We Need To Look For Employment Everyone - Let's Talk Resumes for Our Law Jobs (cont.).

Hello, CLEO Family. Here we are again for another segment on resume writing. We are now putting our talents into creating the body of our resume.

1. Placement: Spacing; Job Title; Name of Organization; Dates; Descriptions.

A. Space: The person reading your resume is looking for space on your resume. Single space. Double space. White space. Some space. Any space. Space. Space has a very important function on your resume. It separates information and prevents categories on the resume from colliding with one another. A resume with too many words on it or not enough space to adequately separate those words is like a person wearing several types of clothing with too many colors on the clothing - - you just have to look away - - you have to look at something, anything, until that other thing (person) moves out of your vision.

That is what a resume with not enough white space on it looks like to a reader. A person wearing a collision of wrong colors. Now you know. Appropriate space on a resume is more important than your job title, more important than the organization's name, more important than the dates and descriptions of your various positions. Why? Because if the spacing is off, no one (NO ONE) will take time to read your resume. Even if someone did take time to review your resume, guess what they would do. Yep, that's correct. That person would impute the resume and how it looks to you and how you look. Your resume, because it is you, is that first impression of you that people are always talking about.

B. Job Title/Position Name: the job title you were given should stand out (and, perhaps, away) from the job description, dates and name of the organization. The reader wants the name of the position to jump out at her; she does not want to work to find it, and it is your job to make that person happy. Don't hide the name, but do place it on a line, a column, or a row by itself. In the alternative, place it anywhere that you can press the tab button that will provide you with space to write other information in another column or row. As a final note to title and position - make certain that you utilize the name and title the company gave you, and not another person's title. That's not good. Isn't it odd how you could never find anyone that ever heard your former employer's name, until you leave and either write or say something poor about the company. Then, what happens; the company no one knew is now known by everyone.

C. Organization Name: there are a few things you can do with an organization's name to save or create space. If the organization is well known, then the actual name of the organization (an abbreviation is sufficient) and the city and state of its national headquarters is appropriate (Eg., The Peace Corps., Washington, D.C.). If the organization is not well known, then include the zip code along with the name of the organization. This will help the reader to locate the organization, and learn more about it without asking you uncomfortable or unnecessary questions. There is no real need to include a full address of the company, unless asked for it, and you should not have anyone asking for the address unless they are offering you a job and this employer is acting as one of your references. A caveat: if your employer was company X when you were there (a reputable company that did Y), but somehow was acquired by Z (a fortune 500 company) long after you left that employer, be mindful of that distinction. You may have to include it on your resume (eg., Jones Company, now MicroSomething). Please do not embellish and try to make it seem that you were there when change occurred or even after change occurred.

Let's keep our minds on our obligations as attorneys!

D. Dates of Employment: the dates in which you were employed should be somewhere in the title, and description part of your resume, probably close to the organization's name. Right now, we are concerned about format, not exact placement. It is okay for you to include seasonal employment (Spring 2008 - Summer 2008), or by month (April 2008 - August 2008), month and year (12.2008 - 11.2010), (12.08.08 - 11.23.10). Some resume experts do not like exact days of hire or termination. It is not a matter of truth or non-truth; I think sometimes the details can get you into a question trap that you may get lost in because you will have to dig yourself out of something based on exactness referenced on the resume. Also when you use a month reference, it allows for the two or three weeks that many people like to take between jobs. A dash between dates is appropriate, as well (12-2008 - 11-2010).

I would not use any uncommon date combination (Roman Numeral, or dates written in a language other than English) because you are trying to show diversity, solidarity, or anything else. Employers have a type of environment that they have cultured and grown accustomed to - - the employer wants to see if you fit inside its culture; for the most part, it is not the other way around. Save the special effects and fireworks for the movies and July 4th.

2. The Job Description.

Okay, everyone. This is the core of the resume building experience.

It gets its own post.

Tomorrow.

Thank you,

Prof. Smith