with people of different ages and backgrounds aided Schuettler in her professional growth, but interacting with upper-level managers and vice presidents has as well. How? By giving her "a better understanding of how things work throughout the organization." These experiences have also helped this 2002 graduate to "not be afraid to speak up even though [she] may be the youngest person in the room."

Despite altering her plan to become a police officer or an attorney, Schuettler has flourished in her role as a paralegal. Now a graduate, a certified paralegal, and a member of GTSI's steering committee, she offers this sage advice:

"Don't be afraid to start at the bottom and work your way up. The most successful people that I have encountered worked their way up the ranks and continually apply lessons they've learned at each step. Also, take advantage of opportunities that you create or are given to further your knowledge on different topics. There is no way that you're going to be an expert on everything, but it's certainly worth picking up tidbits of information when they're available to you."