Robin's Resumes (r)

Adding value to your Career Documentation | Career Coaching

State and Local Government Resumes for New Lawyers

By Leave a Comment

Positions for lawyers are available in both the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. Once you decide to work in the public sector, for state or local government, you will need a resume that meets more stringent requirements than for private or nonprofit jobs, including firm deadlines for applying and details that might not be required for private sector positions.

Harvard Law School has written Careers in State and Local Government to help new lawyers narrow their choices. They advise, “If you are interested in immediate, hands-on responsibility, you should consider working in state and local government.” They also suggest applying for summer internships at the Attorney General’s office at the state level. On the local level, entry requirements can take three forms: entry-level positions are available in big city offices; smaller cities require prior legal experience, as well as local state bar admission; and some cities contract out their legal work to private law firms specializing in public sector law.

For state and local government resumes:

  • Highlight any connection you have with the locality—for example, growing up there.
  • Stress your interest in and commitment to public service, perhaps through volunteer positions.
  • List participation in moot court competitions; summer internships in state or local governments; and similar experiences.
  • List courses related to state and local government; for example, courses on urban planning or environmental issues.
  • Demonstrate a strong academic career (a high GPA and relevant coursework), with stellar verbal and written communication skills, especially research skills.
  • Indicate where you would like to serve; for larger states, you may need to indicate a preference for criminal, trial, child, civil enforcement, general counsel, or policy law.
  • Prepare a cover letter that emphasizes your qualifications in the relevant areas above.

As a new lawyer, you need to gather as much information as possible about the specific application requirements for the state or local governments where you are applying. In smaller cities, this research may require a personal phone call or visit. In any case, your government resumes must be honed to the exact—and exacting—requirements of each government office.

I bring years of experience in government resume writing, including resumes for folks seeking federal jobs. Please contact me today.

Resume Q&A: Am I Lying on My Resume?

By Leave a Comment

Q. I know you should never tell lies on a resume, but It never seems to me that I am telling the complete truth. It seems like I’m telling a lie if I simply summarize my early jobs or brag that I met my sales quota when I know that some people did even better or, worst of all, I ask someone else write my resume. Where do you draw the line between the truth and lying?

A. I applaud you for wanting to stick to the truth in your resume. But you should keep in mind that your resume is not a biography. It is a selection from your career history; and it is your story, not anyone else’s, told in the most efficient and powerful way possible.

Your resume is a tool. It shows employers that you have the skills, education, accomplishments, and potential that they are looking for. You are going to bore recruiters and hiring managers if you try to list everything you did in every job you ever held—that is information they do not want or need.

Let’s say you are applying for a job as a shoe salesperson. If early in your career, you worked as a gardener, you should mention that job; but if it has nothing to do with your ability to sell shoes, you do not need to give details. Your resume should always focus on what the hiring manager and recruiter need to know. You should find that information in the job posting or advertisement.

When you write that you recently sold 100 pairs of shoes in a week, you do not need to mention every brand or type of shoe unless the hiring manager or recruiter specifically asked for that information. You do not need to mention that someone else in your department sold 125 shoes; the important truth is that you accurately describe what you yourself accomplished.

Now let us tackle the question of whether people who use professional resume writers are lying. I write executive resumes all the time; if the executives of companies rely on professional resume writers, you can, too. This is a question of skill sets: you are not a professional resume writer. We always turn to professionals when we lack essential skills. For example, if you own a house, but hire a licensed electrician to rewire it, are you lying about owning the house? Of course not. If you have built a career, but you lack the skills to write about it fluently, hire a professional resume writer. The result is still your resume.

As a certified, professional resume writer and career coach, I can help create a resume that truly reflects who you are and the value you would bring to a future employer. And that’s no lie! Please contact me today.

Resumes for Support Staff

By Leave a Comment

The words “support staff” have a wide meaning depending on the industry. Titles may vary from executive assistant to Computer-Aided Design (CAD) operator to clerk. Virtual assistants are also support staff, running their own businesses with multiple clients. Regardless of the title, when you are ready to apply for a support staff position, make sure your resume:

