How to Write a Compelling Law School Resume
The resume is an important component of your law school application. For one, the resume provides a succinct summary of an applicant’s relevant experiences. Nailing the resume is key to gaining admission.
Gabriel Kuris, contributor at US News and founder of Top Law Coach, recently offered a few tips on how law school applicants can write a resume that communicates to adcom professionally and concisely.
KEEP THE FORMAT SIMPLE & PROFESSIONAL
Your law school resume should be simple in format: no colors, graphics, or symbols. The goal, Kuris says, is to communicate information professionally.
“Like a good lawyer, show your creativity by communicating relevant information concisely rather than using gimmicks,” Kuri says. “Use a common font like Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial with a point size of 11 or 12.”
Additionally, the sections on your resume should be well-organized to make it easy for adcom to scan.
“The standard headings are education, experience and activities,” Kuris says. “Some applicants also include honors or skills and interests. Don’t include a summary or objectives section because what those would say should be self-evident. Use section headings and ample spacing so that readers don’t have to hunt for key points in a sea of text. List entries within each section in reverse chronological order.”
A short resume is key.
“Most admissions officers don’t mind two-page resumes,” according to 7Sage, a law school admissions consultancy. “That said, your reader is going to skim no matter what, and you have more control over where her eye lands if you keep your resume to one page. A shorter resume also makes it easier to convey a coherent story about your career.”
HIGHLIGHT ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
If you’re applying directly from undergrad, it’s okay to put your education section ahead of experience. This section should include your degree, major, school name, and graduation date.
“You might also list your GPA overall and within your major, although they will appear in your transcript,” Kuris says. “Any honors, publications or presentations may be listed, as well.”
THREE BULLET POINTS MAX
Each of your positions should be maxed at three bullet point summaries. It’s important, Kuris says, to carefully craft each bullet point to provide evidence of high performance.
“Each bullet point should be a sentence long, although the final period is optional,” Kuris adds. “Begin the sentence with an active verb in the past tense for former positions or present tense for current positions. Focus on a concrete task or responsibility, highlighting your personal role.”
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