Transcript 1L Resume & Cover Letter Workshop

Effective Resume & Cover
Letter Writing Techniques
Matthew Pascocello, Esq., Assistant Director
Office of Career & Professional Development
American University
Washington College of Law
Resume Objective—Your Goal: To match
your skills, experience, and interests
to the job description as best as possible.


It’s like identifying the Question
Presented…and the Answering it
effectively.
In doing this, you’ll serve the dual
purpose of drafting a strong resume
while controlling your search.
I. Self Evaluation

Inventory Your Career (and Life) Accomplishments, Highlights,
& Successes.

Identify Legal (employment law) & Law-Related (human
resources) Areas of Expertise

Identify Competencies and Transferable & “Soft” Skills

Don’t Forget You—Inventory your Interests, Passions & Values

Identify Employer Objections & Actual/Perceived Shortcomings
Try to Match this (Realistically) to…
II. Employer Evaluation

Answer the Question: WIIFM?!

Uncover Employer HOT BUTTONS

Know the Industry Trends (How?)

Understand What They are Looking For and How they Get &
Interpret that Information

What ARE they (legal employers) looking for?

Where DO the get that information?
III. Some Fundamentals

Overall….a Marketing Document….Not a Full Disclosure Employment
Application.

1-2 Pages MAX. Addendum or Deal Sheets can be included.

Quality Bond Paper, with Matching Envelope and Cover Letter Stock.
Otherwise via PDF.

Not too much boldface, underlining or jazzy templates

Font Size—Not Below 10pt

Basically, needs to be aesthetically pleasing. Be careful of MS
templates.
UP TOP

Local v. Current Address

Normal email address

Should you lead with a Career Objective?

Summary of Qualifications
EDUCATION
Section
Does this go first?
Answer depends.






Certificate Program, CLE, audited Courses
LL.M.
Law School
Graduate School
Undergraduate School
--Study Abroad
EDUCATION
Section (continued)
Under each academic institution, consider:







Honors
Awards / Scholarships [quantify]
Activities.
GPA. Whether to include depends on audience receiving the
resume.
Relevant Courses
Double Major
Thesis
EXPERIENCE
Section
1. Further qualify your professional experiences using additional headings—eg,
“Legal Experience” “Non Legal” “Management Experience”
2. Include both paid and un-paid positions—Clinics, Internships, and Volunteer
experiences can all be appropriate.
3. Heading Format: Employer’s Name [bold], City & State
Job Title [italics],
Dates (spelled-out & flush right)
4. Description. Think “Career Highlights” and “Accomplishments.”
EXPERIENCE
Section (continued)
Accomplishments can include:
1. Your Successes:





Cases you won or favorably settled
Improvements you suggested and that were
adopted
Business you assisted in, or were directly
responsible for, increasing or developing
Work product you produced and which had
positive impact
Money you saved your firm or client
EXPERIENCE
Section (continued)
…Accomplishments can include:
2. Acquired Expertise:




Number of court appearances, appellate briefs
Litigation management and oversight
Legal research and writing prowess
Specialty software expertise
EXPERIENCE
Section (continued)
…Accomplishments can include:
3. Specialty Areas of Law:


Mastery of certain federal regulations or an Act
Substantive area of law.
4. Professional Awards:

From Federal Agency, Bar Associations,
Professional Associations, Educational Institutions
EXPERIENCE
Section (continued)
Job Description Summary:

Be Results Oriented

Format: Either bullet points or narrative.

Bottom Line: DEMONSTRATE your Knowledge,
Skills, Accomplishments.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION/OTHER
Should Include:





Publications
Language Skills
Personal Interests & Travel
Special Skills, Licenses, and Affiliations (e.g., CPA,
Bars, CFP)
Leadership & Community Service
Rubber Meets the Road (Resumes)
Formats



Reverse Chronological—most recent to least recent
employment.
Functional—can be an effective method of focusing readers
attention on select accomplishments and expertise as well as
hiding gaps.
Hybrid—not used enough. Here, you can list your employment
in reverse chronological order and further subcategorize your
acquired skills expertise.
Rubber Meets the Road
(Resumes/Cover Letters)
Qualifications Summary
Real Estate Attorney
Highly experienced negotiator and drafter of more
than 100 real estate transactional documents
dealing with property acquisition, financing,
management, and disposition.
Litigator
Successful litigator, and litigation manager, of more
that 100 commercial cases involving large,
complex real estate and related transactions, the
vast majority of which were either settled
favorably or resulted in favorable verdicts.
Rubber Meets the Road
(Resumes/Cover Letters)
Accomplishments


