Resume Checklist Yes No FORMAT The document is one page in length (you can go on to a second page if special circumstances exist like you graduated more than 5 years ago or have extensive publications) 11 or 12 font (such as Times New Roman or Garamond) with generous margins NO Typos or grammatical errors No underlining or bullet points Format is similar to our samples Resume is not cluttered and is easy to read CONTENT The resume has a top header and Education and Experience sections Your contact information is professional and up to date The resume is tailored to the job you re seeking All relevant jobs, volunteer work, and activities are included You have included pro bono work, internships, externships, clinics, journals, on-campus organizations, and research for a professor There is no Interests Section (unless special circumstances) or Objective You have not included computer skills, classes (except clinics), or grades (except honors) All high school information has been removed (see an SJI counselor if special circumstances exist) You have included (if applicable) Languages, Bar Membership, and Publications - 18 -
Resume Workbook This workbook is intended for both current law students and graduates. Please review each section of this workbook to ensure that your resume is in compliance with current expectations of public interest employers. YOUR GOALS: 1. What kind of public interest job will you be applying to? (See previous pages and Appendix for guidance on this.) 2. What experience and skills would interest this employer? (Think about your resume as a marketing tool for that specific employer or job, and make sure it is the strongest statement that you can put forward about yourself, and your specific qualifications and interest in that employer or area of law.) Tip! Don t forget to tweak your resume for each job application, to best fit that employer. YOUR CONTENT: 3. Create your Top Header. It should include your name, address, email and phone. Include permanent address only if applying for jobs in that region. Before including your cell phone number, make sure your voicemail message is appropriate and you are prepared to handle calls from potential employers in public locations. First Name/Last Name Full Address/Phone Number/Email 4. Create your Education Section. Begin by making a list that includes all your education post-high school starting with your most recent degree. (If you are more than five years out of law school, you can move this section beneath the Experience section.) Next, make a list of all honors and activities that you have participated in since you started college. These will go under the Honors and Activities subsections under each degree. School, City & State Location Degree, Major/Minor Graduation Month & Year - 19 -
Activities (Includes student organizations, journals, moot court, etc. If you have a title, include it. Do not include clinics, pro bono, externships, internships, legal projects like TRP, UAC, or CAP these are better in the Experience section if you have done substantive legal work.) Honors (Includes academic honors, scholarships, fellowships, and awards. List the proper name, often in Latin, of the honor. Consider including brief descriptions, in parens, next to the formal title, if helpful.) Study Abroad (This can be included under Activities or a Study Abroad subsection under your college, if you did not receive a separate degree from that institution. Thesis/Note (The title of your college thesis or law school note can be included under a third subsection below the Activities and Honors entitled Thesis or Note or Publication under that school). LAW SCHOOL Activities Honors Note COLLEGE Activities Honors Study Abroad 5. Create Your Experience Section. Begin, by making a list of all jobs, legal and non-legal, paid and volunteer in reverse chronological order. Include the name of the organization, your job title, dates, location, and a brief description of the work you did. Your most relevant experiences (not necessarily the most recent) should have the longest descriptions. Begin each sentence with an action verb (see list in - 20 -
this packet and sample resumes). Think strategically about which experiences to include and what to highlight in each description. Do not exaggerate and do not include high school experience -- if specific reasons exist to include it, talk to an SJI advisor. If your resume is intended for an international employer, see additional tips below. Tip! Think about your responsibilities, accomplishments and skills developed. Do not exaggerate, or over-inflate your position or experience. Be ready to explain gaps. Employer(bold) Location_ Position/Job Title (italicize) Date_ Responsibilities/Accomplishments Employer(bold) Location_ Position/Job Title (italicize) Date_ Responsibilities/Accomplishments Employer(bold) Location_ Position/Job Title (italicize) Date_ Responsibilities/Accomplishments Employer(bold) Location_ Position/Job Title (italicize) Date_ Responsibilities/Accomplishments Employer(bold) Location_ Position/Job Title (italicize) Date_ Responsibilities/Accomplishments - 21 -
6. Other Sections (if applicable): Languages (This section should be included if you are applying for jobs where languages are useful (such as overseas positions or direct service work). Describe your ability (like fluent or proficient ). Be truthful this is fair game to test during an interview! Bar Membership/Bar Admissions (This section should be included if you are a graduate and have taken a bar exam. Include any bar committees you serve on as well). Publications (This section can be included at the bottom of the resume if you have several publications and they are relevant to the job. As noted above, if you have a Note or Thesis, this can be included as a subsection under your school in the Education section). If necessary, this section can be on a second page of the resume. Tip! Resumes should be formatted according to the samples provided in this packet. Remember: One page in length (unless you have numerous publications, or have been working for five or more years, before or after law school) 11 or 12 point font with generous margins NO typos or grammatical errors Do not use underlining or bullet points No Interests Section or Objective statement Do not include computer skills, classes (except clinics), grades (except honors), or high school information Descriptions should highlight public interest experience QUICK TIPS FOR INTERNATIONAL RESUMES 1. If you are applying to a job based outside the U.S. or to a job with an international employer in the U.S., review your resume to eliminate anything that might be unclear or confusing to someone who is not U.S.-based. For example, write out state names ( Rhode Island not R.I. ); write out dates ( June August 2012, not Summer 2012 ), and so forth. Make sure descriptions will make sense to this audience. 2. Include a Languages Section. 3. If you have substantial international travel experience, you can consider adding a Travel Section if it is relevant. 4. PLEASE CONSULT OUR INTERNATIONAL TOOLKIT for further information. - 22 -
- 23 - Resume Action Verbs Below is a list of action verbs to assist you in describing your experiences and accomplishments: accelerated accomplished achieved acquired activated adapted adjusted administered advised allocated analyzed annotated anticipated applied appraised arranged articulated assembled assessed assigned authored balanced briefed budgeted built catalogued categorized chaired clarified cleared coded collaborated compared compiled completed composed computed conducted consolidated constructed contacted continued contracted convened conveyed coordinated corresponded counseled created critiqued decided defined delegated delivered demonstrated derived designed detected determined developed devised directed distributed drafted edited educated effected elicited encouraged established evaluated examined executed exhibited expanded expedited experienced experimented explained explored facilitated figured financed focused forecasted formed formulated fostered founded functioned generated governed grouped guided helped identified illustrated immunized implemented improved increased informed initiated instituted instructed interpreted interviewed introduced invented investigated judged led listened maintained managed marketed mastered measured mediated modeled modified molded monitored motivated named negotiated observed obtained operated ordered organized originated outlined oversaw perceived performed persuaded planned planted presented presided printed produced protected provided publicized questioned raised recommended recorded recruited reduced rendered repaired reported represented reproduced researched resolved responded restored retained retrieved reviewed revised rewrote routed scheduled searched selected served shaped shared showed simplified solicited solved specified spoke stimulated structured studied supervised supported synthesized targeted taught tested trained translated tutored updated utilized verified wrote