The Vale of Tears (3L Job Hunting) (No advice for 0/1/2Ls) Forum

[jmhendri]

So now that I need to update my resume to reflect that I sat for the Bar, I have to cut some things out for space. Should I scrap my interests and language skills section altogether, or try to condense work experience descriptions?

[BarbellDreams]

So now that I need to update my resume to reflect that I sat for the Bar, I have to cut some things out for space. Should I scrap my interests and language skills section altogether, or try to condense work experience descriptions?

I condensed. Everyone I ever talked to said to never scrap personal interests and language is always nice to have as a valuable skill to many practices.

[bk1]

I wouldn't cut either of those things out. I would condense work exp or change formatting if you need more space.

[JenDarby]

I wouldn't cut either of those things out. I would condense work exp or change formatting if you need more space.

My font is 11 and margins are fairly small. It's never seemed to be a problem. Everything on my résumé is legit work relevant experience, so it's that or move to 2 pages.

[BarbellDreams]

I wouldn't cut either of those things out. I would condense work exp or change formatting if you need more space.

My font is 11 and margins are fairly small. It's never seemed to be a problem. Everything on my résumé is legit work relevant experience, so it's that or move to 2 pages.

There are a million ways to format a resume to save space. I'm not talking about font and margins, I'm talking about how your sections are set up as well as how much you write per each position. Also, when all else fails, some legal experiences are better and more straight forward than others. I know of people who have a separate resume for public interest and law firms.

[190proof]

I wouldn't cut either of those things out. I would condense work exp or change formatting if you need more space.

My font is 11 and margins are fairly small. It's never seemed to be a problem. Everything on my résumé is legit work relevant experience, so it's that or move to 2 pages.

There is nothing wrong with a resume being 2 pages.

[rad lulz]

I wouldn't cut either of those things out. I would condense work exp or change formatting if you need more space.

My font is 11 and margins are fairly small. It's never seemed to be a problem. Everything on my résumé is legit work relevant experience, so it's that or move to 2 pages.

There is nothing wrong with a resume being 2 pages.

Wrong

[jmhendri]

I wouldn't cut either of those things out. I would condense work exp or change formatting if you need more space.

My font is 11 and margins are fairly small. It's never seemed to be a problem. Everything on my résumé is legit work relevant experience, so it's that or move to 2 pages.

Thanks guys! I remember OCP advising me once not to play with the margins, but I just tried it and it looks fine. I don't think it's worth going to 2 pages for three extra lines, so I'm sticking with that.

[JenDarby]

I wouldn't cut either of those things out. I would condense work exp or change formatting if you need more space.

My font is 11 and margins are fairly small. It's never seemed to be a problem. Everything on my résumé is legit work relevant experience, so it's that or move to 2 pages.

Thanks guys! I remember OCP advising me once not to play with the margins, but I just tried it and it looks fine. I don't think it's worth going to 2 pages for three extra lines, so I'm sticking with that.

I'm so used to the small margins now that when I try bigger margins it looks like the equivalent if college ruled vs. wide ruled paper.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I wouldn't cut either of those things out. I would condense work exp or change formatting if you need more space.

My font is 11 and margins are fairly small. It's never seemed to be a problem. Everything on my résumé is legit work relevant experience, so it's that or move to 2 pages.

There is nothing wrong with a resume being 2 pages.

Wrong

Eh, I had a 2-pp. resume all through law school and it posed no problems. If it's going to be 1-2 lines over, it's not worth a second page, but a second page isn't the kiss of death. (Context: years of work exp. before LS, although I know people here have put their years of work experience on 1 p so it's not impossible, I just didn't like the way it worked for mine.)

[Bikeflip]

Damn it. I'm being apathetic today. Someone yell at me to revise a cover letter at least.

[Anonymous User]

Here's a posting on my symplicity cite for Parr Brown Gee & Loveless and it says they are also looking for 3L, 3L/Tax LLM, 3L/TLP, Graduates

"Can send a resume directly to our Recruiting Committee by mail or email addressed to D. Craig Parry, Recruiting Committee Chair."

[rad lulz]

Damn it. I'm being apathetic today. Someone yell at me to revise a cover letter at least.

Revise a cover letter at least bro

[Bikeflip]

Damn it. I'm being apathetic today. Someone yell at me to revise a cover letter at least.

Revise a cover letter at least bro

Thanks d00d.

[190proof]

My font is 11 and margins are fairly small. It's never seemed to be a problem. Everything on my résumé is legit work relevant experience, so it's that or move to 2 pages.

There is nothing wrong with a resume being 2 pages.

Wrong

Eh, I had a 2-pp. resume all through law school and it posed no problems. If it's going to be 1-2 lines over, it's not worth a second page, but a second page isn't the kiss of death. (Context: years of work exp. before LS, although I know people here have put their years of work experience on 1 p so it's not impossible, I just didn't like the way it worked for mine.)

I agree. 2 pages is about right for a resume. Although I guess if a candidate is thin on accomplishments, one page might be all they have to offer.

