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The Blockbuster Resume for 2012: Top-Grossing at the Box Office

The Blockbuster Resume for 2012: Top-Grossing at the Box Office. by Nancy M. Glazer, Manager, Legal Launch, LLC www.LegalLaunch.net Nancy@LegalLaunch.net. I. Before the Movie Starts: Setting the Scene. A. Before You Even Start to Think About Your Resume, Know the 2012 Legal Market

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The Blockbuster Resume for 2012: Top-Grossing at the Box Office

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  1. The Blockbuster Resume for 2012: Top-Grossing at the Box Office by Nancy M. Glazer, Manager, Legal Launch, LLC www.LegalLaunch.net Nancy@LegalLaunch.net

  2. I. Before the Movie Starts: Setting the Scene A. Before You Even Start to Think About Your Resume, Know the 2012 Legal Market • The legal climate, 2008 – present; • The recession, technically over; • Job growth in the legal profession is happening slowly.

  3. B. “A New Normal” “Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” -Judy Garland as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, 1939

  4. Things we know: • You’re all overachievers. • You’re all smart • Studying law, as you have discovered, is quite different; not passive • Thinking like a lawyer doesn’t happen overnight • New blinders on as you go forward

  5. “I am not going to sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life. I’m going to take a stand. I’m going to defend it. Right or wrong, I’m going to defend it.” • Ferris (Matthew Broderick) in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986

  6. C. A Real World Education • This is active, very personal work … there’s no hiding— • It involves: • You on paper – putting on one piece of paper the capsules of your professional life and flaunting what you know how to do. • You in action -- as a way of life. You have to put yourself out there – talking with people. It’s not about the grade this time.

  7. “My Mama always said you’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move on.” -Forrest (Tom Hanks) in Forrest Gump, 1994

  8. II. Your Resume, Your Script • Encapsulating Who You Are and What You Can Do Sole goal of the resume = getting an interview!

  9. “You had me at hello.”vDorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger) in Jerry Maguire, 1996 • What’s the Impression You Want to Make? How do you get me at “hello?” First impressions: • Getting your resume to its destination • No pink paper; no perfume • The feel of nice paper does send a subconscious message. • Make it visually attractive: • Balanced • Sharp, readable font -- Make it easy to read, no cursive • Arial, Century Gothic, Century, Tahoma, etc … • Size 12 is great, 11 is okay 10 pt- try to avoid it • Clean lines. Organized. Clear bullets. • Action verbs: Past-tense and present- tense

  10. “These Are A Few of My Favorite Things.” -Maria (Julie Andrews) in The Sound of Music, 1965

  11. III. Resume Soundtrack – What Stays In the Script … • What can you give? • What can you do to help a potential employer sleep better? • Showcase yourself. • Show your value and accomplishments. • Can you meet the employer’s needs?

  12. Start with an Inventory of Assets Take a legal pad… • Write down all your experiences -- scholastic, extracurricular, employment, civic, scholarly, social and military • Make it broad; don’t cut • Later, edit, condense, categorize. Others who are more objective can help you cut, where needed

  13. Staying in the Script • 1. Name, address, telephone, email address • 2. Education (more on this later) • 3. Employment (more on this later, too) • 4. Licenses or certifications • 5. Publications • 6. Optional (languages, publications, professional licensure, bar association memberships, community service)

  14. IV. Resume Soundtrack: Scenes Better Left on the Cutting Room Floor Lawyers like seeing their “favorite things” in a resume.

  15. Lawyers don’t “give a damn” about these things: 1. A personal section 2. A career objective – Generally not needed. However, a Career Summary or a Profile of Accomplishments may be okay depending on your experience and your specific goals with each application 3. References – a separate sheet 4. A photograph 5. Your computer skills—assumed

  16. 6. Self-puffery 7. Exaggerating your GPA 8. Observing trials or depositions while clerking for a judge or working at a firm 9. Future events— In general, leave these off your resume. Exceptions: • When you expect to receive a degree, or license or certification • Accepted positions: This is okay: “Summer Intern, offer accepted for Summer 2012” • Once you have registered for an activity in the future, you can say “ABC Moot Court, scheduled to participate Spring, 2012.” • Publication in the future: “XYZ, scheduled to be published by ABC, Spring, 2012.”

  17. 10. Salary requirements 11. The reasons for leaving another employer 12. Personal pronouns, abbreviations or acronyms 13. Nicknames 14. Exceeding one page 15. Legal-sized paper. 16. Sending your resume without a cover letter 17. Politics, if possible 18. Typoz (oops!)

  18. SEPARATING YOURSELF FROM THE CROWD... • Going forward, think about these next things as you start building your experiences in law • What makes your resume different from others?

