Resume Workshop
Overview
The resume is:
A condensed timeline of your experiences:
o The resume is an important component of your application that shows how you
spend your time.
o Your resume should be clear, concise and easy to read.
o Be sure to list your experiences in chronological order.
An opportunity to showcase your trajectory, achievements, and skillsets:
o For each experience, bullet point or summarize the top 1-3 responsibilities and
achievements. Save lengthier descriptions for your most significant experiences
and avoid vague descriptions that do not provide meaningful details about the
work you did.
o Highlight skills that will help you succeed in law school and beyond. For example,
research, writing, analysis, client work, etc.
o Begin each bullet point with an action verb like “directed” or “organized.”
o When possible, quantify your results. For example, how many students did you
tutor?
o Condense your list of experiences to those that are most substantial or relevant
to your law school application. The resume is not meant to be a comprehensive
list of every opportunity you’ve had since starting college.
o Things not to include:
A summary or objectives section
References (you are already submitting letters of recommendation)
A lengthy list of publications or presentations (this is a resume, not a CV)
High school records or experiences
Pictures
A professional document:
o The layout should be simple and easy to read. Use bullet points vs. blocks of text
to create more white space.
o Limit your resume to 1-2 pages in length with 1-inch margins.
o Keep your formatting consistent. For example, don’t use Sept. in one place and
September in another.
o Avoid graphics, pictures, and colored fonts.
Getting Started
Step One: Brainstorm experiences and accomplishments for your resume.
Spend 15 minutes jotting down ideas for each of the following prompts:
List the most meaningful full and part-time work experiences you have had since
starting college. Circle the most substantial experiences and/or the ones where you
learned or honed skills that will help you succeed in law school and beyond.
For each of the experiences you circled, draft 2-3 bullet points describing the
responsibilities or achievements you had while in the role. Remember to start each
bullet with an action verb.
List the most meaningful extracurricular and/or volunteer activities you have
participated in since starting college. Circle the activities where you either held a
leadership position or learned/honed skills that will help you succeed in law school and
beyond.
For each of the activities you circled, draft 1-2 bullet points describing the
responsibilities or achievements you had while in the role. Remember to start each
bullet with an action verb.
Step Two: Create an Outline
Separate your experiences into different categories.
Example:
Education
o List all higher education institutions attended
o Honors earned
Experience
o Path within military
o College positions and internships
o Promotions and positions held
o Deployments and tours
Activities
Skills/Interests
Step Three: Fill in the Blanks
List the most recent and relevant experiences under each category in chronological order, then
add details for each experience. Remember to keep your formatting consistent and to check for
spelling or grammatical errors.
Tip #1: Begin each sentence with an action verb.
Led
Supervised
Managed
Motivated
Facilitated
Enforced
Developed
Directed
Established
Generated
Increased
Engineered
Achieved
Resolved
Pioneered
Expanded
Organized
Created
Tip #2: Include specific examples of the work you did including the results. Use numbers where
applicable.
Example:
Corps Member, Teach for America June 2021 – Present
• Selected from over 46,000 applicants nationwide to teach for two years in an under-
resourced public school.
• Completed rigorous job training under the supervision of current English teachers.
• Attended monthly professional development training sessions on data analysis, teaching
methods, and behavior management.
Research Assistant, Department of Political Science September 2020 – August 2021
• Assisted in the development of research studies aimed at addressing the falling
standards of public-school education.
• Scheduled and interviewed approximately 100 students a week for research purposes.
• Attended weekly meetings with Professor Paulson and two other student Research
Assistants to discuss findings and create future studies.
Tip #3: Highlight skills that will help you succeed in law school and beyond such as:
Analysis
o Problem solving skills
Leadership
o Advancement
Contribution to the classroom environment
o What will you bring?
o What will others learn from you?
Communication
o Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively
Tip #4: Elucidate on any questions the reader might have such as:
Gaps in employment or education
A change in graduation date
Tip #5: For inspiration, check out the sample resumes on our J.D. Application Components
webpage.
Resume Template
First Name Last Name
Address ∙ Phone ∙ Email
EDUCATION
College Name Graduation Year
Degree: Major
Awards & Honors (if applicable)
EXPERIENCE (e.g. recent/relevant work experiences such as internships, full-time jobs, etc.)
Employer Dates Worked
Job Title Location
Description of duties
Description of duties
Employer Dates Worked
Job Title Location
Description of duties
Description of duties
Employer Dates Worked
Job Title Location
Description of duties
Description of duties
ACTIVITIES (e.g. affinity organization, student group, club sport, faith based organization, etc.)
Organization Name Dates Active
Position Location
Description of duties
Description of duties
Organization Name Dates Active
Position Location
Description of duties
Description of duties
SKILLS & INTERESTS (e.g. languages, computer skills, hobbies, things you like to do for fun, etc.)
Skills: Skill 1 ∙ Skill 2 ∙ Skill 3
Interests: Interest 1 ∙ Interest 2 ∙ Interest 3