[BarbellDreams]

I would not mess around with a 2 page resume.

The Harvard guide puts it perfectly: There are only 2 reasons why you ever need a resume longer than one page: If you've been published or if you have 5+ years of experience. 97% of us in here have neither.

A 2 page resume isn't an auto ding or anything, but I have yet to see an argument for how it helps more than it hurts. Managing partners are busy enough as is, they are not gonna read your 2 page resume anyway. Its the same with cover letters: I have had much more success with a very short cover letter as opposed to one where I try and fit in every single thing I can on one page. They won't read it, no one cares.

[A. Nony Mouse]

That explains why my CSO suggested the 2 pp. resume (not that I went to Harvard, but I think my CSO person liked to emulate Harvard). I agree it's not (and shouldn't be) the default.

[Anonymous User]

So, I am a rising 3l without much of a safety net and jerbless (at this point). Would you guys recommend that I borrow extra to deal with living expenses/bar expenses after graduation?

[rad lulz]

So, I am a rising 3l without much of a safety net and jerbless (at this point). Would you guys recommend that I borrow extra to deal with living expenses/bar expenses after graduation?

Well do you have parents you can live w?

[Anonymous User]

So, I am a rising 3l without much of a safety net and jerbless (at this point). Would you guys recommend that I borrow extra to deal with living expenses/bar expenses after graduation?

Try not to take anymore debt if you don't have to. Go other routes.

Was in debt myself and swallowed the pride to ask for help from my parents and gotta steadfast SO that has supported me.

[Anonymous User]

There was a post many pages ago asking about non-JD jobs.

Graduated in May. I recently accepted a job for a Fortune500 in their Law Dept. Graduated from a non-T14 below median.

Advice: Apply with a very tailored cover letter for each position about why you like that company. The HR person that initially called me grilled me about my cover letter. For large corporations the HR person is the person doing the screening so it needs to standout to him/her. Also, I was never asked for my transcripts (Thankfully).

The job doesn’t do “lawerying” per se, but legal research is plentiful and there seems to be a lot of upward mobility, plus only 40 hrs a week. I interact with the "business" departments daily, so transitioning into that is possible if you dont think law is your thing. If you want litigation though, don't bother applying to corporations because everyone that works here in litigation has BigLaw.

If there are specific questions ask and I will respond here or PM you.

Edit: I made it seem like I work as a lawyer there, but it is more of a law/compliance position. Strictly compliance ppl I know love their jobs/hours/life though as well.

[Ludo!]

Congrats dude that sounds awesome. How did you find the job?

[Anonymous User]

Congrats dude that sounds awesome. How did you find the job?

Found the job from simply Google searching for corporate headquarters where I live. The wifey had a job in the tri-state, so my search was limited to those few states.

I just googled “corporations in my state”. Went to their legal departments. No connections. Sent a cover letter when just a resume was required.

IDK if it was my cover letter but my resume was nothing special.

[Anonymous User]

There was a post many pages ago asking about non-JD jobs.

Graduated in May. I recently accepted a job for a Fortune500 in their Law Dept. Graduated from a non-T14 below median.

Advice: Apply with a very tailored cover letter for each position about why you like that company. The HR person that initially called me grilled me about my cover letter. For large corporations the HR person is the person doing the screening so it needs to standout to him/her. Also, I was never asked for my transcripts (Thankfully).

The job doesn’t do “lawerying” per se, but legal research is plentiful and there seems to be a lot of upward mobility, plus only 40 hrs a week. I interact with the "business" departments daily, so transitioning into that is possible if you dont think law is your thing. If you want litigation though, don't bother applying to corporations because everyone that works here in litigation has BigLaw.

If there are specific questions ask and I will respond here or PM you.

Edit: I made it seem like I work as a lawyer there, but it is more of a law/compliance position. Strictly compliance ppl I know love their jobs/hours/life though as well.

Congrats! This is awesome! Joined the vale as of last week. Puzzled, angry, and am also looking for non-JD jobs. What's the range of pay if you don't mind sharing? Or, to be more general, what's the market pay for compliance position in NY area? Thanks.

[hiima3L]

I would not mess around with a 2 page resume.

The Harvard guide puts it perfectly: There are only 2 reasons why you ever need a resume longer than two pages: If you've been published or if you have 5+ years of experience. 97% of us in here have neither.

A 2 page resume isn't an auto ding or anything, but I have yet to see an argument for how it helps more than it hurts. Managing partners are busy enough as is, they are not gonna read your 2 page resume anyway. Its the same with cover letters: I have had much more success with a very short cover letter as opposed to one where I try and fit in every single thing I can on one page. They won't read it, no one cares.

I didn't think a 2-page resume was a bad thing until I was recently on the hiring side of things for the first time. With the exception of one applicant who kept herself way too busy in UG and LS and mismanaged her formatting a little bit, everyone who had 2-page resumes had WAY too much information about their experience. It just looked awful and bordered on ridiculous--one applicant had half a page describing one job.