Résumé Guidelines

The primary purpose of a résumé is to convince a potential employer to interview you. Once you have an interview, the résumé will provide topics for discussion.

Your résumé is an example of your work product. Therefore, it must be accurate, precise, and show attention to detail. Be sure the résumé contains no typographical or grammatical errors or factual errors. Use descriptive and specific language when describing your education, experience, or other entries on your résumé.

Visually Appealing

Your résumé should also be visually appealing. Be consistent with punctuation, font, and text emphasis (e.g., bold, italics, and underline).

Structure

It would be best to structure your résumé to allow an employer to learn about you quickly. Try to adhere to the following guidelines:

• Use an outline form with sub-headings.

• Be consistent in format.

• Your résumé should not be more than one page in length. If you have space problems, delete less critical information.

General Guidelines

Every résumé is different. Tailor your résumé to fit your experience and your career goals. Law student and recent law graduate résumés typically include some or all of the following sections:

Heading

This should appear at the top of the résumé and contain identifying information: your name, address(es), telephone number(s), and email address.

Education

This should be the first section of your résumé. List Baylor Law first, and include your expected graduation date and class rank. Also, describe any moot court, mock trial experience, and other activities or awards. Do not include your LSAT score.

Following the information for Baylor Law, list your undergraduate institutions in reverse chronological order. For each undergraduate experience, state the title of the degree(s) you received, the date you received the degree(s), and any awarded degree honors. Include honors and activities for each school you attended, especially membership and leadership positions in student organizations.

Experience

This should be the third section of the résumé. Generally, you should list your work experience after high school, whether paid or unpaid. Unless it is clear from the position title, you usually should put a brief description of your work duties and responsibilities using action verbs. You can summarize "survival jobs" (e.g., construction, server positions) with a line such as, "Worked as a waitress forty hours per week throughout the school to provide fifty percent of my undergraduate expenses."

Activities

Use this section to list any activities you have not already described in the Education section. Be sure to include all of your civic and community activities or awards.

Interests

Many employers have told us they like to see this section on a résumé. It lets the employer know a little about you apart from your educational and work achievements. Use this opportunity to list and describe your hobbies and interests.

Other sections

You may also consider adding sections to list any professional licenses, affiliations, publications, or fluency abilities with other languages. You can combine this section with the Interests section described above and entitle it "Interests and Skills" or something similar.

Generally, do not include names of references on your résumé. Also, do not include personal information such as age, marital status, health, parental status; typing or word processing skills; Lexis and Westlaw skills (these are assumed); or a job objective (unless you are seeking a very specialized position or a non-legal position).

Use action verbs in your descriptions. Here are some suggested action verbs for résumés:

	Analyzed		Evaluated		Programmed
	Communicated		Interpreted		Reported
	Conceived		Managed		Researched
	Defined		Organized		Selected
	Designed		Planned		Wrote

Hard Copies

Print the résumé on 8 1/2" by 11" neutral-colored bond paper for hard copies. The paper used for the résumé should match the cover letter and the envelope.

Electronic Copies

It is best to convert the entire document to pdf format for electronic copies. Print a hard copy to be sure the pdf shows all information with proper spacing. Alternatively, you can use an electronic document in MS Word format, but be sure to clear all metadata and create a new electronic version before sending it to an employer.

References

References should be printed on a separate sheet of paper with your identifying information (if the reference page becomes separated from your résumé).

• List the person's name, title, address, and phone number;

• Use individuals who know your academic/work abilities;

• Seek permission before listing anyone as a reference;

• Notify your references of the position for which you are applying and keep them advised of your progress; and

• Provide your reference with a copy of your résumé.