- Quickdraw McLaw
- Job Tips, Rules
- 19 Comments
- 660 Views
Today’s topic is a simple one: what recommendations do you have for resumes? Do you do something to make yours stand out? Is it one page or more? When do you earn more pages? How far back does your job history go? Do you leave off any jobs? What if you were only at a firm for two weeks? Do you put hobbies, interests, etc? Do you print it on special paper? Do you have a photo on it? Any other tips?
Leave off your involvement with organizations that give away your race, religion or sexual preference. It's not discrimination if you never get the interview……
I disagree. Name your organizations loud and proud. It helps employers and employees match up better.
Las Vegas based attorney Ofir Ventura in hot water:
https://lawstreetmedia.com/news/health/complaint-against-las-vegas-pharmacy-alleges-kickback-scheme-fca-violations/
Ofir cryin' out loud.
That shit is old as hell.
As for the resume question – no photo and no special paper because this isn't 1987. Basic pdf and sent electronically. If a place doesn't accept electronic submittal of your resume you don't want to work there, and insisting on sending a physical copy with special paper makes you look like a weirdo.
One page fresh out of law school unless you did a bunch of noteworthy stuff before law school. Two pages once you get 2 or 3 legal positions under your belt. Job history should just be legal jobs during and after law school, again, unless you did something pretty cool before that demonstrates proficiency or is just a good conversation starter in an interview. But yeah, if I only lasted 2 weeks in a gig I'd probably leave that off.
Meh on hobbies and interests. I don't think it helps, don't think it hurts.
Never more than one page. Yes on interests – it's much easier to talk at the interview about the Golden Knights than your two years as an associate doing doc review.
Agreed re interests.
Resume gets you the interview. Liking you gets you the job, and having shared interests or an easy way to chat about something goes a long way in the interview.
I am involved at hiring at our small firm. Smart applicants keep the resume to one page that can be read in about 20 seconds. Smarter applicants tailor the resume to our firm. The smartest applicants note that they are fans of the college teams we attended and the state we are from. 10:59 is right. Sports are a great and easy conversation to build commonality. This is true at client intakes, with opposing counsel and hiring. For this reason alone, every attorney in town should be minimally conversant about the Golden Knights. I don't see that being true of the Raiders… yet. But it might become necessary in the future.
Sports? Meh, if that floats your boat. The really important question is what kind of tree would you be if you were a tree? That's the question.
A weeping willow.
In the age of hyper-divisiveness (race/vaxx/sex/age/religion/region…) the question is do you just jump in with glee or try to get by. In other words, in this day when your private medical decisions or a short twitter post on a topic of the day can cost you life long friendships, should you be honest in your resume?
The fact is the employers and employees lie. It's like dating. They each put their best foot forward, and lie. "At BigLaw, we are here to grow and mentor you as an attorney!" Right. "I want to join BigLaw because it's a great place with great clients! Of course. "This is about more than money; it's about building a relationship!" Yepper.
Depending on your personality (if you don't have much of one, just go straight to insurance defense and stay there…and do not list your clubs or any interests unless it compliments some hiring criteria, like diversity), you might consider being big and bold. Tell them your clubs and interests. I put hunting on my resume a long time ago. Without doubt that cost me plenty of interviews, but it helped ensure the firm I ended up with was compatible with me and my values.
Hobbies:
"Reading Thomas Sowell and owning the libs on Twitter"
Firm
"You are hired my friend! – Put you "Let's Go Brandon" flag right in your new corner office!" #fjb
Disclaimer – not everyone gets that lucky with their firm/partners lol
As a Brandon, I support this. Where do I get a flag?
@ 1:16 what firm is this? I'd love to work there.
https://www.espn.com/soccer/cristiano-ronaldo/story/4493171/ronaldo-rape-lawsuit-in-las-vegas-should-be-dismissedsays-us-judge
That is some pretty harsh language from the magistrate….
That is what happens when you do shady stuff. Stovall is past his prime.
One page. No on interests. Yes on community, professional and civic involvement. I want to know where you did/plan to make your name and enhance the name of our firm. I am not hiring VGK fans (even though I am one); I am hiring people who volunteer, do pro bono, are active in philanthropies and professional organizations and also people who I like to be around and who fit the personality of the firm.
One page. No on interests. Yes on community, professional and civic involvement. I want to know where you did/plan to make your name and enhance the name of our firm. I am not hiring VGK fans (even though I am one); I am hiring people who volunteer, do pro bono, are active in philanthropies and professional organizations.