  19. V. Soundtrack Mechanics Aside: Tell Me About Your Character & Skills Aside from what’s in, what’s out, think about depth and value. A. The truth • Correct information -- accurate dates titles, and descriptions • Never estimate grades/class rank • The Character and Fitness Committee

  20. “Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They’re about to announce the lottery numbers!” -Homer Simpson, The Simpsons, timeless …

  21. B. Add value 1. Adding Value Generally • Cutting edge/quantify your achievements • Showing your value shows how you can be a resource instead of a person begging for a job –what a difference!!!

  22. Showing value on your resume: “Researched coverage issues on behalf of firm client.”  • It’s got a past-tense action verb; I know you researched coverage issues, but I don’t know: -- specific issues you researched -- if conflicts in the law between state circuit courts or a split of authority between states -- if your efforts were successful • KEY: Did you add value to your client’s position?

  23. A Spider’s Web- worth unraveling to consider if you made someone look good at your old firm… The person sitting on the other side of the desk will pick up on this immediately. They’re thinking, “What can this candidate do for me?”

  24. 2. Adding financial value “Show me the money!” • Concrete, in dollars and cents • Quantifiable value

  25. “Researched coverage issues on behalf of firm client.” becomes: “Prevailed on summary judgment motion on behalf of widower client; researched Illinois law and drafted motion and brief arguing that insurer was liable for covering medical expenses totaling over $500,000.”

  26. Or, try something like this:  “Researched and drafted successful motions in limine, striking 3 of 4 of plaintiff’s proposed jury instructions in a construction litigation matter worth nearly $4 million.”

  27. GIVING INFO: Enough, but not too much • Leave ‘em begging! • Guess what? You’ll probably get an interview!

  28. 3. Adding Value to Your Firm’s Administration_________________________________ • Did you add value to your former firm’s systems or processes? • Majored in computer science? • Did you developed an IT system for calendaring or inputting work product, taking a firm where you clerked away from a paper-based system?

  29. Can you quantify how much money you saved a former employer in this way? • Many have found legal employment through this side door • You may think nothing of it, but someone older values this know-how. Addressing computer needs, as an example, especially in a smaller firm, can win you an interview! • HIRING YOU = SAVING $$$ = HIRING ONE LESS PERSON

  30. 4. Adding Value by Simply Keeping Clients Happy and Coming Back • See a need • Provide exceptional customer service

  31. 5. The Value of Sales Experience • Keep sales experience in a resume. Why? • Close calls – you get the interview!

  32. “That's it, baby, when you've got it, flaunt it, flaunt it!” -Max Bialystock (Nathan Lane) in The Producers, 2005

  33. C. Selling yourself: A starring role This is where the hard work comes in: It’s like untangling a spider’s web. Articulating what you did in your resume: • Did you win??? What did you win? • Was it your research, your argument, your writing that proved successful??? • Was your boss, your client happy?

  34. Don’t undersell yourself!!! It’s so common!

  35. How to sell yourself in your resume: • Motions/briefs • Motions in limine • New system at a firm or other office saving $ • Did you keep an existing client happy? • Describe your experiences to show that you can hit the ground running. • Distinguish yourself from the crowd. • KEY: provide a decision-maker with the tools she needs to go to bat for you in the hiring meeting.

  36. There’s A One-Page Requirement! As you build on your legal successes, it will be hard to make it all fit. (Depending on facts and circumstances, two pages may be appropriate …) • If you need to cut, take out activities that won’t get you a job in law: diving/frat activities • Instead, explain how hiring you, with your skills, will make your interviewer’s life better

  37. D. Be clear, proof your resume • Content • Typos -Read each line from right to left; it helps find errors! -Make sure that your resume makes sense! • Ask others to read your resume – friends, family, OCS counselor. • Avoid confusion of different roles at the same firm/company. See Cynthia Gordon’s resume, attached. You need to show your promotions clearly with dates and the different titles you’ve held. Show how you were well-thought of. • With every item on your resume, ask: will this help get me invited in? • If you have to explain something, save it for your interview!!!!

  38. E. Stealing good resume ideas is perfectly okay. “I’ll have what she’s having…” -Restaurant patron (Estelle Reiner, Rob Reiner’s mother) in When Harry Met Sally … 1989

  39. F. Resume gaps: What the critics will be saying … • Don’t explain work history gaps in your resume. • There are great ways to respond to these questions in an interview • (I started a business, raised children, volunteered, saved the planet …)

  40. G. Your attitude – The MPAA Ratings Stay positive … If you can, try to enjoy parts of the process of articulating your skills and experience

  41. H. Your references – The supporting cast • List 3 people who know you in a professional capacity; those you trust to discuss your skills and accomplishments when asked. • Ask your references permission prior to giving out their names • Keep your references in the loop • Be equally concerned about them and their lives

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