Dear 1L: 1L Resume Advice
Dear 1L, I’ve seen 100s of 1L resumes over the years. I typically see them after an office-of-career-services (OCS) review, and after you think the resume is “final.” Here’s the problem:
I still catch nits & formatting errors.
PLEASE, before sending to any prospective employer, run these 4 tests:
🔷 1: Take a ruler to your right margin.
The date & location should be perfectly aligned at the edge.
✏️ If you don’t know how to align the text, I encourage you to learn. I promise you’ll thank me you did—each and every time you update your resume in your life going forward.
Here’s a quick guide:
-ᴘᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴜʀꜱᴏʀ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇxᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴍᴀʀɢɪɴ.
-ɢᴏ ᴛᴏ > ꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ > ᴛᴀʙ > ꜱᴇʟᴇᴄᴛ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴛᴀʙꜱ
-ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴀᴍᴇ ꜱᴄʀᴇᴇɴ, ɢᴏ ᴛᴏ > ꜱᴇᴛ ᴛᴀʙ > ꜱᴇʟᴇᴄᴛ ɪᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʏᴘᴇ ɪɴ 6.5 (ꜰᴏʀ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅᴀʀᴅ ᴍᴀʀɢɪɴꜱ); ᴀʟɪɢɴᴍᴇɴᴛ: ʀɪɢʜᴛ; ɴᴏ ʟᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ
-ʜɪᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʙ ʙᴜᴛᴛᴏɴ
⭐️ The last letter of your date should be perfectly aligned with the last letter of your date for each experience.
🔷 2: Search for needless articles (i.e., “the,” “a” & “an”).
Cut.
In a resume entry—much like in the parentheticals you write to describe court decisions—you typically don’t need to use words like “the” and “a/an.”
In general, you want your entries as tight and crisp as possible.
Remove each article, provided it’s not needed for clarity, and find ways to express yourself in fewer words.
Examples*
{*I’m not saying these examples are perfect. I’m merely trying to illustrate a point.}
🚫 “Supervised the team of paralegals to conduct a research project in regards to a motion for summary judgment for the manager’s presentation to the agency’s Board of Directors.”
✅ “Supervised paralegal team to research summary judgment standards for presentation to agency Board.”
or
✅ “Led paralegals in researching summary judgment law for manager’s report to agency Board.”
***
—>Tests 3 & 4 to come in tomorrow’s letter for space reasons. Tap the bell on my profile if you don’t want to miss it. (Or DM if need for a deadline today).
I’m sending renewed motivation and zesto to you as you start this first non-holiday weekday.
Fondly,
💌 Amanda