HTML Preview Legal Resume page number 1.
Killer Legal Resumes
Resumes are an individual expression of who you are. They are also your one chance to make
a great first impression. The idea is to set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd, while still
maintaining the traditional professionalism required in the field of law.
Remember, the resume is not a complete autobiography! It is a prospectus for the future. Its
main task is to convince prospective employers to contact you for an interview. A good resume
should:
o Be eye-appealing
o Highlight your significant accomplishments
o Be logically displayed for a 30-second (or less) review
Identify Your Skills
It is sometimes difficult to fully and effectively inventory and evaluate your own skills profile. Ask
yourself: “What special abilities have I developed which allowed me to perform successfully in
my previous activities/jobs?” Do not be concerned that you have little or no previous experience
in legal jobs. Job skills are transferable. For example, the communications skills learned in a
retail position will be useful in your future legal career when counseling clients. Categorize your
skills as follows – all three categories are important and highly valued by employers!
o Technical/Professional Skills – skills that are related to performing within a job and
acquired by education, training, reading, and/or hands-on experiences (i.e., internships,
clerkships, volunteer opportunities). These skills are often listed in advertised job
postings: e.g., legal research abilities, writing skills, working knowledge of a certain area
of law (e.g., Uniform Commercial Code).
o Functional Skills – skills related to people, information, and things that are transferable
from one field to another (e.g., organization, communication, management, leadership).
These abilities are easy to overlook or downplay, but are highly valued by prospective
employers and crucial to successful workplace performance.
o Personal/Adaptive Skills -- skills often referred to as personality and/or character traits
(e.g., patience, decisiveness, team player, self-starter, quick learner, detail-oriented,
work well under pressure).
Inventorying your Experiences/Resume Content
• Heading (name, address, email, telephone)
• Education/Honors/School-Related Activities (reverse chronological order)
o Education typically begins with college.
o List degree/year obtained or expected; names and locations of schools.
o Include your GPA if 3.0 or higher; class rank if in the top one-third
• Certificates/Licenses/Bar Admission(s)
• Professional/Work Experience
• Be specific! Include title, months and years of employment, name and location of
employer.