  1. Stresses the value you added to the job. Most people who supply support go above and beyond their title and job description. Do not rely solely on your job description when describing what you do. Include those extras that you provided, whether you made your own job easier by automating tasks or made your boss’s job easier by drafting letters and reports.
  2. Details your skills and how you used them. Your skills are an important part of what you do. Make sure your resume describes the way you used those skills to benefit the company. For example, instead of just stating that you know how to create Excel spreadsheets, provide a context where possible: “Enabled management to track individual sales against each quota for the monthly meeting by creating spreadsheets.”
  3. Focuses on the requirements in the job posting. Your resume and cover letter should confirm that you can meet the requirements outlined in the job posting or advertisement for support staff. Whenever possible, use the exact words that appear in the job posting or advertisement to honestly describe yourself in both the resume and cover letter. This not only helps show you meet the job requirements, but it also adds the keywords needed to pass the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
  4. Gives specific examples. You may be tempted to regard your responsibilities as “only” answering the phone, taking notes, and filing. But not everyone can accomplish those tasks professionally, accurately, and efficiently. Your resume should include examples of how your skills made a difference or were acknowledged: “Helped 50 customers daily to quickly reach the right department for questions about the ABC product by listening to their concerns and providing clear answers.” “Received employee of the month award for prompt, courteous service.”
  5. Shows how you grew in your job. Compile a brag book of times when you handled a particularly difficult internal or external request or learned something new. Those instances may find their way into your resume or may not. However, they serve as good reminders that you have grown in your job and now deserve a position that reflects that growth.

When you are searching for a new support staff position, look beyond the title of the position to see if you have the skills, education, and experience that the employer is looking for. Because support positions vary so widely, you should never discount a job simply because of the job title.

Robin’s Resumes® is here to help you create a resume that will open the eyes of recruiters and hiring managers to all the value you bring. Contact us today.

Resume Q&A: My Job Search Is a Mess!

By Leave a Comment

Q. My job search ought to be a success, but I am overwhelmed by the amount of information that I have to keep straight. The last time I had a request for an interview, I had no idea whom I was talking to or what the position was or even what I said on my customized resume and cover letter! I had to bluff my way through the phone call, and I am still hunting for the original job posting, so I have at least some information before the interview. This is not good. What can I do?

A. You are right: it is never good to answer a phone call or go into an interview completely clueless about the person you are speaking to, as well as the company, position, and job requirements. But fortunately, organizing a job search is straightforward. You will need three organization tools:

A place to store folders about each job you are pursuing. Each folder will contain a printed copy of the job posting, the resume and cover letter you sent in response, and any notes about that particular job. You can also keep this information in a binder with the details about each job stapled together. The important thing is to have one place where you know the information can be found and retrieved quickly when a company calls for an interview.

A single list including every company you applied to by company name and location, position, any identifier the company requested, contact information for the recruiter or hiring manager, and the date(s) of your contact(s) with the company (for example, date of first phone call, first interview, second phone call, second interview). You should update this list immediately after each contact and carry it with you always. That way, if you receive a phone call for an interview while you are relaxing at the beach, you will still be able to respond knowledgeably.

A calendar. You never want to double-book an interview. Make sure your calendar includes all your obligations for the day, hour by hour. If you are job hunting while still employed, many recruiters and hiring managers will accommodate interviews before or after hours or on the weekend. Do not assume you will remember the exact date and time or that the company will call to confirm: write it down and send you own email or letter to confirm as soon as possible.

With those three organization tools, you should never again have to panic when a potential employer calls. Good luck with your job search! If Robin’s Resumes® can help with resume writing or career coaching, please reach out to us.

Your Resume: 3 Important Letters

By Leave a Comment

During your job search, you will need, not only a stellar resume but three important emails or letters.

The first is the cover letter or email that accompanies your resume when you send it out to recruiters and hiring managers. This letter must:

  • Clearly show your contact information—and that information should exactly match what is on your resume.
  • Identify the position you are applying for in the subject line (for an email) or in a separate Re: line on your letter.
  • Be only a few paragraphs long, focusing on major accomplishments and keywords of interest to that particular company—it is an intro to your resume, not a retelling.
  • Be professional in every respect; this is not the time for email emojis.

The second important email or letter is one that confirms appointments, such as on-site or phone interviews. You may receive an electronic confirmation form from the company concerning an appointment; make sure you reply to this form as requested.  Otherwise, send a short (one or two sentence) email that confirms the date, time, and place of your appointment.

The third letter or email is the thank you, which should be sent to the hiring manager after an interview. This thank you should be addressed to the specific interviewer you saw and should obey all the rules for the cover letter. In addition:

  • Instead of reiterating your accomplishments, focus on the information you took from the interview. For example, “I understand that you are looking for a sales professional who will be able to help you penetrate the following consumer markets….”
  • Cover positive information about you that you discussed during the interview.
  • Clarify points where you may have been weak in the interview to overcome them.
  • Express your interest in pursuing the opportunity.
  • Thank the hiring manager (and any other interviewers) for their time. Consider sending a separate letter to each interviewer

At Robin’s Resumes®, we can help you formulate letters and emails as well as a resume that helps you to stand out from the crowd of applicants. Contact us today.

© 2006 - 2018 Robin's Resumes®
Visit Us On TwitterVisit Us On FacebookVisit Us On LinkedinVisit Us On Google PlusCheck Our FeedVisit Us On PinterestVisit Us On Youtube
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you consent to our Privacy Policy and are not in the European Union. Read our Updated Privacy Policy on Our Process and Policies.