Harvard Law School Office of Career Services OCS - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Harvard Law School Office of Career Services OCS

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Set forth relevant experience & transferable skills. Communication - oral ... Either email or snail mail are fine. Email is most effective for: Capitol Hill ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Harvard Law School Office of Career Services OCS


1
Harvard Law SchoolOffice of Career Services
(OCS) Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest
Advising (OPIA)Fall 2008
  • First Year Resume and Cover Letter Workshop

2
Application Materials
  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • List of references
  • Writing sample
  • Transcript
  • Proofread all and have someone else proofread as
    well!

3
Resume Essentials
  • A marketing tool
  • Easy to read
  • 20 seconds
  • One page limit focus on highlights

4
Resume Goals
  • Set forth relevant experience transferable
    skills
  • Communication - oral and written
  • Time management
  • Interpersonal
  • Leadership
  • Initiative/ambition
  • Character/interests

5
Resume Style Basics
  • Bond or plain paper neutral color is best
  • Dates consistent format
  • Format -
  • Use simple fonts (for example, Times New Roman,
    size 11)
  • Bold - only use for section heads like EXPERIENCE
    and for your name, educational institutions, and
    organizations you worked for (these also look
    good in ALL CAPS)
  • Italics - only publications, Latin honors and
    titles of jobs or offices within organization
  • Underline - dont use it

6
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7
Resume Sections
  • Heading
  • Education
  • Experience
  • Other -language
  • -interests

8
Resume Heading
  • Name (in UPPER CASE and bold looks best), email
    address, phone number (cell phone with caution)
  • Permanent/local address
  • No job objectives

9
Resume Heading with two addresses
ELLEN MEAGHLER Current Address
emeaghler_at_law.harvard.edu Permanent
Address 10 Holmes Hall

125 East 78th Street Cambridge, MA
02138
New York, NY 94110
(617) 495-6478
(212) 648-0537
10
Resume Education
  • List school, city and state
  • Indicate degree expected and graduation date
    (month and year)
  • List most advanced degrees first
  • List joint degrees separately
  • List study abroad separately or within undergrad
    section (space dependent)
  • Thesis Not necessary, but be prepared to
    discuss!
  • Omit LSAT, GPA (some exceptions) and high school
    information

11
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12
Sample Study Abroad
13
Honors
  • List in order of selectivity within individual
    schools
  • Separate subsection for each degree
  • May need to drop some if they take up too much
    space
  • Describe honor if not obvious (e.g. Rose Prize
    for Best English Paper)

14
Activities
  • List under individual school
  • Memberships
  • Elected offices
  • Sports
  • Journal participation and leadership roles
  • Format Name of organization, followed by role
    (e.g. BLSA, Vice-President for Membership)

15
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16
Resume Experience
  • Reverse chronological order
  • Any substantive work includes volunteer and
    clinical experience usually all in one section
  • Proportional length
  • Vary language
  • Use dynamic descriptions
  • Action verbs, short sentences
  • Paragraph form or bullets
  • Titles
  • Dates consistent format
  • 2 jobs at one place or 2 titles at the same place

17
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18
SETH D. COHEN 6034 HLS Holmes Mail Center
Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 495-8721
scohen_at_law.harvard.edu___________________________
__________________________________________________
____________________
  • EDUCATION
  • Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA
  • Candidate for J.D., June 2008
  • Activities Harvard Negotiation Law Review,
    Subciter
  • Harvard Journal of Law Public Policy, Subciter
  • Law School Council, Section Representative
  • Duke University, Durham, NC
  • B.A., cum laude in Political Science, Minor in
    Psychology, May 2005
  • Honors Golden Key National Honor Society
  • Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honor
    Society)
  • Activities Senator, Student Government
    Association
  • Student Counselor, Duke Pre-Law Advising Center
  • Assistant Sports Editor, The Chronicle
  • EXPERIENCE
  • Dallas Environmental Neighborhood Network,
    Dallas, TX

19
  • Eliza Doolittle
  • 1234 HLS Holmes Mail Center Cambridge, MA 02138
    617-876-5432 eliza_at_jd10.law.harvard.edu
  • EXPERIENCE
  • Bingham, McCutchen LLP, Boston, MA
  • Summer Associate, June 2008 August 2008
  • Researched and drafted legal memoranda regarding
    rights of shareholders in derivative suit and
    anti-competition clause in executive employment
    contract. Reviewed documents in antitrust
    litigation and observed motion argument in the
    case.
  • State Senator Henry Higgins, Annapolis, MD
  • Legislative Assistant, September 2006 June
    2007
  • Researched and drafted reports regarding issues
    of environmental safety, including analysis of
    Clean Air Act, state land conservation issues
    and Chesapeake Bay run-offs. Drafted college
    intern training manual. Attended sessions of the
    legislature.
  • Hartford, Hereford Hampshire, P.A., Silver
    Springs, MD
  • Legal Assistant, September 2005 August 2006
  • Provided administrative and paralegal support
    for small litigation firm. Organized document
    productions, court filings and case files.
    Organized exhibits for employment discrimination
    trial. Drafted correspondence to clients and
    opposing counsel regarding cases.

