Resumes: Appearance and Formatting Suggestions

Appearance is the key to a good resume. If upon first glance, it appears wordy, cluttered, and hard to read, it will probably not be read. The following mechanics enhance readability:

• Avoid using a commercial resume template as they are difficult to edit.
• Do no use photos, logos, or monograms in your document.
• Resumes should ordinarily be limited to one page. If you must go to a second page to cover pertinent information, be sure that you can justify each entry and the second page is a full page of text. Include your full name and page number on the second page and always staple the pages to insure that they are not separated once they reach the employer. Do not print your resume on two sides of the same sheet of paper.
• Avoid a cluttered appearance by leaving equal right, left, top, and bottom margins.
• Use action verbs and phrases in the past tense instead of sentences.  For example, "drafted memoranda," "supervised staff of two," "organized mailings," "proofed text."
• Do not use personal pronouns on your resume (i.e., "I, me, my," etc.).
• Do not abbreviate.
• A certain amount of white space is good on a resume because it improves the overall appearance and readability of a resume.
• At a minimum, a resume should be printed on a letter-quality printer, with individual copies reproduced by a laser printer or a good quick print establishment.  Use good quality white, cream, or beige paper.
• Make sure you have no typographical errors or misspelled words.
• Use italics, boldface, and underlining for emphasis but don't overdo their usage.
• Use a standard professional font such as Calibri or Times New Roman.
• Try to use no smaller than 11 point type for text.
• Use appropriate section headings to separate information, such as:
• Education
• Experience
• Honors and Scholarships
• Legal Skills and Training
• Legal Training
• Licensure
• Memberships
• Military Service
• Publications
• Relevant Experience
• Work Experience
• Use bullets to separate job tasks and responsibilities.  When describing tasks and responsibilities, be as concise as possible keeping items parallel.  Use sentence fragments with no subjects. Describe your tasks and responsibilities with active verbs maintaining the correct tense: present tense for current jobs, past tense for prior jobs.  Examples:
• Assist
• Conduct
• Consult
• Counsel
• Create
• Develop
• Draft
• Establish
• Gather
• Help
• Instruct
• Investigate
• Manage
• Participate
• Research
• Review
• Supervise
• Synthesize
• Train
• When using active verbs, be sure to maintain the correct tense: present tense for current jobs, past tense for prior jobs.
• Select a layout that makes the resume easy to read and highlights important content.  Format should be internally consistent.
• Be sure that all information on your resume is correct and up to date, especially your phone number and email address
• Have the resume reviewed by the Office of Professional Development.      

Resumes: What to Include

Keep the following in mind as you build your resume.

Name	You should place your name at the top of the resume.
	Nicknames are not acceptable.
	If you prefer to be called by your middle name, use an initial for your first name. For example, Christopher Scott Jones may list C. Scott Jones or Scott Jones.
Contact Information	Your contact information should include your address, phone number with area code, and email address. (It is important that you provide a telephone with an associated voicemail, and be sure to create a professional message.)
	Street names, etc. are spelled out, not abbreviated.
	If you have two addresses, such as "School" and "Permanent," use the address where you wish to be contacted. This is especially important if you plan to look for employment in your hometown or if you plan to be away from your school address over the holidays and vacations.
	An e-mail address makes you easy to reach. Include an e-mail address only if you check your account at least once daily.  Be sure to use an appropriate email address (i.e. name@law.capital.edu , not "lawchic@" or "lawenforcer@"). If you do not have a professional email address, you may want to make a new account using some variation of your name on one of the “free account” websites such as Gmail [www.gmail.com] or Outlook (www.outlook.com).

Education	This section should include all post high school education.
	The information should be presented in reverse chronological order (starting with the most current) and should include names of institutions, locations, degrees awarded, dates of graduation, (dates attended, if appropriate), and college major and minor.
	This section can include honors and activities (e.g., scholarships, book awards, law review, and moot court), GPA, and class rank.
	As a Capital student, list your degree as a “Juris Doctor” not “Juris Doctorate.” You can also list the “expected” date of your graduation, such as “Juris Doctor, expected May 2013”
	If you are a law student or a graduate with less than four years' experience, your education should be one of the first two sections of your resume.
Experience	If you have career-related experience, you may wish to include that information in a separate category titled, "Legal Experience."
	All other work can then follow under "Other" or "Additional" Experience. This information should also be in reverse chronological order.
	Descriptions should begin with active verbs.
	Be concise and truthful, highlighting achievements when possible.
	Be sure to include dates of employment.
	Jobs such as Server, Bartender, and Painter can be listed to show experience generally. You need not explain your position by bulleting your responsibilities and tasks.

 

You may want to include additional sections in your resume. Consider the following.

