Harvard Law School Office of Career Services (OCS)

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Harvard Law SchoolOffice of Career Services
(OCS) Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest
Advising (OPIA)Fall 2008

• First Year Resume and Cover Letter Workshop

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Application Materials

• Cover letter
• Resume
• List of references
• Writing sample
• Transcript
• Proofread all and have someone else proofread as
  well!

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Resume Essentials

• A marketing tool
• Easy to read
• 20 seconds
• One page limit focus on highlights

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Resume Goals

• Set forth relevant experience transferable
  skills
• Communication - oral and written
• Time management
• Interpersonal
• Leadership
• Initiative/ambition
• Character/interests

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Resume Style Basics

• Bond or plain paper neutral color is best
• Dates consistent format
• Format -
• Use simple fonts (for example, Times New Roman,
  size 11)
• Bold - only use for section heads like EXPERIENCE
  and for your name, educational institutions, and
  organizations you worked for (these also look
  good in ALL CAPS)
• Italics - only publications, Latin honors and
  titles of jobs or offices within organization
• Underline - dont use it

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Resume Sections

• Heading
• Education
• Experience
• Other -language
• -interests

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Resume Heading

• Name (in UPPER CASE and bold looks best), email
  address, phone number (cell phone with caution)
• Permanent/local address
• No job objectives

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Resume Heading with two addresses
ELLEN MEAGHLER Current Address
emeaghler_at_law.harvard.edu Permanent
Address 10 Holmes Hall

125 East 78th Street Cambridge, MA
02138
New York, NY 94110
[phone]
[phone]
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Resume Education

• List school, city and state
• Indicate degree expected and graduation date
  (month and year)
• List most advanced degrees first
• List joint degrees separately
• List study abroad separately or within undergrad
  section (space dependent)
• Thesis Not necessary, but be prepared to
  discuss!
• Omit LSAT, GPA (some exceptions) and high school
  information

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Sample Study Abroad
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Honors

• List in order of selectivity within individual
  schools
• Separate subsection for each degree
• May need to drop some if they take up too much
  space
• Describe honor if not obvious (e.g. Rose Prize
  for Best English Paper)

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Activities

• List under individual school
• Memberships
• Elected offices
• Sports
• Journal participation and leadership roles
• Format Name of organization, followed by role
  (e.g. BLSA, Vice-President for Membership)

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Resume Experience

• Reverse chronological order
• Any substantive work includes volunteer and
  clinical experience usually all in one section
• Proportional length
• Vary language
• Use dynamic descriptions
• Action verbs, short sentences
• Paragraph form or bullets
• Titles
• Dates consistent format
• 2 jobs at one place or 2 titles at the same place

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SETH D. COHEN 6034 HLS Holmes Mail Center
Cambridge, MA 02138 [phone]
scohen_at_law.harvard.edu___________________________
__________________________________________________
____________________

• EDUCATION
• Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
• Candidate for J.D., June 2008
• Activities Harvard Negotiation Law Review,
  Subciter
• Harvard Journal of Law Public Policy, Subciter
• Law School Council, Section Representative
• Duke University, Durham, NC
• B.A., cum laude in Political Science, Minor in
  Psychology, May 2005
• Honors Golden Key National Honor Society
• Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honor
  Society)
• Activities Senator, Student Government
  Association
• Student Counselor, Duke Pre-Law Advising Center
• Assistant Sports Editor, The Chronicle
• EXPERIENCE
• Dallas Environmental Neighborhood Network,
  Dallas, TX

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• Eliza Doolittle
• 1234 HLS Holmes Mail Center Cambridge, MA 02138
  617-876-5432 eliza_at_jd10.law.harvard.edu
• EXPERIENCE
• Bingham, McCutchen LLP, Boston, MA
• Summer Associate, June 2008 August 2008
• Researched and drafted legal memoranda regarding
  rights of shareholders in derivative suit and
  anti-competition clause in executive employment
  contract. Reviewed documents in antitrust
  litigation and observed motion argument in the
  case.
• State Senator Henry Higgins, Annapolis, MD
• Legislative Assistant, September 2006 June
  2007
• Researched and drafted reports regarding issues
  of environmental safety, including analysis of
  Clean Air Act, state land conservation issues
  and Chesapeake Bay run-offs. Drafted college
  intern training manual. Attended sessions of the
  legislature.
• Hartford, Hereford Hampshire, P.A., Silver
  Springs, MD
• Legal Assistant, September 2005 August 2006
• Provided administrative and paralegal support
  for small litigation firm. Organized document
  productions, court filings and case files.
  Organized exhibits for employment discrimination
  trial. Drafted correspondence to clients and
  opposing counsel regarding cases.

