By: Kandice Thorn
One thing that you will hear time and time again about resumes is that you should not have any "gaps." A gap on your resume is a period of time when you were not in school pursuing a degree and were not employed. Basically, it's a period of unemployment. In this post, I will tell you how to address resume considerations if you are currently in a period of unemployment, and also how to address a past period of unemployment.
Showing posts with label resumes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resumes. Show all posts
Monday, September 21, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
What Should be Included in my Resume?
By: Kandice Thorn
One of the most frequent questions I get from international students regarding their resumes is whether it really needs to be limited to one page. European-style CVs typically span at least two pages, and the idea of shifting to a one-page resume can be daunting. But it is very important to limit yourself to one page, at least until you amass enough experience to warrant a second page. The difficult part is figuring out what to include in order to prune your accomplishments to fit onto one page.
One of the most frequent questions I get from international students regarding their resumes is whether it really needs to be limited to one page. European-style CVs typically span at least two pages, and the idea of shifting to a one-page resume can be daunting. But it is very important to limit yourself to one page, at least until you amass enough experience to warrant a second page. The difficult part is figuring out what to include in order to prune your accomplishments to fit onto one page.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Seize the Day to Build Your Resume
By: Kandice Thorn
For full-time students especially, the LL.M. year provides a golden resume building opportunity.
For full-time students especially, the LL.M. year provides a golden resume building opportunity.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Engage Your Senses for Powerful Proofreading
By: Kandice Thorn
I am constantly emphasizing the importance of a *PERFECT* resume and cover letter, and today I'm going to give you a powerful tool to help you get there: using your senses.
Obviously, I am not suggesting that tasting or smelling your resume will bring it to the next level - that would be gross and creepy and ultimately useless. But here is how engaging your senses of touch, sight, and hearing can help you make your document perfect.
I am constantly emphasizing the importance of a *PERFECT* resume and cover letter, and today I'm going to give you a powerful tool to help you get there: using your senses.
Obviously, I am not suggesting that tasting or smelling your resume will bring it to the next level - that would be gross and creepy and ultimately useless. But here is how engaging your senses of touch, sight, and hearing can help you make your document perfect.
Monday, September 29, 2014
The Most Important Six Seconds for your Resume
By: Kandice Thorn
I learned something incredible last week--a recruiter spends on average just six seconds looking at a resume. Yes, you heard me right. That meticulous document that you spent hours upon hours to perfect will get just a six second glance to determine whether you will move into the "yes (interview)" or "no" pile.
I learned something incredible last week--a recruiter spends on average just six seconds looking at a resume. Yes, you heard me right. That meticulous document that you spent hours upon hours to perfect will get just a six second glance to determine whether you will move into the "yes (interview)" or "no" pile.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Resume Real Estate
By: Kandice Thorn
If I told you that you have 500 square feet with which to design an apartment that you will live in, how would you design it? How much space would you allocate to the bedroom versus the living room or the bathroom or the closet? I imagine you would devote more space to the "more important" rooms and less space to "less important" rooms. If you have a large shoe collection but don't cook, you might have a big closet and a small kitchen; but a gourmet chef who has little interest in clothing might do the opposite.
If I told you that you have 500 square feet with which to design an apartment that you will live in, how would you design it? How much space would you allocate to the bedroom versus the living room or the bathroom or the closet? I imagine you would devote more space to the "more important" rooms and less space to "less important" rooms. If you have a large shoe collection but don't cook, you might have a big closet and a small kitchen; but a gourmet chef who has little interest in clothing might do the opposite.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Deadlines
Higher education presents a time wherein academic and professional responsibilities are no longer mutually exclusive. Internships, practical experience, classes, conferences, and journals are all relevant to establishing yourself. These discrete components of education and employment may have different benefits for your career, but they all have one thing in common: a time frame. Deadlines are a crucial component of nearly every aspect of academic and professional life. Although deadlines are occasionally flexible, students and professionals negatively impact both themselves and others when they do not submit a paper, hand in a résumé, or RSVP for an important event in a timely manner. A few things to consider when dealing with a deadline:
Monday, September 9, 2013
Resume Drafting: It's All About the Details
By: Kandice Thorn
What is the purpose of a resume? Most people would answer that the purpose of a resume is to convey your credentials to a potential employer. While this is true, the purpose is actually much broader than that. Your resume is also a sample of your very best work.
An employer who reads your resume is not just looking at the content, but is also looking at the resume's composition for attention to detail, organization skills, and professional judgment. Having a resume that demonstrates these skills can land you an interview even if your background is not a perfect fit for the position; likewise, even if you have the ideal credentials, sloppiness can land your resume in the "no" pile. Think of it like interview attire: if you show up to an interview in your pajamas, it doesn't matter what you say in the interview, you aren't getting the job!
