The One Thing

I’ve been asked time and time again about what the key to an effective legal resume is.  My answer is always the same.  It’s that your resume (and certainly your cover letter) should answer the question: WHY YOU?   

Why are YOU the one who will solve the firm/company’s problem.  And remember – they have a problem.  That’s why they are hiring you.  Either they have too much work, not enough work and you have work that you can bring or there is some other reason.  They aren’t hiring you for no reason.  Understanding the  employer’s pain and clearly answering how you will ease their pain is critical when drafting your resume.

Given that you have such a short period of time to convey any message on your resume, you have to look at the document with “new eyes” and think about what stands out.  Every entry you have on the resume will help you or hurt you.  Don’t waste time with things that don’t matter.  Get to the point and make the document highlight how you will solve that employer’s problem.  

And even if your value proposition isn’t that you have the MOST experience in a particular area, you can still solve the problem another way.  Maybe you have some experience and a passion to learn more?  Maybe you can characterize your experience as more of a generalist and solve their problem AND some other potential legal issues.  No matter how you position yourself, make sure that you are the one driving the narrative.    

Effectively, clearly and persuasively stating how you can make a difference and make an employer feel good about hiring you (to the exclusion of all the other candidates): that’s the key to an effective resume.