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Resume Other information to include

• Foreign language(s)
• Military service
• Publications - use bluebook form
• Exceptional technical skills, if relevant
• Community service
• Professional license(s)
• Interests/activities

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• Josephine Kale
• 6 HLS Holmes Mail Center
• 22 River Street, Cambridge, MA 02140
• [phone]
• jkale_at_gmail.com
• LANGUAGES
• Finnish (native), English (fluent), Swedish
  (proficient), Chinese (conversant), German
  (reading knowledge), French (working knowledge)
• PUBLICATIONS
• Note, Womens Legal Rights in the Surrogacy
  Debate, 34 Harvard Womens Law Journal, 351
  (2005)
• The Right to Development, 26 International
  Journal of Refugee Law 160 (2003)

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Resume Sensitive Issues

• Political affiliation
• Religious beliefs
• Sexual orientation

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Resume Review Service
OCS - reviewed during session OPIA -
reviewed before appointment - Resume
Drop-Off Service (lt5 days) - Format the
resume first!
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Cover Letter Basics

• Accompanies your resume in targeted
  mailings/applications
• First writing sample and impression
• Identify appropriate hiring contact
• Never write Sir or Madam - use specific name
• Bond or plain paper
• PERSUASIVE by highlighting strengths,
  accomplishments and transferable skills
• Do not reiterate your resume
• Tailor skills to employers needs
• Conclusive follow-up
• Proofread sign the letter!

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Cover Letter Structure/Overview

• One page
• Must personalize content to the job
• 3 paragraphs minimum
• Paragraph 1-Introduction
• Paragraph 2-Substance
• Paragraph 3-Closing

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Cover Letter Structure

• Introductory Paragraph
• Who you are and what you are seeking
• Referrals/reason for interest
• If unpaid volunteer

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Cover Letter Structure (example)
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Cover Letter Structure

• Middle Paragraph(s)
• Set forth reasons they should hire you
• Highlight your strengths, transferable skills,
  qualifications interests
• Specific examples of relevant experiences are
  persuasive

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Cover Letter Structure
Example of Middle Paragraphs
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Structure (cont.)

• Closing Paragraph
• Indicate when you will call
• Provide contact and relevant information for
  follow up
• Thank the employer
• Note Further details on cover letters may be
  found in
• -OPIA Job Search Guides
• -OPIA Website
• -OCS Website

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Sample Closing Paragraph
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Conveying Your Application Packet

• Either email or snail mail are fine.
• Email is most effective for
• Capitol Hill
• International Employers
• If you do use email
• - DONT put cover letter into text of email
  - include both cover letter and resume,
  plus any supplemental materials, as
  separate attachments.
• - PDF Format - best to prevent formatting
  changes. However, some public sector
  employers might not be able to open PDFs. Ask
  them in advance.
• - Microsoft Word - if this is your only
  option, acknowledge that formatting may
  be thrown off and follow-up with a hard
  copy.

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List of References

• When to provide
• Separate reference sheet
• Choose 3 - 5 references
• Former employers
• Professors - law/undergrad
• NOT family or personal friends
• Some can be non-legal
• Request permission
• Forward resume/explain job search

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YOUR NAMEStreet Address City, State ZIP
Telephone Number

• REFERENCES
• Name, Title (General format)
• Company Name
• Company Address (City, State)
• Telephone Number and email
• Relationship to you
• John Smith, Weld Professor of Constitutional Law
  (Example 1)
• Harvard Law School
• Cambridge, Massachusetts
• [phone] jsmith_at_law.harvard.edu
• Relationship First-year Law Professor
• Raymond Howard, Esq., Partner (Example 2)
• Sachs, Firth and Avon
• New York, New York
• [phone] howard_at_sachs.com
• Relationship Supervisor/Mentor

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Writing Sample

• Analytical
• Short memo or brief
• Work performed for employer
• Request permission
• Protect confidentiality
• Usually 5-10 pages
• Cover sheet w/context and contact info
• Comment and error-free
• Copy paper is fine

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Conclusion

• OPIA
• www.law.harvard.edu/current/careers/opia/
• OCS
• www.law.harvard.edu/ocs/