20
Resume Other information to include
  • Foreign language(s)
  • Military service
  • Publications - use bluebook form
  • Exceptional technical skills, if relevant
  • Community service
  • Professional license(s)
  • Interests/activities

21
  • Josephine Kale
  • 6 HLS Holmes Mail Center
  • 22 River Street, Cambridge, MA 02140
  • (617) 442-3744
  • jkale_at_gmail.com
  • LANGUAGES
  • Finnish (native), English (fluent), Swedish
    (proficient), Chinese (conversant), German
    (reading knowledge), French (working knowledge)
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • Note, Womens Legal Rights in the Surrogacy
    Debate, 34 Harvard Womens Law Journal, 351
    (2005)
  • The Right to Development, 26 International
    Journal of Refugee Law 160 (2003)

22
Resume Sensitive Issues
  • Political affiliation
  • Religious beliefs
  • Sexual orientation

23
Resume Review Service
OCS - reviewed during session OPIA -
reviewed before appointment - Resume
Drop-Off Service (lt5 days) - Format the
resume first!
24
Cover Letter Basics
  • Accompanies your resume in targeted
    mailings/applications
  • First writing sample and impression
  • Identify appropriate hiring contact
  • Never write Sir or Madam - use specific name
  • Bond or plain paper
  • PERSUASIVE by highlighting strengths,
    accomplishments and transferable skills
  • Do not reiterate your resume
  • Tailor skills to employers needs
  • Conclusive follow-up
  • Proofread sign the letter!

25
Cover Letter Structure/Overview
  • One page
  • Must personalize content to the job
  • 3 paragraphs minimum
  • Paragraph 1-Introduction
  • Paragraph 2-Substance
  • Paragraph 3-Closing

26
Cover Letter Structure
  • Introductory Paragraph
  • Who you are and what you are seeking
  • Referrals/reason for interest
  • If unpaid volunteer

27
Cover Letter Structure (example)
28
Cover Letter Structure
  • Middle Paragraph(s)
  • Set forth reasons they should hire you
  • Highlight your strengths, transferable skills,
    qualifications interests
  • Specific examples of relevant experiences are
    persuasive

29
Cover Letter Structure
Example of Middle Paragraphs
30
Structure (cont.)
  • Closing Paragraph
  • Indicate when you will call
  • Provide contact and relevant information for
    follow up
  • Thank the employer
  • Note Further details on cover letters may be
    found in
  • -OPIA Job Search Guides
  • -OPIA Website
  • -OCS Website

31
Sample Closing Paragraph
32
Conveying Your Application Packet
  • Either email or snail mail are fine.
  • Email is most effective for
  • Capitol Hill
  • International Employers
  • If you do use email
  • - DONT put cover letter into text of email
    - include both cover letter and resume,
    plus any supplemental materials, as
    separate attachments.
  • - PDF Format - best to prevent formatting
    changes. However, some public sector
    employers might not be able to open PDFs. Ask
    them in advance.
  • - Microsoft Word - if this is your only
    option, acknowledge that formatting may
    be thrown off and follow-up with a hard
    copy.

33
List of References
  • When to provide
  • Separate reference sheet
  • Choose 3 - 5 references
  • Former employers
  • Professors - law/undergrad
  • NOT family or personal friends
  • Some can be non-legal
  • Request permission
  • Forward resume/explain job search

34
YOUR NAMEStreet Address City, State ZIP
Telephone Number
  • REFERENCES
  • Name, Title (General format)
  • Company Name
  • Company Address (City, State)
  • Telephone Number and email
  • Relationship to you
  • John Smith, Weld Professor of Constitutional Law
    (Example 1)
  • Harvard Law School
  • Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • (617) 495-1234 jsmith_at_law.harvard.edu
  • Relationship First-year Law Professor
  • Raymond Howard, Esq., Partner (Example 2)
  • Sachs, Firth and Avon
  • New York, New York
  • (212) 345-6789 howard_at_sachs.com
  • Relationship Supervisor/Mentor

35
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36
Writing Sample
  • Analytical
  • Short memo or brief
  • Work performed for employer
  • Request permission
  • Protect confidentiality
  • Usually 5-10 pages
  • Cover sheet w/context and contact info
  • Comment and error-free
  • Copy paper is fine

37
Conclusion
  • OPIA
  • www.law.harvard.edu/current/careers/opia/
  • OCS
  • www.law.harvard.edu/ocs/
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