What Should I Put on My Attorney Resume?

Answer:

Your resume is a summary of important information about yourself. It should contain only information that is relevant to the position for which you are applying. Job seekers can boost their applications by highlighting resume elements that appeal to Holland & Knight recruiters to make a stronger impression. Often, an initial first pass of a resume to determine whether you could be a good fit for a job is less than 30 seconds. You want to make those 30 seconds count. Including superfluous or unfavorable content will likely hurt your chances of getting passed over on that first pass. You can also enhance these tips by consulting The Ultimate Guide to Legal Resume Keywords and Practice Area Targeting for insights on incorporating keywords that match specific practice areas.
 

• See 6 Things Attorneys and Law Students Need to Remove from Their Resumes ASAP If They Want to Get Jobs with the Most Prestigious Law Firms for more information.

One of the most common questions about resume content is: Should I put my GPA on my resume? There are two factors to consider when answering this question. The first is the caliber of your GPA. Only put your GPA on your resume if it is exceptional. In the legal world, this means at least a 3.5. If you had a not so great overall GPA in law school, but had a high GPA in classes in your area of practice (such as tax or intellectual property), you could include that GPA only. The second factor to consider is how long you have been out of law school. If you are ten years out, your work experience becomes more important than your grades, and you can leave your GPA off of your resume regardless of its level. Crafting a resume that targets opportunities at top firms—such as Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, known for legal career excellence—can open rewarding pathways.


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Because that first review of your resume is so quick, you want to make your resume easy to read and pleasing to the eye. If you include too much information, your resume may become difficult to read. Too many words are exhausting to the reader. Use italics and bold to highlight and distinguish difference facets of your information. Use bullets to identify your experience and achievements. These tools will draw the reader's attention to where you want it to go. For more strategies on leveraging your BCG account beyond just your resume, read The Six Most Important Actions You Can Take to Get a Position with Your BCG Account.

As you choose what to include in your bullet points, remember again that your resume is a summary of important information. Only include work experience that is relevant to the job you are seeking. If you are concerned about any gaps this may create in your timeline, try to fill in those gaps with volunteer work or other community activities. If you get an interview, you can also explain those gaps during your interview. Additionally, only include in your bullet points activities that would be considered achievements; for example, a professional award or a merit-based scholarship. While interesting, it is very likely not relevant that you were the social chair of your sorority or that you are the secretary of your knitting club. For a full set of strategies on presenting these elements effectively, read How to Perfect Your Legal Resume: 20 Essential Tips for Attorneys and Law Students. For a clearer understanding of exactly how to structure and present these achievements, consult the Attorney Resume Guide with detailed content recommendations to see what top law firms prefer.

There are also few things to absolutely avoid putting on your resume. First, never include salary requirements unless they are specifically requested. Second, don't include an objective. Your objective is to get the job. If you state an objective that is too general, it adds no value to your resume. And, if you state an objective that is too specific, you may write yourself right out of the job. Finally, the statement that “references are available upon request” is antiquated. If references are required (and they will be), have them ready on hand, but wait to be asked. If you want a comprehensive explanation of how to structure and refine every part of your résumé, The Complete Attorney Resume Guide provides an in-depth blueprint.
Discover how to land your next role at a top law firm. Watch the free training now. Join Here For a broader perspective on what hiring partners expect to see, our comprehensive Attorney Resume Guide outlines the essential elements every attorney résumé should contain.

Your resume is often a potential employer's first impression of you. Use it to put your best foot forward. Equally important is knowing what not to include, as explained in Legal Resume Mistakes That Sabotage Your Job Search (And How to Fix Them). Applicants stand out by tailoring their resume for roles at firms like Armstrong Teasdale LLP to highlight relevant skills and achievements. If you want to see exactly how these sections should look on a strong legal resume, watch the Resume Review Workshop for structured examples.

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