Resumes Your Personal Advertisement

1. Resumes Your Personal Advertisement Office of Career & Professional Development School of Law Indiana University

2. Program Overview • Section-By-Section Construction • Key Elements • Guidelines for Content • Guidelines for Visual Design • Common Mistakes

3. The Heading – Without Labels • Name • Present Address • Permanent Address • Phone Numbers–Home or Cell • E-Mail Address • URL – Professional Web Site • Visa/Citizenship

4. Education • Institution • Location • Degree(s) • Date Awarded (or Expected) • GPA & Class Ranking – OK for LLB • Activities – Moot Court, Journal, Orgs • Honors/Distinctions w/ translations • Coursework w/ Highest Grade

5. Experience • Title of Position Held • Organization • Location • Dates of Association • List action statements of your duties which show responsibility and skills development

6. Experience – Alternative Headings • Research Experience • Teaching Experience • Leadership Experience • Management Experience • Relevant Experience • Legal Experience • Internship Experience • Volunteer experience DOES NOT HAVE TO BE “PAID WORK” EXPERIENCE

7. Activities • Organization & Location • Title – Office Held – Distinction Given • Dates of affiliation • Brief Description (if necessary)

8. Other Possible Headings • Technical Skills • Publications • Presentations • Licensure or Certification • Foreign Language Skills • Travel Experience • Professional Affiliations/Memberships • Professional Service • Community Service • Special Skills

9. Things to leave off • Professional Objective • References • Availability • Personal Information and Picture

10. Formatting Guidelines • Length • Paper Quality and Color • Font Choices • Font Size • Margins & White Space • Using Software & Templates

11. Font Choices – Yes or No?

12. Common Blunders • Stapling a Resume • Forgetting your Cover Letter • Not Spell Checking • Filling in the Boxes in a Template • One Size Fits All Resume • Using Acronyms • Inconsistent Category Entries

13. Questions?

14. Cover Letters -Your Personal Introduction

15. Cover Letters Purpose Paragraph by Paragraph guide Formatting

16. Purpose • Serves as an introduction • Highlights desired skills • Shows your enthusiasm & interest in the organization and their geographic location • Demonstrates your writing skills

17. Paragraph 1 – Intro • Why are you writing? • Where did you find this announcement or who guided you to this job? • Overview of qualifications

18. Paragraph 2 – About You • In what ways do you meet their qualification requirements? • What skills do you bring to the table? • What is your link to that area?

19. Paragraph 3 – About Them • Why do you want to work for this organization/firm? • Articles • Referrals • Specific Cases – But be careful

20. Paragraph 4 - Closing • Indicate your desire for an interview and willingness to meet them • Tell them that you will contact them within a certain time frame (1 week) – unless they state no phone calls • Thank them in advance

21. Formatting and Tips • Send to a specific person • Demonstrate confidence and professionalism • Avoid restating your resume • One page • Sign in black ink

22. Cover Letters in E-mails • Can copy and paste into body of message – minus address block • Can include as an attachment • Combine both • Same level of professionalism is necessary

23. Questions?