Professional Profile or Summary of Qualifications	This section is typically recommended only for individuals with extensive pre-law school experience.
	It is essentially a three-to-five phrase commercial explaining your strengths and how your previous career skills translate to the career you are seeking.
	This section should be located at the top of your resume.
Licenses or Certifications	In this section, include bar admissions, CPA certification, engineering certifications, and any other license or certification that may be of interest to an employer.
Skills	This is an excellent section to indicate fluency in language, special licenses or certifications, expertise in another educational area, etc.
	Include skills a legal employer can utilize.
	Computer literacy is useful to a firm that utilizes computerized legal research systems.
Skills	If not related to law, list special skills that are interesting and can differentiate you from other candidates.
	If you have no prior legal experience, you may choose to include a "Legal Skills" section. This will include skills gained through class work in legal writing and research.
	Include training in LexisNexis® and Westlaw® when appropriate.
Interests or Community Service	Do not include personal data such as marital status, height or weight.
	Think about including serious, ongoing hobbies or interests (have played piano since the age of four) that provide insight into your non-academic side.
	In an interview, the employer may ask you about your interests as a means of building rapport.
	Interests may include published poet, avid fly fisherman, marathon runner, etc.
	This is one place on the resume to show your individuality.
Military Service	Military service can be a separate topic or included under employment.
	Indicate the branch of service, organization, rank at the time of discharge, duty station, etc.
Publications	If you have published any law and/or law related articles, list them on your resume.
	Include any significant research paper published or accepted for publication.
Memberships	Include any ACTIVE memberships in bar associations or professional organizations.

Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER WHILE ADVANCING LIBERTY!

The Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program combines a paid public policy internship with two career and policy seminars. Fellows gain real-world experience, take a crash course in market-based policy analysis, and acquire the professional skills necessary to effect change. Participating internship hosts include more than 80 think tanks and policy organizations across the United States. 

As one of 80 Koch Summer Fellows, you will work with others on research projects throughout the summer and make lifelong friends from among the many Fellows who share your interest in ideas. You will also join the network of more than 900 program alumni succeeding in policy, journalism, legal, business, and academic careers. 

"A first-class program geared to those who seek challenge."
  - Timothy Doyle, University of Toronto 

PROGRAM ELEMENTS

• 10-week program: June 1 – August 9, 2013
• Eight-week internship at a state, federal, or single-issue policy organization
• Weeklong career and policy seminars, before and after internship
• Weekly lectures on popular policy issues
• Professional resume review and editorial guidance on writing assignments
• $1,500 stipend plus housing assistance and a limited number of travel scholarships
• Undergraduates, recent graduates, and graduate students from all countries and studying in all majors are eligible

STATE, FEDERAL, OR SINGLE-ISSUE POLICY INTERNSHIPS

The program's more than 80 think tanks and nonprofits focus on state or federal policy or specific issues, such as education or the environment. Once accepted into the program, Fellows are matched with internships based on their interests and skills. 

• State Policy – Intern at one of the State Policy Network think tanks throughout the United States. Analyze regulations and influence legislation at the state level. Help publish articles, editorials, or letters in state or local papers. Choose from organizations including Texas Public Policy Foundation, Cascade Policy Institute, and Mackinac Center for Public Policy. 

• Federal & Single-issue Policy – Intern at one of more than 40 organizations in Washington, DC. Help reduce the size and scope of the federal government, or choose from a range of policy issues: Institute for Energy Research analyzes how government regulations impact global energy markets; Drug Policy Alliance works to end drug prohibition; the Thomas B. Fordham Institute advances educational excellence in K-12 schools through accountability and education options. 

View a list of all internship hosts. 

A CAREER OPPORTUNITY

In one summer, the Koch Summer Fellow Program can give you the real-world experience and professional network you need in today's competitive job market.

The Koch Summer Fellow Program is made possible by the generous support of the Charles Koch Foundation.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

2013 Public Policy Handbook

When considering careers in public policy, many students (especially law students) think primarily of the role of the legislature and/or courts in shaping law.  However, shaping public policy is a broad and multifaceted process in which many actors and entities participate.

1. Agenda Setting:  During the initial stages, a wide range of individuals, organizations, and governmental entities, take action to advance their aims, educate supporters and opponents about their issue, and build support for their policy agendas.  Actors during this stage include the Executive Branch, Federal agencies, lobbyists, private sector, nonprofit organizations and special interest groups.
2. Policy Formulation:  The Legislature gets involved in the next stage, where policy is formulated.
3. Implementation:  Federal agencies, bureaucratic entities, nongovernmental organizations, state and local government may all be involved in one or more activities directed towards implementing policy and legislation.
4. Evaluation:  Analysis and evaluation takes place throughout the cycle and can involve all of the actors.  Litigation frequently plays a role in this process, too.
5. Reformulation:  Policies are modified or may even be eliminated, based on problems identified during the evaluation – and the cycle begins again.

The University of Arizona College of Law publishes an annual Public Policy Handbook that contains listings for opportunities in public policy.  The OPD subscribes to the Handbook, which you can access by logging in to Symplicity to find the username and password.  Also, we have placed in the Symplicity Resource Library a guide to using the Handbook.

The Handbook contains various tables, each of which indicates who can apply and if opportunity is paid or unpaid, as well as links that take readers directly to the desired entry. 

• Table of Contents, organized alphabetically by city/state.

