Resume Writing for Law Students

Article written by Sathyani Kotakadeniya, law and psychology double degree undergraduate from the Queensland University of Technology, Australia (QUT).

A resume is important because it displays your qualifications and your brand to a potential employer.

Five actionable resume tips:

1. Keep the resume short

‘Resume’ is a French word that means ‘summarise’. As the meaning suggests, your resume should be concise, with just enough information for you to stand out in the competitive job market. This will prove to be especially useful as employers usually skim resumes to find the most relevant information. So, adding chunks of information to lengthen the resume may not work in your favour. If possible, format your resume to fit one page. It should not exceed three pages in total.

2. Keep it professional

Avoid fancy fonts, bright coloursnd inserting photographs on your resume. Select a standard font such as Times New Roman, select an 11 or 12 font size, use headings and keep the resume consistent throughout.

3. Include only relevant information

While this may seem like stating the obvious, it can be tempting to add all the various experiences you’ve incurred as a student. Stick to the most relevant information. This can be done by going through the job requirements and including information specific to the job you are applying for.

4. Set out your experiences and skills

Set out your education qualifications, mooting, publications,d both paid and unpaid work experience in reverse chronological order. Include bullet points under work experience with details about the role, work you undertook, and accomplishments.

5. Proofread and ask someone to give you feedback

Avoid making typos or grammatical errors by reviewing your resume. Ask a mentor, family member or trusted friend to go over your resume and give you honest feedback. A well-edited resume will send a good impression to a potential employer.