Must Résumés be so Busy? Forum

[nick_scheu]

It seems the conventional wisdom for law school résumés is something like this:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/sample-resume.pdf

In my opinion, from a design perspective, that's far from ideal. My current (professional) resume was modeled after this one (the "after" version, of course):

http://www.typographyforlawyers.com/?page_id=1655

The designer, Matthew Butterick, studied typography at Harvard as an undergraduate, then went to law school at UCLA. If I submit a résumé with my law school applications that follows a similar format, will that be bad? In other words, do they really expect to see dense text on a single page, and will frown on two better-designed pages?

[rinkrat19]

It seems the conventional wisdom for law school résumés is something like this:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/sample-resume.pdf

In my opinion, from a design perspective, that's far from ideal. My current (professional) resume was modeled after this one (the "after" version, of course):

http://www.typographyforlawyers.com/?page_id=1655

The designer, Matthew Butterick, studied typography at Harvard as an undergraduate, then went to law school at UCLA. If I submit a résumé with my law school applications that follows a similar format, will that be bad? In other words, do they really expect to see dense text on a single page, and will frown on two better-designed pages?

If I used that much white space, my resume would be like nine pages long.

[nick_scheu]

If I used that much white space, my resume would be like nine pages long.

That's the idea: taking out the unnecessary, to emphasize the really important stuff. Focus is about saying "no," and all that.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

If I used that much white space, my resume would be like nine pages long.

That's the idea: taking out the unnecessary, to emphasize the really important stuff. Focus is about saying "no," and all that.

Then focus on cutting away everything that cannot fit on one page.
While some people won't care if you go over, some people certainly will, unless you have a good reason for doing so (e.g. A previous career before law school).

[nick_scheu]

My professional résumé already is one page, actually. There are really three possibilities, and I've glossed over the distinctions:

1) A typical, text-dense, one-page résumé
2) Spreading that résumé among two pages to, more or less, provide a similar amount of content in a better design
3) Take out a lot and do a better-designed, but much less dense, one-pager

I currently use option 3, and it would be my first choice for law school applications unless there really is a considered consensus in favor of option 1.

[smaug_]

Your résumé isn't that important as far as LS admissions goes. FWIW, I had a single page résumé and it was fine. I think a résumé would need to be stunning (in terms of content) or abysmal for it to make an impact.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

My professional résumé already is one page, actually. There are really three possibilities, and I've glossed over the distinctions:

1) A typical, text-dense, one-page résumé
2) Spreading that résumé among two pages to, more or less, provide a similar amount of content in a better design
3) Take out a lot and do a better-designed, but much less dense, one-pager

I currently use option 3, and it would be my first choice for law school applications unless there really is a considered consensus in favor of option 1.

My vote goes for using option 3.

[Ludo!]

That example isnt that bad. But definitely make sure its only one page

[nick_scheu]

That example isnt that bad. But definitely make sure its only one page

Agreed, I've seen much worse. I actually think the revised one on this site is pretty bad from a "scanability" and emphasis perspective (and the original one has similar issues, though in different ways).

http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/07/ ... and-after/

[JCFindley]

Your résumé isn't that important as far as LS admissions goes. FWIW, I had a single page résumé and it was fine. I think a résumé would need to be stunning (in terms of content) or abysmal for it to make an impact.

I had two pages for my LS resume and it worked out well. Keep in mind, I am OLD and needed two pages though, it will likely be cut down to one depending on the nature of the job/internship I apply for.

[Ex Cearulo]

Your résumé isn't that important as far as LS admissions goes. FWIW, I had a single page résumé and it was fine. I think a résumé would need to be stunning (in terms of content) or abysmal for it to make an impact.

I had two pages for my LS resume and it worked out well. Keep in mind, I am OLD and needed two pages though, it will likely be cut down to one depending on the nature of the job/internship I apply for.

I'm running into that same issue. When every assignment the military sends you to is basically it's own job line (plus any civilian employment), the resume gets lengthy pretty fast. So no issues or negative feedback on your two-pager, JC?

