Essentials In Writing Your Lawyer Resume
We all know that finding a good-paying job is tough for anyone. Every year more and more professionals find themselves in the jobless market hunting for a good job. Lawyers are no exception. For your lawyer resume to stand out above the rest, it will require effort and some resume savvy. If you do not invest the time and effort it takes to write a good resume, your lawyer resume may end up in the trash bin rather than on the interview list. Here are some tips to save your lawyer resume from hitting the bin or delete button:
- Sell your skills and experiences in a realistic manner. As a lawyer, proving your skills and value to an organization is key. It is not enough to simply state what you can do, and how wonderful you are. You have to “prove” it. Documenting, delivering, and developing factual information about your skills and expertise are an essential part of the resume-writing process for a lawyer resume. In addition to backing up your claims regarding your skills, it is just as important to know what skills the company or firm is looking for. Therefore, you can never have a one-resume-fits-all approach; one where you simply list all of the skills you have. Instead, each lawyer resume should be tailored to match as much as possible your skills with what the company or firm is looking for.
- Cite the specifics. Any company or law firm will want you to offer them a service that requires practical skills and experience. This means that your lawyer resume should cite and specify examples of skills, expertise, and experience that you have garnered throughout the years. More importantly, you have to state how these skills will help you deliver what these organizations are looking for, and how you will bring value to the position. It is key to cite real-life examples. This is what will make your resume unique to you, and therefore stand out from other lawyer resumes.
- Be balanced and versatile. Legal employers are not just looking for lawyers with a particular skill-set, but also for lawyers who can adapt and be versatile. Therefore, you also need to categorize your broad range of skills into your primary and secondary skills on your lawyer resume. For example, if you are a great finance lawyer, but you also have management skills, and this is something they are looking for, you should make sure to talk about your management abilities as your secondary skill-set.
- Client counseling is key. Employers are recruiting lawyers who have experience and success with client counseling and representation. Being able to connect with clients, either in being able to understand and meet their needs, or in being able to recruit them, are key requirements today for lawyers to succeed in a law firm environment. If this is not your forte, you will need to spend time to develop these skills, whether you are a law firm or in-house lawyer. If you can, attend training programs or classes to help you develop these skills. If you cannot afford such program, consider volunteering your time to legal aid or other types of pro bono organizations. Get some real life advising skills by spending some face-to-face time with clients. When you acquire these client skills, be sure to have them showcased on your lawyer resume. Most or if not all employers look for candidates who can prevent and solve problems even before they arise. This ability usually starts with effective client counseling. Never forget to mention this in your lawyer resume. If you lack or do not have this skill, it is imperative that you get the necessary experience and training to develop it.