What is the purpose of a resume? Most people would answer that the purpose of a resume is to convey your credentials to a potential employer. While this is true, the purpose is actually much broader than that. Your resume is also a sample of your very best work.
An employer who reads your resume is not just looking at the content, but is also looking at the resume's composition for attention to detail, organization skills, and professional judgment. Having a resume that demonstrates these skills can land you an interview even if your background is not a perfect fit for the position; likewise, even if you have the ideal credentials, sloppiness can land your resume in the "no" pile. Think of it like interview attire: if you show up to an interview in your pajamas, it doesn't matter what you say in the interview, you aren't getting the job!
Monday, May 6, 2013
Should I Accept a Position as a Paralegal?
By: Kandice Thorn
"Should I accept a position as a paralegal?"
This is a question I get a lot from students and alumni looking to get a foothold in the challenging U.S. legal job market. Job seekers realize very quickly how competitive attorney positions are, and those who are especially intent on staying in the U.S. begin to look for ways to broaden their job search. In this context, the question of paralegal positions often comes up.
"Should I accept a position as a paralegal?"
This is a question I get a lot from students and alumni looking to get a foothold in the challenging U.S. legal job market. Job seekers realize very quickly how competitive attorney positions are, and those who are especially intent on staying in the U.S. begin to look for ways to broaden their job search. In this context, the question of paralegal positions often comes up.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Set a Goal: Perfect Your Resume Before Spring Break
By: Kandice Thorn
If you haven't already done it, now is the time to get your resume polished and perfected!
Opportunities come up suddenly and often require a quick response. When someone says "send me your resume," you should be able to send it ASAP. If you aren't able to respond with your resume immediately, the person could think you are either uninterested or disorganized and you might miss out on a valuable opportunity.
If you haven't already done it, now is the time to get your resume polished and perfected!
Opportunities come up suddenly and often require a quick response. When someone says "send me your resume," you should be able to send it ASAP. If you aren't able to respond with your resume immediately, the person could think you are either uninterested or disorganized and you might miss out on a valuable opportunity.
Monday, November 26, 2012
It's the Little Things...
By: Kandice Thorn
When students come to me for career counseling, they are often surprised by the amount of time I spend on seemingly insignificant minutiae in their resumes and cover letters. I take their formatting and eliminate indentations and bullet points; I turn an en-dash into an em-dash or vice versa for consistency; I remove stray commas or other punctuation. It sometimes takes several drafts to get to a point where we can really focus on the substance of the document. This might seem trivial, but this morning as I was reviewing resumes for an undergraduate student worker position in our office, I was reminded just how important these "little things" are.
When students come to me for career counseling, they are often surprised by the amount of time I spend on seemingly insignificant minutiae in their resumes and cover letters. I take their formatting and eliminate indentations and bullet points; I turn an en-dash into an em-dash or vice versa for consistency; I remove stray commas or other punctuation. It sometimes takes several drafts to get to a point where we can really focus on the substance of the document. This might seem trivial, but this morning as I was reviewing resumes for an undergraduate student worker position in our office, I was reminded just how important these "little things" are.
Monday, October 1, 2012
For Resume Formatting, it's Best to Keep it Simple
By: Kandice Thorn
Since so many students are focused on resumes right now, I'm going to stick with the resume theme and address a common mistake I see in resumes: messy formatting. Often this is a result of an attempt to use a format that is too complicated. Trust me when I tell you that in the world of legal resumes, less is more.
Since so many students are focused on resumes right now, I'm going to stick with the resume theme and address a common mistake I see in resumes: messy formatting. Often this is a result of an attempt to use a format that is too complicated. Trust me when I tell you that in the world of legal resumes, less is more.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
How to Fit Your Resume Onto One Page: Part II
By: Kandice Thorn
Last week, we discussed how to edit your content in order to fit your resume onto one page. But if you have edited your content and you are still having trouble, you'll need to look at your formatting. Almost everyone can fit their resumes onto one page without sacrificing important content. The key is to brush up on your Microsoft Word skills and to play with different formatting styles. Most people start by decreasing the font size, but this is almost never your best option. A font that is too small can be annoying to read, so you should start with a good font size (e.g., 11 pt Times New Roman or 10 pt Ariel) and only decrease after exhausting all other options. Here are some ways to alter your formatting to fit everything onto one page:
Last week, we discussed how to edit your content in order to fit your resume onto one page. But if you have edited your content and you are still having trouble, you'll need to look at your formatting. Almost everyone can fit their resumes onto one page without sacrificing important content. The key is to brush up on your Microsoft Word skills and to play with different formatting styles. Most people start by decreasing the font size, but this is almost never your best option. A font that is too small can be annoying to read, so you should start with a good font size (e.g., 11 pt Times New Roman or 10 pt Ariel) and only decrease after exhausting all other options. Here are some ways to alter your formatting to fit everything onto one page:
Monday, September 17, 2012
How to Fit Your Resume Onto One Page: Part I
By: Kandice Thorn
Almost everyone can fit their resumes onto one page without sacrificing important content. Yet fitting a resume onto one page can sometimes be tricky, particularly for international students who are accustomed to lengthier CVs. When looking to shorten a resume, there are two things to look at: content and format.
