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)November 2007

• 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
• 60 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

• Neutral-colored, bond paper
• Dates consistent format
• Format -
• Use simple fonts (for example, Times New Roman,
  size 12)
• 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 2 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
  Or at least be consistent with format (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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ResumeOther Information to Include

• Foreign language(s)
• Military service
• Publications -use bluebook form
• Exceptional technical skills
• -only 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 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 many sample cover letters -- -OPIA Job
  Search Guides
• -OPIA Website
• -OCS Website

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Sample Closing Paragraph
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SAMPLE COVER LETTER
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Conveying Your Application Packet

• Still best to send by snail mail
• Exceptions
• Capitol Hill
• International Employees
• Employer asks to have package emailed
• If you do use email
• - DONT put cover letter into text of
  email- include both cover letter and resume,
  plus any supplemental materials, as attachment
• - 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 used, 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 Zipcode
Telephone Number

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

• Individual appointments
• (resume cover letter review)
• Advice from 3Ls to 1Ls 11/15
• Intl Summer Funding Program 11/TBA
• Student-to-Student Public Interest Job Fair
  11/19
• Interviewing Strategies
• Public Sector 11/28
• Private Sector 12/3
• Mock Interviewing 12/4 12/5
• Watch
• E-mails
• www.law.harvard.edu/students/opia/
• www.law.harvard.edu/ocs/
• www.law.harvard.edu/students/opia/1l/index2.php