Negotiated favorable multimillion dollar
settlement of state environmental regulatory
claims arising from alleged contamination
from major oil terminal.
Lead attorney for project team of engineers,
architects, and planners for all development
aspects of an 8,000-employee office park
complex, resulting in special commendation.
Rubber Meets the Road
(Resumes/Cover Letters)
Target Marketing
Know & Write to Your Target’s:




Job Announcement
Organizational Structure
Major Interests, Concerns, Client base
Economic Trends
Be sure to:


Incorporate buzz words and industry terms
Tie in your relevant skills and accomplishments
Effective Cover Letters





Cover Letters are not mere wrapping paper
for a resume
Writing Samples (persuasiveness,
responsiveness, passion, relevance)
Demonstrate ability to Follow Directions
Weed out Mass Mailers (lazy or desperate
applicants)
Show Efficiency (or not) in Writing Style (2pp)
Effective Cover Letters
Different Types:
 The email with Attached Cover Letter
 The email as a Cover Letter
 Simple Transmittal Letter (when not required)
 Brief Outline Letter (when not sure)
 Targeted Mailer to Similar Employers
 For a Particular Job Announcement
Effective Cover Letters
Proper Format:
 Appropriate Stationery
 Nice Header with complete contact
information
 Business Letter Format & Layout
 Proper Mailing Address & Recipient Title
 Opening Salutation with a colon
Effective Cover Letters
Anatomy—Three essential elements:



Opening Paragraph—Killer. No: “Enclosed
please find…”
Body—(next 2-3 paragraphs) ties your
background experience, skills &
interest/motivations (just like Slide 1)
Conclusion—summary and call to action
Effective Cover Letters
Opening Paragraph Responding to a Posting

Dear Ms. Miller: I am a recent cum laude graduate of American
University Washington College of Law with a demonstrated
academic and professional commitment to representing victims
of domestic violence. My clinical experience successfully
representing asylum seekers and management skills in the nonprofit arena make me an ideal candidate for the Public Advocate
position with the Family Violence Prevention Fund.
Effective Cover Letters
Opening Paragraphs Where There’s No Job Posted

Mentioning a Mutual Acquaintance: Dear Mr. Jones: Ms. Harrison
Smith, my former supervisor at Ketchum Howe, recommended I
contact you concerning a position with your firm. Ms. Smith oversaw
my work in the firm’s international trade department, where I managed
all phases of the annual review process for several major clients, and
thought that my background and skills might be a good fit with your
firms trade department.
Effective Cover Letters
Opening Paragraphs Where There’s No Job Posted (continued)

Start with a Recent Salient Issue Affecting the Employer: “I
was very interested to read a recent article in the Legal Times about
your representation of Small Corp. Upon further research, I learned
that your firm specializes in bringing small companies public. As a
corporate practitioner in New York, I’ve represented several small and
large high tech companies in the IPO stage and am seeking to put my
skills to work in a firm such as yours.”
Effective Cover Letters
Opening Paragraphs Where There’s No Job Posted (continued)

Begin With a Key Work or Academic Achievement: “While
employed as an Associate with Dewey Billem & Howe, I worked side-by
side with two senior partners in the corporate division, assisting in all
aspects of closing several multi-million dollar leverage lease financings
of commercial jet aircraft. The complex and time-sensitive transactions
were each completed in a timely manner to the complete satisfaction of
a very demanding client...
Effective Cover Letters
Paragraph 2: Why Should the Reader Meet with You?

Discuss specifics about yourself that will make the reader feel that it would be worth
her while to actually meet with you.

Don’t Parrot Your Resume here

Don’t List What You’re Good at Without Proof

Show your interest or ties with the City you are targeting

Don’t make excuses for grades: instead, show upward trend; success in relevant
coursework; work experience that compensates; competing demands for your time
Effective Cover Letters
Paragraph 3: What Do You Want to Happen Next?



The call to action: I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you
at your earliest convenience. Please feel free to contact me at either
my work or home phone to arrange an interview.
I will call you early next week to confirm that you received this letter
and to see if you would like to schedule an appointment for us to meet
personally.
What ever action you propose: FOLLOW UP!
Effective Resume & Cover Letter
Writing Techniques
Thanks!
Questions?