At Resume Legal, we spend a great deal of time looking at resumes. We have seen it all – the good, the bad, and the resumes that could double as a professional autobiography.
For hiring managers, your resume is their first glimpse of who you are and what you can do. Every detail counts. In this article, we have compiled the most common resume mistakes we see, as well as our tips for creating a resume that stands out to law firms.
1. Ditch The Multicolors.
Using color in your resume may seem like a way to set yourself apart from the crowd. The reality of this approach, however, is that it comes across as unprofessional and distracting. Your resume reflects your legal persona and is, therefore, not the place to express your artistic creativity!
Solution: Use only black and white colours with a font that is easy to read both on screen and in print.
2. Not Too Long!
No law firm recruiter or partner has the time (or energy) to read a four-page resume. A resume that is too long may overwhelm recruiters and partners and cause them to miss key information.
Solution: Keep it short and sweet. One to two pages maximum. Be concise and focus on the most relevant information.
3. Spelling & Grammar Errors
Spelling and grammatical errors signal to firms that you lack meticulousness and don’t pay attention to detail, which we all know is critical in the legal profession. Errors distract from your qualifications and undermine the overall impact of the resume.
Solution: Proofread your resume multiple times. Get your friends to review it as well!
4. Don’t Undersell Yourself
While you don’t want to come across as arrogant and should aim to keep your resume concise, being too modest can make it seem like you lack confidence or significant achievements.
Solution: Make sure you include all the key successes throughout both your education and your legal career.
5. Avoid Generic Resume Writing Services
Generic writing services do not understand the specific demands and nuances of the legal field. They won’t understand your qualifications, specific practice area or the finer details that firm recruiters and heads of practice are looking for.
Solution: Use a resume writing service that specializes in legal careers.
Conclusion
Our consultants at Resume Legal are equipped with years of legal market experience. We understand the unique challenges you face and will translate your qualifications and experience into a powerful resume that will get you noticed.
We’d love to share how we can help you meet your goals! If you are interested in learning more about our resume-writing service, inquire on our Contact Us page.