Entries in the Category "Resumes"
Advice from Washington, D.C. Employers
The CSO recently met with several employers in Washington, D.C. These meetings included several public interest organizations and a large law firm. These employers are willing to consider Case Western Reserve law students for summer and post graduate positions. Of the six employers we met with there was one constant recommendation to students…make sure there are no grammatical errors in any of your application materials - resume, cover letter and writing sample! Additionally, many of the employers indicated that they receive outdated or improper references. Employers want your references to be people who you have worked for rather than friends or family. You can also seek references from law and undergraduate professors. Do not be afraid to ask. Another common reminder was to make sure the contact information you provide is current. Employers don't want to find out that the person you listed as a reference stopped working for the employer you listed six months ago!
We learned a great deal about wonderful public interest opportunities in the D.C. area and what perfect timing as CSO’s Public Interest theme week starts Monday, September 12. In addition to attending the events next week, be sure to make an appointment with a counselor to discuss public interest opportunities for the summer or after graduation.
The CSO will continue to keep you updated on our outreach efforts!
Avoiding Common Resume & Cover Letter Mistakes
You’ve heard us say it before, and you’ll hear us say it again: It is not acceptable for there to be any typographical errors on your resume or cover letter. You must be certain to proofread every word of your application documents and, ideally, have someone else (whose grammar skills you trust) read them as well. To help you get started, here are some of the most common errors we see on resumes:
* If you choose to spell out your J.D. degree, remember that it is a Juris Doctor and not a Juris Doctorate.
* Be sure to italicize degree honors such as cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude.
* Underline or italicize the names of publications.
* When listing dates in a month/year format, do not use a comma. The proper format is December 2007, not December, 2007.
* Remember to include only one email address and one telephone number on your resume and cover letter. Do not make an employer guess as to which email or phone number they should use to contact you.
* Do not use technical or company-specific terms on your resume. If you cannot describe your work without using these terms, be sure to provide a brief explanation of their meaning in layman’s terms.
* Do not include an objective line.
* Do not list references and do not include a “references available upon request” line.
Five Simple Tips for Giving Your Resume an Instant Lift
During an initial resume review, the average employer may spend less than one minute on each resume. As a result, it is essential that your resume be as clean and organized as possible, to allow your fantastic qualifications to shine through! Scheduling a resume review appointment with a CSO Counselor is the best way to make sure your resume is doing all it can for you. But in the meantime, here are five simple tips for instantly giving your resume more “eye appeal”:
1) Use only reader-friendly fonts such as Times New Roman, Garamond, Book Antiqua, Verdana, or Bookman Old Style.
2) With the exception of your name at the top of your resume, never use a font size larger than 12pt. Conversely, never use a font size smaller than 10pt.
3) Look with a critical eye at how often you are using all caps, bold, italic, underline, and other special formatting. Overuse of these styles can make a resume appear cluttered and messy. Limit these formatting styles to headings and to names of employers, schools, or organizations.
4) If you are pursuing employment in a specialized field of the law, consider listing in your “Education” section relevant coursework you’ve taken here at Case.
5) When writing descriptions of your current or previous employment experience, remember that less is often more. Use strong verb and simple declarative sentences to present a clear and concise picture of your skills and experience.
1L Resume & Cover Letter Workshops
Wondering what legal employers want to see on your resume? Want to hear what you need to include in your cover letters? Then be sure to attend the Resume & Cover Letter Workshops taking place Tuesday through Friday.
If you are interested in learning more about creating a great legal resume and cover letter, you will need to register through Symplicity for the session you would like to attend. You simply need to log in to Symplicity, click on Events, select the session you would like to attend, and then click RSVP.
Check out the schedule below. If you already have a draft of your resume please bring it with you to the workshop. If you have specific questions about your resume we would be happy to answer them at that time.
Questions? Feel free to contact Kelli Curtis in the CSO. The CSO looks forward to seeing you next week!
