Resume question *NOOB ALERT* Forum

[agalang]

Sorry if this is question makes me come off as a total noob but I'm putting together my resume and while I have enough to fill about about a page and a half worth, I'm realizing that none of my softs are extraordinary (internships here and there, awards, schollys, some research assistant positions, etc.) That being said, I know that law schools really only "care" about true leadership positions/organizer of charity events, and the like. Would it be total suicide if I were to include ASB President and Valedictorian from HS? Honestly, I really have no reason to add those other than the fact that I simply didn't have "titles" in college...

Also, the last time I held a true paying job was four years ago, when I was still in hs. I mostly interned and volunteered all throughout college. Should I put that work experience on my resume just to show that I've at least held one job? I mean, I was a hostess at an Italian restaurant so it wasn't anything spectacular. What do you guys think?

[Danteshek]

Sorry if this is question makes me come off as a total noob but I'm putting together my resume and while I have enough to fill about about a page and a half worth, I'm realizing that none of my softs are extraordinary (internships here and there, awards, schollys, some research assistant positions, etc.) That being said, I know that law schools really only "care" about true leadership positions/organizer of charity events, and the like. Would it be total suicide if I were to include ASB President and Valedictorian from HS? Honestly, I really have no reason to add those other than the fact that I simply didn't have "titles" in college...

Also, the last time I held a true paying job was four years ago, when I was still in hs. I mostly interned and volunteered all throughout college. Should I put that work experience on my resume just to show that I've at least held one job? I mean, I was a hostess at an Italian restaurant so it wasn't anything spectacular. What do you guys think?

High school is off limits for a legal resume. Always. Just do your best with what you have. College "titles" are almost always bullshit unless you were student body president.

[tyro]

Even if we put the "high school off limits" argument aside, I don't think you would want to include it if you feel that in comparison to your undergrad leadership stuff, it could be perceived somehow that you had some sort of downward trend from HS to undergrad. Maybe you could play with wording to show that you were building skills in other areas somehow.

[agalang]

You're right, I didn't even think about that. I figured as much (in reference to its exclusion from my resume) but just thought I'd try and push it. Thanks!

[tyro]

You're right, I didn't even think about that. I figured as much (in reference to its exclusion from my resume) but just thought I'd try and push it. Thanks!

I wouldn't jump to any conclusions yet though, I think the first respondent to your post might have misinterpreted your thread and thought you meant you were already in law school and applying for jobs. I've heard at least one person say that leadership stuff from high school can be appropriate to mention somewhere on a person's application. I can't remember if it was in a resume or personal statement though. I would wait to see what other posters think or maybe try searching for similar threads.

[QuailMan]

Keep your resume to 1 page. Some schools even ask directly that your resume only be 1 page unless you have something truly amazing that takes up more space.

Don't put anything from HS.

It sounds like you have a pretty much average resume, which is fine. All that means is that like 95% of other applicants your decision will be based on your LSAT and GPA. Just put something together that looks professional and you'll be fine.

[rinkrat19]

Don't include anything from HS.

Do include internships and volunteer work. You can have one big section called 'Professional and Volunteer Experience' if you feel like it will look meager if you break it up into separate sections.

Don't have a stroke trying to fit it on one page, unless there is a specific one-page requirement (I haven't seen any). Don't try to spread your stuff out to fill multiple pages, and if you're only a little over one page do try to fit it on one, but a two-page resume that legitimately needs to be two pages is perfectly acceptable 99% of the time. The resumes-absolutely-must-be-one-page thing is pretty dated, although a few people still cling to it for whatever reasons.

Oh, and I'm less sure of this, but I personally would put the hostess job on there along with the internships and volunteering.

[emciosn]

I think your resume definitely need to be one page. Its sounds like your a pretty average joe (not an insult, that's how my resume was too). I think you need to have some pretty spectacular stuff going on to validate stretching beyond one page. Keep descriptions and things short and to the point and maybe fudge the margins a bit. I would say keep it to a page.

[QuailMan]

Just to throw it out there, TLS's page on resume's recommends keeping it at one page, although of course you should always do what's right for you.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/law-school-resume.html

Its just slightly more aesthetically pleasing to have one page. Having multiple pages is not going to change your decision either way, its really just a matter of keeping everything neat and tidy. There are plenty of 1-page templates available online that can be filled with more information than you probably have to provide.

[094320]

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[bp shinners]

Don't have a stroke trying to fit it on one page, unless there is a specific one-page requirement (I haven't seen any). Don't try to spread your stuff out to fill multiple pages, and if you're only a little over one page do try to fit it on one, but a two-page resume that legitimately needs to be two pages is perfectly acceptable 99% of the time. The resumes-absolutely-must-be-one-page thing is pretty dated, although a few people still cling to it for whatever reasons.

It's not that they need to be 1 page (though some schools do ask for only that). It's that most people, when applying, think that their weekend of volunteer work warrants its own entry on a resume. For the vast majority of college students, one page is all that's warranted based on what they've accomplished. It's not "Don't go over one page that's suicide!!!", it's "Take a long look at that 2-page resume and tell me if you really need them to know that you were a member of Ultimate Frisbee your freshman year."

In short, 1 page is the recommendation because you probably haven't done anything to warrant that second page.

[094320]

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