Career and Professional Development

Extended Orientation – Session 2

Resumes

October 26, 2017

RESUMES

Overview

Goals for this session:

Provide an overview of resume content and formatting

Allow time for you to work on your resume – we’ll be

available for questions

Consider scheduling an appointment with your counselor

for more individualized attention

Spend time revising your resume and when you’re ready

upload your resume to Symplicity for review by your

counselor

RESUMES

General Guidelines: Overview

The 3 Cs: Conservative, Conformist, and Concise

Conservative design and content choices

Follow recommended formatting

Be selective about which information to include

Help the reader quickly gain key substantive information

about you in an easy to follow format

RESUMES

General Guidelines: Objective

What are legal employers looking for?

A straightforward overview of your qualifications

Provide a selective snapshot of your work experience,

not a comprehensive timeline

Highlight transferrable skills that make you a good fit for

the position to which you are applying

A sense of who you are

Include an interesting job or volunteer experience, a

unique membership, or specific personal interests

Provide a conversation starter – and be prepared to talk

about everything on your resume

RESUMES

General Format

• One page in length – be concise and intentional

• Margins – start with 1 inch all around (.75 all around is

just fine if you need the space)

• No objective statement or summary

• Use bullets and headings with consistency

• Use one, simple font (in black), no smaller than 11 point

• Preferably Arial or Times New Roman

• Utilize different font styles (italics, bold, and

underline)

RESUMES

Organization Overview

1. Start with your contact information

2. Use headings to organize sections of information

3. Present education first

4. Present experience next: list most recent

experience first within each experience section

5. End with optional additional section(s)

RESUMES: General Format

BARRY BUSINESS

369 Bottom Line Way, Blaine, MN 55448 | (763) 793-1359 | barrybusiness@mitchellhamline.edu

EDUCATION

Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, MN

Juris Doctor expected, May 2018

Law and Business Certificate expected, May 2018

Honors: CALI Award for highest grade in Property Law

Activities: Business Law Student Association, Treasurer (2015 – 2016)

Carleton College, Northfield, MN

Bachelor of Science in Business Management, magna cum laude, May 2012

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

HOME Line, Minneapolis, MN

Volunteer (June 2015 – Present)

• Advise low-income and culturally diverse tenants on their rights with respect to contractual obligations

to landlords.

• Receive formal instruction in Minnesota landlord/tenant law.

BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

Piper Jaffray & Co., Minneapolis, MN

Assistant Trader (September 2012 – 2014)

• Executed trades on the New York Stock Exchange for institutional clients, in excess of $5 million.

• Worked closely with a team of eight principal traders on the trading desk.

• Bid for stock and offered stock for sale to generate additional order flow for the firm and ensure

minimal capital losses.

• Made quick, on-the-spot decisions regarding the purchase or sale of client stock.

Wells Fargo Bank, Minneapolis, MN

Teller/Closer (January – September 2012)

• Supervised and trained new tellers.

• Cashed checks, provided customer service and ran detailed customer background checks.

• Generated daily financial and inventory reports.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Regions Hospital Emergency Room, Volunteer, St. Paul, MN (2012 – 2014)

South High School, Math Tutor, Minneapolis, MN (2010 – 2012)

RESUMES

Contact Information

Keep it basic – name (slightly larger font size), address, phone

and school email address (remove hyperlink)

EXAMPLES:

BARRY BUSINESS369 Bottom Line Way, Blaine, MN 55448 | (763) 793-1359 | barry.business@mitchellhamline.edu

Barry Bernard Business369 Bottom Line Way, Blaine, MN 55448

(763) 793-1359 | barry.business@mitchellhamline.edu

BARRY B. BUSINESS369 Bottom Line Way, Blaine, MN 55448 | (763) 793-1359 | barry.business@mitchellhamline.edu

RESUMES

Education

• Degrees in reverse chronological order:

Law School (at top)

Post-graduate (if applicable)

Undergraduate (at bottom)

No high school information

• Include:

Name of institution

Its location by city and state (and country if not USA)

Degree earned (or anticipated/expected)

Month and year of graduation (or anticipated/expected)

Major/minor/concentration/certificates as applicable

Honors (scholarships, academic awards, activities you were selected for)

Activities (include leadership roles as applicable)

RESUMES

Education Examples

EDUCATION

Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, MN Juris Doctor expected, May 2019GPA: 3.29 Class Rank: 56/241 (Top 23.2%)Honors: Merit Scholarship (35% of tuition)Activities: Business Law Student Association, Treasurer (Fall 2016–present)

Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, May 2012 Major: Political Science; Minor: Business AdministrationHonors: Member of Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science Honor Society); Dean’s List (Spring 2012)Study Abroad: London (Fall 2011)

RESUMES

Experience Headings

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE

This section should showcase your work in a professional

setting, such as…

• Relevant job history

• Externships and Internships (paid, for credit, or unpaid)

• Volunteer experiences in professional setting

RESUMES

Experience - Format

• Concise descriptions of applicable skills and

specific accomplishments

• Start each description with a meaningful active

verb – check out our list of action verbs

• Use consistent tense and correct punctuation

• Include the subject matter of your projects and

describe results

• Avoid industry-specific jargon or acronyms

• Sample resumes can be found on CPD website

RESUMES

Experience

Start each bullet with a strong, active verb, such as:

Advised

Advocated

Analyzed

Collaborated

Communicated

Coordinated

Developed

Drafted

Instructed

Interviewed

Managed

Negotiated

Organized

Planned

Prepared

Presented

Researched

Resolved

Responded

Solved

Supervised

RESUME

Sample Experience Descriptions

Acceptable Better

Assisted attorneys with

legal research in print and

electronic resources.

