A great resume shows an employer who you are as an employee and that you possess the necessary skills to do the job well.  Accordingly, it is crucial to engage in sincere self-assessment before, during and after the drafting process.  A great resume can also withstand the 30-second scan, which is the amount of time hiring managers initially spend looking at a resume.  Your goal, of course, is to create a resume that catches the hiring person’s eye and is an authentic representation of your skills.  Incorporating the three strategies below will assist you in developing a resume that strikes the proper balance.

Know Thyself

Think of your resume as a marketing tool designed to sell yourself to potential employers.  It should speak to an employer in your absence by showcasing your skills, highlighting your abilities and quantifying your professional accomplishments.  Therefore, it is important to focus on accomplishments not just job responsibilities.  When showcasing your skills, resist the urge to list rote responsibilities; instead try to qualify them.  For example, don’t write “researched and analyzed case law on various legal topics” instead try “conducted research and analyzed cases on consumer protection laws, statute of limitation in fraud actions and immigration decisions in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.”  Use formatting such as bold, underline, and italics to literally highlight your abilities; e.g., Supervised and trained staff of ten individuals on technical use of online deposition software.  Finally, include professional accomplishments, like “promoted to supervisor within three months” or “received employee of the month award for identifying cost-saving measures in operating budget.”  Knowing yourself and including what makes you different from other candidates makes a good resume great.

Know your Audience

Understanding your audience is also important to creating a great resume.  Tailoring your resume to the type of employer or job for which you are applying will make a good resume great.  It is very important to recognize that all work environments are not alike and that different employers value different attributes.  For example, a large law firm may value your previous experience as a paralegal, while a small law firm may be more interested in the work you recently did in a Widener Law Clinic.  Is the employer structured or do they value a jack-of-all-trades?  Preparing your resume with these questions in mind will help you tailor your resume to the needs of your audience and will help you to standout from the mountains of generic resumes.

Know the Job

It is always important to create a resume with the responsibilities of the job in mind.  Employers spend considerable time drafting job postings that identify their required and preferred qualifications.  If you incorporate keywords found in the job description into your resume you make it easy for the reviewer to determine that you have the skills needed to the do the job.  A great resume will have all of the required qualifications listed as well as many of the preferred skills.

Resumes play an important part in the job search process.  They introduce you to an employer and should demonstrate why you are the best candidate.  Knowing yourself, your audience and the job are crucial to drafting a resume that does just that.  A good resume can become a great resume with a little effort and attention.

“If you are unemployed, this work shows that you have been productive.” states J. Challanger, CEO of Challanger, Gray, & Christmas, a Chicago outplacement firm. Continuing, Mr. Challanger further noted “and if you are already employed, your volunteer work supplements the experiences you gained on the job.”

Substantive work like managing a pro bono project,  writing the first draft of a motion, performing intake are attractive to organizations because these skills are transferable to various sectors of the legal industry. To maximize your opportunities, try to devote your volunteering time to a cause that closely aligns with your choice of area of practice.

Of course, volunteering is also one of the best ways to start your networking.  You will likely meet many influential people who may be in a position to help you. You also will have a visible platform to showcase the skills you’ve gained.  Remember to collect business cards AND follow up with people you meet, making specific plans to reconnect with them in the future.

As your volunteer work is important, be sure to list it appropriately on your resume.   You can create a “volunteering” sub-section or, depending on the nature of the work, you may want to list your volunteer work under the work experience section of your resume. Wherever you list it, make sure to highlight the transferable skills (negotiating, writing, analyzing, researching, etc.) you used and the other new skills you have gained.

One caution: be very careful about listing volunteer work that is overtly political or religious organizations unless you are CERTAIN that your affiliation with these groups will viewed in a positive light.

So you ask, what is a transitional job?  It is a job, usually of short duration or project-based employment that does not require an individual to have a law license but helps bridge the gap between graduation and permanent employment.  Think of it as a foot-in-the-door job, where you get exposure to legal employers and varying legal specialties, while networking with attorneys.  Moreover, transitional jobs allow graduates to earn money while learning more about the legal industry, which can be a win-win situation.

