With the recession in full swing and everyone feeling the pinch, you need to make sure that your legal resume stands out from the crowd! An attorney resume is something that needs to be different from the other resumes that you might have written, and if you want to make sure that you make it past the first disqualification round, there are a number of things that you need to keep in mind.
Use action words when writing your legal resume. Now is not the time for passive writing, it can make you appear dull and boring. When you write in the active voice, it makes you look like a go-getter. For example, do not write, “I was a coordinator.” Instead, write “I coordinated.” Yes, they basically say the same thing but writing in the active voice shows you as a person of action rather than someone who passively lets things happen.
Create a legal resume specific for each firm you are applying with. This is going to require extra time and thought on your part, but you should get better results with this approach. Cookie cutter resumes just do not cut it in today’s job market. You need to think about what skills you have and how they will fill the needs of the firm and write your resume in a manner that shows how you will benefit them.
You need a clear understanding of your own skills and of the needs of the firm. Are you best at offering guidance? Are you action oriented? What can you do to help the firm become a greater success? The better able you are to match your skills with their needs, the better your attorney resume will come across.
When writing your legal resume, it is best to avoid abbreviations where possible. Remember that the first line you need to get past may not know what all of those abbreviations mean, especially if you are applying to a different part of the country. Spell out abbreviations so the screener has no reason to toss your resume aside.
Another important tip is to have someone else proof read your attorney resume before you mail it off. You can check your own writing a dozen times and still skim right over errors. Do not worry about hiring a professional or legal specialist to read it, all you need is a fresh pair of eyes. Remember to have your resume proof read each time you update it as well.
It should go without saying, but be honest in your legal resume. Especially with an attorney resume, you ca be sure all of your claims are going to be checked out and verified. Telling white lies is one sure way to not get hired by that firm or any other. It is a good way to ruin your reputation. Always be honest about your past and your achievements and it will pay off for you in the long run.
Take some time and make sure that you look into what your options are going to be when you are thinking about putting together a legal resume. This is not a place where you can afford to make mistakes!
You need to put your best foot forward when it comes to applying a job in the legal field. You can begin with having good legal resume that serve as your gate pass as you enter the prospective employer of your dreams. Or you can try attorney resume.
