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