• Table 1, an A-Z index, with deadlines.

• Table 2, internship programs, in order of deadline.

• Table 3, post-graduate fellowships, in order of deadline.

• Table 4, an alphabetized list of 47 different subject areas, each of which links to Handbook entries offering opportunities in that specific area.

• Table 5, a new alphabetized table with links to job postings for several hundred policy-related organizations, along with brief descriptions of each organization’s mission, as well as subjects of focus.  We developed this table as a resource for Fellows, who are faced with conducting a job search at the end of their limited-term, post-graduate fellowships. 

OACTA 2013 Law Student Diversity Scholarship

OACTA's annual Law Student Diversity Scholarship program is open to incoming second and third-year African American, Hispanic, Asian, Pan Asian and Native American students enrolled at Ohio law schools. Incoming second and third-year female law students enrolled at Ohio law schools are also eligible regardless of race or ethnicity.  Other criteria for the scholarship include:

• Academic achievement in law school;
• Professional interest in civil defense practice; and
• Service to community and to the cause of diversity;  

Up to two (2) scholarships in the amount of $1,250 each will be awarded to successful applicants.  Applicants are required to submit an application, law school transcript and a cover letter addressing the following:  academic, personal and professional accomplishments, and why they should be selected as a recipient of the scholarship.  Applicants may submit up to three letters of recommendation.

The completed application and all other requested material must be received by April 19, 2013.  Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. 

Winners will be announced in June 2013.  Scholarship recipients will be recognized at the OACTA Annual Meeting in November.  

Download Scholarship Application 

Writing and Grammar Resource

When writing cover letters or resumes (or even while working on legal writing assignments), questions about grammar may arise that leave you questioning the proper rule. We all have those high school English classes in the back of our minds, but it is sometimes difficult to remember the quirky rules and regulations for grammar.

When questions about grammar arise, check out Grammar Girl at http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ . The site is written in an entertaining and casual way, but provides lots of great tips on grammar and writing. 

If you have more specific questions about the content or format of your resume or cover letter, send it to Shawn or Mary via email or make an appointment to discuss your documents.

OCI FAQs

The following questions are frequently asked during the fall and spring recruiting programs (OCI).  Be sure to read through and then contact the OPD with questions.

• How do I choose employers? What criteria should I consider? Your decision whether to submit materials to an employer should be based on careful research of the employer. Review the employer's website, read attorney biographies, use Google, Westlaw, or Lexis to read articles about the employer, etc.  If you are interested in an employer and you do not necessarily meet the required or preferred hiring criteria requested by the employer, submit your materials anyway. You have nothing to lose. Let the employer do the prescreening.

• Do I have to submit materials to all employers? No. We suggest that you submit materials only to employers in which you have a genuine interest in interviewing with for a summer job.

• If my class rank is not what the employer is seeking, may I still participate? Yes. The Office of Professional Development does not prescreen for employers.

• May I submit a cover letter even though one isn't requested by the employer? No. You may only submit the materials requested by an employer.

• Should I include my GPA and class rank on my resume? Yes. We recommend that you also include your percentage ranking. For example, if you rank 25/205, do the math and indicate the percentage ranking of "top 12 percent." This will allow employers to compare you to other Capital students and students from other law schools. Because schools use various methods of determining grade point averages, a class rank is a better indicator of your placement in a class of candidates.

• What kind of writing sample should I submit? When requested, you should submit a writing sample that is the best example of your legal writing work product. It should be free of errors, well formatted, and persuasive. You may use a document that you drafted for your first-year Legal Research and Writing course or a document you drafted at work. If you wish to use a writing sample from work, check with your supervisor for permission. Be sure to redact names and other information to avoid breaking confidentiality or violating the attorney-client privilege. 

• An employer I am interested in requires a writing sample of less than eight pages. All of my writing samples are more than ten pages. What should I do? When an employer requests a writing sample that is shorter than one you have available, you may submit an excerpt from the analysis section of a larger piece.   Start the document with an introduction or attach a cover memo that explains that the writing sample is an excerpt and which puts the excerpt into context.

• If an employer asks for references, does this mean a list of references or actual letters of recommendation? No. You should provide a list of individuals who are familiar with your legal skills and your work ethic. Provide each individual's name, title, employer, mailing address, phone, and email (all work-related). This should be a list of professional, not personal, references. If an employer wants a letter of recommendation, it will be explicitly stated.

• If an employer requests a transcript, should I submit an official transcript? Unless the employer specifically lists "Official Transcript" in the list of requested materials, you do not need to submit an official transcript. To access you unofficial transcript, log in to WebAdvisor. Either copy and paste to a Word document or print and scan; then upload to Symplicity.

• I am interested in a particular firm that is participating in OCI at which an acquaintance works. Should I apply directly to my contact or to the contact the Office of Professional Development provides? You should submit your materials through the Office of Professional Development at Capital and address any requested cover letters to the individual listed with the employer. You can follow-up by contacting your connection with the employer and informing him or her that you have applied for an interview through Capital's Recruiting Program.