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You’re Hired! Job Hunting Advice For Law Students and Young Lawyers
Your Resume
Your resume is your ticket to an interview, and a single mistake on it can cost you that interview. A resume that misses the mark, that doesn’t strike the right tone or emphasis, that doesn’t focus on the right skills and experience, will be tossed into the round file. Folks say there is no such thing as perfect. But when it comes to your resume, it must be perfect.
Common Mistakes
I’ve reviewed hundreds of resumes. Here are some common mistakes:
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◗ Leaving typos.
◗ Using a font that is too small or
non-traditional.
◗ Having spacing and margins that are off, not aligned or inconsistent.
◗ Failing to include class rank and grades.
◗ Leaving gaps in employment.
◗ Too much detail.
◗ Too little detail.
◗ Not focusing on skills and experience relevant to the open position.
◗ Not including leadership, public speaking and writing experience.
◗ Not including military experience.
The purpose of a resume is to catch and hold an employer’s attention. Most employers look at a resume for just a few seconds. You have 10 seconds to convince someone to put your resume in the “keep” pile and not in the “reject” pile. Don’t make a common mistake to cause the resume to be discarded.
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