Get an edge on the competition by making a great first impression.

Does your resume stand out from the rest or just blend in, despite your hard-earned academic and professional credentials?  With your resume being the key to getting your foot in the door, it’s imperative that your professional first impression is one that will compel your potential employer to learn more about you.

For a winning resume, follow these five simple steps:

1.  Accentuate Exceptional Academic Performance.  
Exceptional credentials impress almost everyone.  The higher rated the law school and the higher the grades, the more beneficial it is to lead with this information.  If your academics are short of exceptional, or if it has been more than five years since you graduated, consider leading with your experience instead.

2.  Be Concise.
Few people are impressed by an overly detailed employment history or a lengthy list of irrelevant academic information.  Streamlining your resume emphasizes the information that is most relevant to the specific opportunity while making certain important facts don’t get buried in the text.  You can provide more details during the interview.

3.  Review.  Review.  Review.
Read over your resume repeatedly until you think it is perfect.  Then hand it to someone else to read.  Nothing detracts more from a resume than grammatical and spelling errors, even when you’re otherwise perfect for the position.  Prove your attention to detail right off the bat by providing a flawless resume.  

4.  Presentation Matters.
Why do fine chefs devote just as much care in presenting their dishes as they do in preparing them?  Simply answered, if it doesn’t look good, diners usually don’t want it!  The ingredients of your resume may be divine, but presentation is key to engaging the reader.  Use clear headings, bullet points, adequate margins and a readable typeface to maximize your resume’s appeal.

5.  Ask An Expert.
Just thinking you know what works isn’t good enough when it comes to the competitive legal market.  When it comes to resumes, experts (professional resume writers, recruiters, career services staff and others) know what works and what doesn’t.  Capitalize on their experience and you’re sure to benefit.  

You only get one first impression.  Make sure that your resume provides the impression you want it to make!

Questions?  Contact Elite Laterals recruiter Amy Savage at amy@elitelaterals.com or 202.280.2408.