Is your resume too long because you are trying to put too much content in the resume? Or is it too long because your formatting is too generous and needs to be cleaned up? Or (as is most often the case) is it a combination of the two? Part I of this post will address issues with content. Part II, which will be posted next week, will address formatting issues.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Resume Formatting: Using Tables to Align Text on the Right
By: Kandice Thorn
One of the biggest mistakes I see in resume drafting is sloppy formatting. Often, sloppy formatting is a result of an ill-fated attempt to make the formatting look extra clever or professional. Before you try anything fancy with the formatting, do an honest assessment of your computer skills. Unless you are very good with computers, I generally advise you to stick with a simple format.
One of the biggest mistakes I see in resume drafting is sloppy formatting. Often, sloppy formatting is a result of an ill-fated attempt to make the formatting look extra clever or professional. Before you try anything fancy with the formatting, do an honest assessment of your computer skills. Unless you are very good with computers, I generally advise you to stick with a simple format.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Translating Legal Education: Describing Your Foreign Law School Grades
By: Kandice Thorn
What is the difference between a sehr gut and vollbefriedegent in the German system? A 7 or 10 in the Argentine system?
Unless you are ensconced in those countries, it is unlikely you would know. Even if you can translate the grades, you would need to have a strong understanding of the cultures and traditions that govern legal education in those countries to fully comprehend what the grades mean. Most employers will not have this information easily at hand. As a candidate from a foreign country, if you choose to provide grade information in your resume, you also need to be sure you are providing the appropriate context so that an employer can understand the information. Otherwise, the information will lose its effectiveness.
Unless you are ensconced in those countries, it is unlikely you would know. Even if you can translate the grades, you would need to have a strong understanding of the cultures and traditions that govern legal education in those countries to fully comprehend what the grades mean. Most employers will not have this information easily at hand. As a candidate from a foreign country, if you choose to provide grade information in your resume, you also need to be sure you are providing the appropriate context so that an employer can understand the information. Otherwise, the information will lose its effectiveness.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Translating Legal Education: Why You Shouldn't "Equivocate" Your Foreign Law Degree
By: Kandice Thorn
I see a lot of resumes that state "J.D. equivalent" as a way of easily and simply stating foreign legal degrees. But what exactly is a degree that is equivalent to a J.D.? In what respect is it equivalent? Is it equivalent in the number of years of study required? In that it qualifies you to practice or sit for a qualifying exam? In that it is a doctoral level or professional degree? Or is a J.D. a master's level degree?
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Advice for Career Changers
By: Kandice Thorn
Most LL.M. students come to the program as the logical continuation of a career path that has been already well defined. However, we also have a number of students who pursue the LL.M. degree as a way to move their career in a new direction. For these students, the question of how to market themselves to employers can be tricky.
Most LL.M. students come to the program as the logical continuation of a career path that has been already well defined. However, we also have a number of students who pursue the LL.M. degree as a way to move their career in a new direction. For these students, the question of how to market themselves to employers can be tricky.
Monday, February 27, 2012
How to Describe Your NY Bar Status on a Resume
By: Kandice Thorn
We all know the importance of being truthful on our resumes, however I frequently see resumes from foreign-trained students/attorneys who have inadvertently misstated their bar credentials. Potential employers make very specific assumptions about your bar status depending on the language you use to describe it, and it is critical that you be aware of these assumptions to avoid any appearance of dishonesty.
We all know the importance of being truthful on our resumes, however I frequently see resumes from foreign-trained students/attorneys who have inadvertently misstated their bar credentials. Potential employers make very specific assumptions about your bar status depending on the language you use to describe it, and it is critical that you be aware of these assumptions to avoid any appearance of dishonesty.
Why You Should Perfect Your Resume Now
By: Kandice Thorn
You never know when you will suddenly need to send someone your resume. Having an up-to-date resume ready to go at all times shows that you are organized and dedicated to your job search. If you meet someone who says to you, "Please send me your resume," and you don't have one ready to send, or you send one that is thrown together hastily, you may miss out on a valuable opportunity.
Keep in mind that resume review doesn't happen overnight. Ideally, you will go through several drafts before finalizing your resume, and those drafts will be reviewed by numerous people. This is a lengthy process. Start now, and the next time someone asks you for your resume, you can answer with confidence, "Of course, I'll send it right away!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)