ParalegalResume.

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Creating a Paralegal Resume That Gets You Noticed
THE CAREER RESOURCE FOR PARALEGALS

Paralegal Career Outlook & What It Means for Your Resume

Paralegal and legal assistant positions are expected to increase by at

least 18% by the year 2020. Competition will be fierce, but jobs plentiful. Inexperienced paralegals will have the hardest time breaking into the profession.
Your resume is the first

impression any potential boss will have of you. Unless you have a great resume, it might be the last. Your resume is a very direct type of marketing. You are the product. Don't be afraid to sell your knowledge, your expertise, and the extras that you bring to the table.
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The Essential Parts of a Paralegal Resume

Your resume will have anywhere from two to four

distinct sections. Here's an overview of the possibilities:

Career Objective Summary Education Work Experience Special Skills Honors, Achievements and Awards

Lets look at each section in more detail in the next

few slides.

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Career Objective
This is your opportunity to briefly describe your

career goals in general; Or, if you are applying for a specific position, you can tailor your objective to meet the job. Example:
Experienced Certified Paralegal with excellent office management and client relation skills seeking a position within a corporate legal department where a working knowledge of legal terminology, general law, and legal proceedings pertaining to the following case types will be fully utilized and expanded:

You might then go on to list the types of legal cases

you have participated in.

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Summary
To highlight your pertinent skills and aptitudes, add

them here in a small section at the top of the resume. Example:

Goal-oriented, high energy individual able to meet deadlines. Strong organizational and communication skills. Equally effective working on self-managed projects and as a member of a team. Excellent manager of people and projects. Able to divide complex tasks into manageable steps and achieve results.

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Work Experience
If you've ever had a job, you can list it here. Additionally, if you completed a legal internship as part of your

schooling, it's very important to feature it as part of your work experience. Example:
Paralegal Intern, Cabrini-Green Legal Aid, Chicago, Illinois Conduct client interviews for intake and discovery Research case law for a variety of motions Complete various aspects of discovery Draft motions, petitions, and affidavits Organize and maintain client records and case files

2012 present

Classroom Teacher, Urbana High School, Urbana, Illinois 2006 2012 Taught effective academic writing strategies, grades 9 12 Presented district-wide writing workshops to colleagues Co-wrote Smithsonian award-winning grant Coordinated large groups of community volunteers, student observers and student teachers Wrote and published monthly union newsletter in print and online
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Education
If you've attended college and received a degree, this is the

appropriate place to note it. Include the name of the school where you completed your paralegal studies coursework as well. This section is a must nearly every resume includes an education section, generally toward the top of the page. Example:
Wilbur Wright College, Chicago, Illinois Associate of Science, ABA-approved Paralegal Studies Program Graduated with Honors, June 2012
Relevant Coursework: Civil Law Litigation and Trial Practice Administrative Law Business Organizations Real Property Torts: Personal Injury Litigation Legal Research Legal Analysis and Writing
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Special Skills & Core Strengths

Here's your chance to spotlight the things you're best

at. This might include things like knowing Power Point, or being a fluent in Spanish or Mandarin Chinese. Example:
Working knowledge of all aspects of the discovery process Demonstrated ability to conduct legal research using Lexis and Westlaw Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) Highly skilled at organizing and presenting information objectively Hands-on experience with legal databases Proficient in managing clerical duties pertinent to a law office
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Honors, Achievements, and Awards

If you've won a scholarship, written a grant, taught

workshops in alternative dispute resolution, or accomplished other great things, you'll want potential employers to know. This section allows you to highlight those little extras that will make you stand out from the crowd.

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A Closer Look at Education

Focus on the quality of your education.

List all the schools you've attended since high school,

along with your major area of study, the date you graduated (month and year are fine) and any degrees or certificates you received upon graduation. You may find it helpful to include a list of relevant coursework, so your prospective employer can get an idea of your knowledge base. It's not necessary to add your college grade point average to your paralegal resume but if your GPA was higher than 3.5, you may want to let that be known.
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A Closer Look at Work Experience

Most employers are looking for paralegals and legal assistants with

at least one year of experience. Treat unpaid internships like jobs: list the dates you started and ended your internship, the name and location of the organization or firm you worked at, and your duties there. Mention the skills you learned, and any projects you may have worked on. When mentioning cases you were involved with, maintain strict confidentiality of information that shouldn't be made public. If you've had other jobs that involved skills transferable to the legal profession, list those as well, and describe the duties that will carry over into your paralegal career Youre not required to list all the jobs you've ever had. Stick to jobs where you displayed the attributes employers are looking for.

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The Extras that Show Your Individuality

Remember your goal is to showcase the qualifications

and life experiences that make you the best person for the job. If you're skilled in the use of office software, presentation software, or specialized legal software, be sure to mention it by name. And if you've learned how to accomplish tasks that most beginning paralegals can't do, like corporate formations or bankruptcy petitions, include that too. Be careful about over-exaggerating the depth of your skills, though. Little white lies on the resume will come back to bite you in an interview.
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Notes About Format

The law profession is essentially conservative, so

keep your resume concise and classy. Use a font that most people have on their computers: Times Roman or Arial are good choices. Employers may be snowed with resumes when they post a job opening: make sure your resume is easy to read and error free. Bullet points in your resume allow the reader to scan the highlights easily, and pick up on important points quickly.
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Jumpstart your Paralegal Career!

Thanks for viewing! Now, go to ParalegalResume.org and take a look at all the incredible free information to help you launch your career and find success as a paralegal.

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