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How to Make Your Legal Resume Stand Out
When searching for a legal job, having a good resume is very important. Law firms are flooded with resumes, so being able to make your own resume stand out and command attention is key. The resume you submit should be your sales pitch to the firm, explaining how you can add value to their business. You have about 30 seconds to do this in, so you want a resume that will get a second look and ultimately an interview for the position. Whether you are experienced in the legal field or just out of law school, here are some important tips and ideas to help you make a great impression with your resume:

Show Off Extensive Experience

When writing your legal resume to make it stand out, show off extensive experience if you have it. If you have a long career in law, no doubt you have many accomplishments. You should be proud of all these accomplishments. extending onto a second page is fine in this case; however, if you do use a second page, there are a couple things to remember. First, make sure you will use at least half of that second page. Secondly, you must ensure that your name appears at the top of the second page, as well as your contact information.

This is Not an Essay

A legal resume is not an essay. There should be no use of ''my'' or using ''I'' within the resume. Instead of writing in long sentences, it is best to use short phrases. It is okay to use sentence fragments within a resume. For example, instead of using a long, drawn out sentence like ''I totally reorganized the billing practice of the firm, which reduced errors by more than 35%,'' it can be better stated this way: ''Reduced billing errors by 35+% by reorganizing billing strategies.''

Accomplishments are Important

When you are listing jobs, the accomplishments you have made in previous jobs will actually be more important than the responsibilities that you held. Your accomplishments in the legal field are going to sound much more impressive than a basic statement of what your job responsibilities held for you. This is a great way to get the attention of prospective employers. It shows you go above and beyond your actual job description if you are able to show off accomplishments on the job.

Use Job Descriptions Carefully

Job descriptions on a legal resume are also going to be important and they must be used carefully. The title of your job may mean different things to different people. Using a good job description can clarify the position that you held. Use the descriptions to clarify all of your experience in the legal field. Keep one exception in mind: If you did a summer internship while in law school, there is no need to add in a description, since most firms will know the duties that a law intern performs.

Add in Grades

Some people are not sure whether or not they should list their law school grades on their resume. If you have been practicing for 25 years, this may not be necessary. However, if you have been out of school for only a short period of time, you should include your grades. Not including the grades from law school can cause employers to believe that you performed below average and they may not give your resume a second look. Show off those grades; they can make a difference.

Resume Appearance

The content of your legal resume is definitely the most important part of it. This doesn't mean that you should forget all about the appearance of your resume. When you are designing your resume, make sure you only use fonts that are easy to read. Times New Roman is one of the best choices. Ensure that you leave enough white space to keep your resume from appearing like it is too crowded. Last of all, proofread it. Carefully look over the resume to make sure there are no grammatical, punctuation, or style errors that may be distracting and cause problems.



Article ID: 40102 www.attorneyresume.com

Article Title : How to Make Your Legal Resume Stand Out

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