Researched and analyzed

landlord/tenant law and

eminent domain issues for

use in unlawful detainer

hearing.

RESUME

Sample Experience Descriptions

Acceptable Better

• Answered phones and

recorded information.

• Worked on criminal and

family law matters.

• Did initial client intake.

• Interviewed potential

clients regarding

criminal and family law

issues and prepared fact

summaries for attorney

use.

RESUME

Sample Experience Descriptions

Acceptable Better

• Completed and filed shift

and closing reports.

• Assisted customers by

answering questions.

• Processed purchases

through the register.

• Resolved customer

inquiries and concerns.

• Managed cash register

and prepared shift

closing reports.

RESUMES

Legal Experience - Example

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

Anderson, Barnes & Carlson, Minneapolis, MN July 2017–Present

Law Clerk

• Research and draft memoranda on several employment issues, including Title

VII, the Family and Medical Leave Act, employment termination issues and

procedures and record retention

Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, MN March 2017–Present

Research Assistant to Professor William Johnson

• Research recent changes in employment case law and statutes in 20 states

• Draft updates for inclusion in Prof. Johnson’s book, Johnson on Employment

Law (3d ed.), scheduled for publication in 2018

HOME Line, Minneapolis, MN October 2016–February 2017

Tenant Hotline Volunteer

• Researched Minnesota landlord/tenant law, interviewed clients, and advised as

many as ten clients a day about their legal rights

RESUMES

Professional Experience - Example

Use formatting options to display

in an aesthetically pleasing and

organized way

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Musicology Corporation, New Hope, MN April 2012–May 2013

Marketing and Retail Distribution Assistant

• Executed daily promotional requests between field marketing

representatives and over 40 independent record labels

• Created and maintained a national marketing database of over

30 colleges to aid local, regional, and national street marketing

campaigns

RESUMES

Professional Experience - Example

Highlight transferrable skills!

Java Max, St. Paul, MN September 2010–June 2011

Barista

• Established rapport with customers and created a

welcoming environment

• Assisted in implementing marketing strategies to promote

store brand to compete with national chains

• Prepared beverages with care to ensure quality of product

and customer service

RESUMES

Professional Experience - Example

Use formatting to arrange

multiple positions with same

employer

RESUMES

Optional Additional Sections

After Professional Experience, consider adding one or two

of the following sections:

• COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT or VOLUNTEER

EXPERIENCE

• LANGUAGE SKILLS (state level of proficiency)

• PUBLICATIONS

• PROFESSIONAL LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

(may go directly under education section)

• PERSONAL INTERESTS

RESUMES

Optional Additional Sections - Examples

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

American Red Cross, Disaster Relief Volunteer, St. Paul, MN (2011 to

Present); Imani Ambassador Teams’ South African Mission Trip (2010)

PERSONAL INTERESTS

Running marathons, brewing beer, competing in chess tournaments, hot yoga

RESUMES

Always Proofread!

Check:

• Consistent tense used throughout (present tense for

current roles and past tense for prior roles)

• Consistent format/spacing and font styles used

throughout

• Proper grammar

• Proper punctuation

• Typos

• Correct spelling

RESUME

Before you send it off

• Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!

• If submitting electronically:

• Attach/submit a PDF version of your resume, cover

letter, writing sample, and any other submissions

• Identify yourself in the file name

(“Smith, John Resume”)

• If mailing, print on neutral resume paper

RESUME

Format Reminders

DOs DON’Ts

Focus on experiences and

transferrable skills relevant to the

specific position sought (one page is

generally ideal)

Include information about activities,

roles, or tasks that you aren’t prepared

to intelligently talk about

Use bullets and headings with

consistency

Use out of date information

Use font styles (italics, bold, and

underline) moderately and consistently

Include an objective statement or

summary

Use one simple font (in black), no

smaller than 11 point (preferably Arial

or Times New Roman)

Exclude all information that gives you

personality – these are your talking

points!

Be concise Forget to proofread – again and again!

RESUME

NEXT STEPS

Edit resumes – consider scheduling a

meeting with your counselor for

individualized feedback

Upload your resume to Symplicity for

review by the CPD team

Please allow 3-5 business days for CPD to

review and provide feedback – this means

planning ahead to provide ample time for review in

advance of any upcoming deadlines

RESUMES

QUESTIONS

Questions?