[northwood]

those will probably be fine for law school admisions. As for a legal job it better be one page or less. You dont want it to be busy, you just want it to be perfet. That means, no typos, no punctuation errors, ( including spacing discrepencies) and nothing that will distract the scanner's eye ( they dont read those things, they just take a quick glance- and if yours makes it to the interview, then they might scan it a bit closer).

just a tid bit- most people have their own way of makign a resume. pick one style and keep it. ( and use the same editor) otherwise you will be making the same corretions all the time.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

Your résumé isn't that important as far as LS admissions goes. FWIW, I had a single page résumé and it was fine. I think a résumé would need to be stunning (in terms of content) or abysmal for it to make an impact.

I had two pages for my LS resume and it worked out well. Keep in mind, I am OLD and needed two pages though, it will likely be cut down to one depending on the nature of the job/internship I apply for.

I'm running into that same issue. When every assignment the military sends you to is basically it's own job line (plus any civilian employment), the resume gets lengthy pretty fast. So no issues or negative feedback on your two-pager, JC?

I think two pages is fine for a legal resume in this case. Our clerkship advisor explicitly mentioned 1) second career people and 2) military as the two groups that it can be fine to have over one page, as long as it's as tight as possible.

[Malapropism]

Regarding GPA, the first example shows the LSAC GPA. What if there are multiple colleges whose GPAs factor into that final GPA (through transfer, summer courses, etc.)? Would the best way to handle this be to have an LSAC GPA and the breakdown for each school, or what?

[northwood]

Regarding GPA, the first example shows the LSAC GPA. What if there are multiple colleges whose GPAs factor into that final GPA (through transfer, summer courses, etc.)? Would the best way to handle this be to have an LSAC GPA and the breakdown for each school, or what?

one GPA period. If you are applying to Law School, use the LSAC GPA

[JCFindley]

Your résumé isn't that important as far as LS admissions goes. FWIW, I had a single page résumé and it was fine. I think a résumé would need to be stunning (in terms of content) or abysmal for it to make an impact.

I had two pages for my LS resume and it worked out well. Keep in mind, I am OLD and needed two pages though, it will likely be cut down to one depending on the nature of the job/internship I apply for.

I'm running into that same issue. When every assignment the military sends you to is basically it's own job line (plus any civilian employment), the resume gets lengthy pretty fast. So no issues or negative feedback on your two-pager, JC?

No issues at all for LS. In fact, it all played a role in the admit.

When it comes to jobs, I will trim it to one for any criminal law jobs but will likely keep it at two for firms that specialize in aviation law as there is a lot of applicable crap. Especially since I was Guard and had a full time day job at the same time as the military....

[badaboom61]

My law school application resume was 3 pages, and my cycle went by the numbers. For employment obviously I got it down to 1.

[ph14]

My law school application resume was 3 pages, and my cycle went by the numbers. For employment obviously I got it down to 1.

At my summer job they told me a story about a guy they really wanted to give a 2L SA offer to, but they found out he had a 3 page resume. He didn't get an offer, and it was because of the resume.

[bp shinners]

My professional résumé already is one page, actually. There are really three possibilities, and I've glossed over the distinctions:

1) A typical, text-dense, one-page résumé
2) Spreading that résumé among two pages to, more or less, provide a similar amount of content in a better design
3) Take out a lot and do a better-designed, but much less dense, one-pager

I currently use option 3, and it would be my first choice for law school applications unless there really is a considered consensus in favor of option 1.

My vote goes for using option 3.

Same here - go with 3. People really need to learn how to edit stuff out.

[cahwc12]

http://flowingdata.com/2012/04/11/how-r ... ur-resume/

During evaluations, eye tracking software was employed, and they found that the recruiters spent about six seconds on a resume looking for six main things: name, current company and title, previous company and title, previous position start and end dates, current position start and end dates, and education. After that, it was a crapshoot.