Tuesday, November 6
4:00 – 5:00 pm, Room A57
Wednesday, November 7
4:00 – 5:00 pm, Room A65
Thursday, November 8
12:00 – 1:00 pm, Room A57
** Please feel free to bring your lunch to this session
Friday, November 9
12:00 – 1:00 pm, Room A65
** Please feel free to bring your lunch to this session
Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interviews: Basic Tips From Employers
As part of our efforts to increase employer outreach in different markets, the CSO spent much of the month of August meeting and communicating with employers in New York City, Los Angeles, and Northeast Ohio. Although the bulk of the meetings and discussions were spent talking about the law school and learning about the employers, many employers also took the opportunity to share some basic cover letter, resume, and interview advice for us to pass along to students. Almost every employer we met with emphasized the following:
• Make sure that any cover letter and resume that you submit to an employer is free of typos. A typo in a cover letter or resume almost always gives the employer an automatic reason to stop considering the resume no matter what else is listed on it.
• Make sure that your cover letter is addressed to the correct person and the correct employer. And make sure, if you mention particular practice areas in the cover letter, that the employer actually has those practice areas. Employers dread receiving a cover letter that is addressed to someone else, that is addressed to the wrong firm, or that mentions working in a practice area that the employer does not have.
• Make sure that you can talk about everything that is listed on your resume. One employer in Los Angeles emphasized that if a person chooses to list personal interests or hobbies on his or her resume, the person had better prepared to talk in detail about those interests and hobbies in an interview.
• Do your best to make sure your cover letter specifically explains why you are interested in the particular employer. Employers can tell when they are receiving a mass-mailed cover letter and most employers prefer to see a letter that specifically explains why you are interested in working for the particular employer. An alum in New York City explained that, although it took her some time to tailor each cover letter to a particular employer, it really helped her obtain interviews with small and mid-size New York City employers.
• Do your research. Be prepared to explain in an interview what specific reasons you have for wanting to work for the employer with whom you are interviewing. Use the interview to demonstrate that you have familiarized yourself with the available information about the employer.
Feel free to schedule an appointment with the CSO to discuss cover letters, resumes, and interviewing tips. Remember that the CSO is available to review your cover letter and resume, provide substantive suggestions, and help you avoid typos! We’re also available for mock interviews and to answer any questions you have about the job search process.
References: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
1) Who should I ask to be a reference? Your references should be people who know you and know your work. Many legal employers like to hear from professors so take advantage of opportunities to participate in class and talk with your professors outside of class.
2) Can I list a past employer? Absolutely – as long as this person knows you and knows your work. A supervisor who regularly reviewed your work trumps the head of your department that barely remembers you.
3) My reference asked for a form – is there a form he/she can fill out? The short answer is no. Legal employers who ask for letters of recommendation want to hear from someone who knows you and your work and understands the type of position you are applying for. The more specific and descriptive the letter is regarding you and your work the better.
4) Do I have to ask my reference for a letter of recommendation? Not unless the position you are applying for specifically requests one. Otherwise, written letters of recommendation are rarely required. Most employers will ask you for references. When an employer requests that you supply them with references they are simply asking for a list of names with the contact information for the individuals that you list. Always be sure to include your name and contact information on the top of your reference list (like on your resume) in case your reference list is ever separated from your resume in an employer’s office. For a sample reference list, see the Resume Section of the CSO Guide on Blackboard.
5) How do I ask someone to be a reference or for a letter of recommendation? Can I send him/her an email? If the person is on campus or is someone with whom you currently work, drop by their office with an updated copy of your resume to make your request. For those references that you can't just drop in on, consider contacting them by phone and email. If it is someone you haven't been in touch with since you started law school, they will be interested in catching up via phone. You can then follow-up via email with a copy of your resume and a thank you note. Keep in mind that if your prior experience with a potential reference is vastly different from the tasks you will be performing in the legal field, it is important to spend some time talking about the job(s) you are applying for and the types of assignments you will be working on.
Have additional questions about references and letters of recommendation? Stop by the CSO to chat with a counselor!