Addressing Common Problems in Your Resume: Gaps, Age, Job Hopping, Stagnation, Switch in Practice Areas

On August 23, 2020
In Client, Resume

LinkedIn’s GetHired column recently discussed how to overcome stumbling blocks in resumes, like gaps between jobs, job hopping, perceived stagnation, ageism, and desire to change practice areas. Below are techniques I’ve seen successful in the legal world. Gaps. Employers can be understanding about gaps if they know the reason. You may want to add a line in the resume […]

On January 19, 2020
In Career Tips, Interview, Job Search, Resume

It’s a hot legal market. January is the perfect time to join the fray. Employers have emerged from the holidays ready to hire. Get your resume into their hands now, at the beginning of their search; otherwise, your resume will be relegated to the bottom of the pile, possibly revived only if a top candidate […]

On December 1, 2019
In Resume

I read with interest this Fast Company post on 10 resume tips to impress a recruiter in 7 seconds. Those are mighty specific statistics, so I had to take a read. I think the post is pretty accurate. Let’s go through them. Include your address only if it works in your favor. True. In the […]

On July 18, 2019
In Resume

After your LinkedIn profile, your resume is the second most important thing to fix. You should always have a presentable resume handy because you never know when opportunities will arise. I have seen good candidates miss out when it takes them a week to pull together a basic resume. Take the time now to get […]

On June 2, 2019
In Resume

Advice on resumes abounds, but not everything applies to legal resumes since law is a conservative and niche space. Below I clarify what pieces of conventional wisdom you should follow and which you should disregard. Traditional advice on length holds true. Keep your resume one to two pages max: one page for anyone 10 years […]

On November 25, 2018
In Resume

I understand resume writing is an art. All your experience must fit on two pages tops in a visually appealing manner, plus explain how you are a good fit for the job. So if you do all that AND still have space on your resume to highlight something smart and interesting (like you were a […]

On November 9, 2018
In Interview, Job Search, Presentation, Resume, Thank You

I like this recent article summarizing what 800 hiring managers care and don’t care about: How long a gap can you have on your resume? The legal industry says 16 months, which seems about right in my experience. Generally speaking, an acceptable amount of time off depends on how the economy is doing and what […]

On October 4, 2018
In LinkedIn, Presentation, Resume

Since employers are looking for specific things from candidates, you may already know to highlight what they care about when speaking with them. Make sure you are consistent in your presentation in these three places: Your in-person pitch. Think about the top three points you want the employer to remember about you. After identifying these […]

On May 4, 2018
In Presentation, Resume

To get a job, you need to sell yourself, and your story is crucial to getting hired. The CEO of Korn Ferry urges you to think about your resume as a story about your experience, and this story should show clear progression (ideally leading up to the job you are applying for!). When hiring managers […]

On April 27, 2018
In Career Management, Interview, Presentation, Recruiter, Resume

I like The Muse’s helpful guide on how to explain gaps in your resume to a recruiter or employer. You know you will be asked, so think ahead about what you say and how to say it. As lawyers, you know framing is essential. Below are 4 common gaps and what you should say: Job […]

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Addressing Common Problems in Your Resume: Gaps, Age, Job Hopping, Stagnation, Switch in Practice Areas

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