. Forum

[sabp21]

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[dingbat]

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For law school, no one will care. For employment interviews, it'd help to not have any unexplained gaps (but maybe someone with more legal employment experience can tell you how much of a big deal it makes)

[sabp21]

Thanks, dingbat.

Any other thoughts? Lots of views for so few responses.

[Lincoln]

I would recommend doing something so you can fill your resume gap. Volunteer somewhere, work part time, whatever. Even if you do something 5 hrs a week, that's a resume line and people won't think you were in prison or something. I had a resume gap (because I didn't put travel on my resume) and had one school actually call me to ask what I was doing.

[sabp21]

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[JCFindley]

I was laid off in Nov and never got a "real job" before starting LS. I sell my art on the side so list that as my full time job for the gap which of course isn't an option for everyone but volunteering or even slinging burgers could be an option. I think it also depends on the timing. If you are pretty close to UG and going to LS you could always say you were prepping for school or even enjoying some time before entering school and 90 hours/week you hope to be working upon graduation.

[JCFindley]

Cool, I've been consistently volunteering with a nonprofit throughout this time. My one-page resume is already jam-packed as it is though. Is it okay to go over?

The general answer is no. There are exceptions but even with 20 years of military service including ten in the Air Guard where I had another full time job and LOTS of applicable crap in both careers I got mine down to a page for my employment resume.

For LS, I think it is better to include EVERYTHING though.

[WanderingPondering]

I had a resume gap (because I didn't put travel on my resume) and had one school actually call me to ask what I was doing.

Really? I have a gap going on right now, as I'm backpacking through asia. If an employer asked what you were doing, do you think travel is a legitimate answer?

It's not like I'm going to come home or live my life how I think a potential employer 4 years down the road would want me to, but I'm sort of curious.

[wert3813]

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[Lincoln]

Travel is a legitimate answer, and not one that is looked down upon by adcoms or employers. For the person with a full resume, I bet you can squeeze in your volunteering to fill the time gap. Like Findley said, if people with lots of experience (I had several years of substantive WE before law school) can fit it onto one page, so can you.

[WhiskeynCoke]

"Independent consultant." You specialized in advising people on the best happy hours in town where they let you wear flip-flops with socks.