So what does a transitional job look like? Examples include: document reviewers, law clerk positions, compliance professionals, analysts, paralegals, legal assistants and business development representatives.  For a listing of recent transitional jobs featured on the internet, log on to Symplicity and type the job number “4068” into the search field on your home page.

Although it is important to consider transitional jobs in your overall job search strategy, don’t overstay your welcome.  These jobs must be of short duration and those graduates who overstay their time, without legitimate reasons, may become pigeon-holed or worse yet, their legal skills may atrophy, making it hard to convince potential employers otherwise.  If you land a transitional job, make sure you continue your job search while you are employed.  After all, statistics show that you are more likely to get a job if you are already employed.  And most importantly, be sure to continue to build your network inside and outside of the legal community since  according to NALP’s Jobs & JDs over 50% of entry level jobs are found through networking, self-initiated contact and/or referrals!

Start by moving physically.  Moving increases the blood flow to your brain and releases endorphins that will lift your mood.  Next, challenge yourself to incorporate one of the following positive actions into your job search each day.

1. When meeting with your counselor about your resume and cover letter, make sure to discuss the type of interview you should expect.  Employers use a variety of interview methods.
2. Ask for help.  Don’t be timid.  You never know who has contacts.  Reconnect with your network.  They will not let you down and most likely will be able to relate to your frustrations because they have been in the same situation.
3. A job search is a full time job.  You have to work at it. Plan time to work on your job search.  Remember that the job search also includes meeting people face to face.  Make appointments for lunch or coffee.  Attempt to build relationships; don’t simply ask about the availability of jobs over cocktails or at networking events.
4. Keep busy.  Volunteer and develop contacts to add to your network.  If you can’t find volunteer work in the legal field, volunteer for charitable or community causes. If you are a graduate, utilize temporary legal staffing agencies but don’t rely on them for the long term.
5. Be Seen.  Attend CLE programming and local bar association events.
6. Read legal trade papers. Stay abreast of legal, global and local current events.

Finally, change your mindset from one of hopelessness to positivity. When feelings of doubt surface, adopt the motivated attitude of the Little Engine that Could who encouraged himself stating “I think I can, I think I can!“ If you take a positive step each day, before long, you won’t just think you can—you’ll KNOW you can!

1. DO use white or ivory resume paper.  Your hot pink letter might be memorable, but not in a good way.
2. DO use Times New Roman, 12-point font, or some other easily readable font.
3. DO address your letter to a named individual.  “To Whom This May Concern” and “Dear Sir/ Madam” are poorly received by employers.
4. DO address your letter to the correct person.  Address your letter to the contact person on the job posting, or if there is no posting, to the Hiring Partner or Legal Recruiter at the firm.  This information can usually be found on the firm’s/organization’s website. If it is not, call to find out the correct contact person.
5. DO be sure the potential employer can reach you.  Make sure your contact information is prominently displayed.
6. DO be proactive by requesting an interview.
7. DO sign your letter, preferably in blue ink.
8. DO tell the employer how you can meet his or her needs.
9. DON’T waste your first paragraph by writing a boring introduction. Use the first paragraph to grab the employer’s attention; give the employer the reasons you are qualified for the position. Tell them why you are excited about the possibility of working with them. If you were referred by one of the attorneys working for the firm/organization, remember to mention this in the first paragraph.
10. DON’T rehash your resume. You can use your cover letter to highlight the aspects of your resume that are relevant to the position, but you’re wasting precious space — and the potential employer’s time — if you simply repeat your resume.
11. DON’T write about how the employer can help you. Write about how YOU can help the employer or add value to the organization.
12. DON’T be negative.
13. DON’T display ignorance about the company to which you’re applying.  Know something about the employer and make that come across in your cover letter.
14. DON’T write a letter longer than one page.
15. DON’T send a cover letter that contains any typos, misspellings, incorrect grammar or punctuation, smudges or grease from yesterday’s dinner.