There is no right or wrong way to organise a resume. However the following Do’s and Don’ts may assist you in preparing your resume when applying for seasonal and articled clerk positions.

Remember, the purpose of a resume is to secure an interview.

We suggest that you set out your resume in the following order:

• Name & contact details
• Education - this includes secondary school and university (some firms ask for your TER)
• List any academic awards and achievements
• Work history (include any jobs you have had/currently hold during university/school - we don’t expect these to necessarily be law related)
• Volunteer experience/Community involvement if any
• List any extra curricula activities you are involved in (eg theatre, sport)
• Hobbies/interests
• Referee details. Only include name, title and contact details of referees if you have their permission to do so. If you have not spoken with your referees then it is best to write “referees available on request”.

Do

• Use wide margins and allow for plenty of “white space” to avoid making your resume look crowded
• Present your work history and education details in reverse chronological order (most recent first)
• Write clearly, concisely and positively. Use short sentences and paragraphs
• Double-check your grammar, spelling and punctuation
• Proof read carefully. Have someone else look over your resume and cover letter before you send it
• Attach your academic transcripts!

Don’t

• Include personal information such as age, gender, height, weight, number of dependents, religion, health status or political inclination
• Include anything negative. Make only positive statements about yourself
• Forget to attach your academic transcripts!