Every law firm has its own quirk, but what you do during the recruitment process can mean a lot on the degree of success. If you want to get hired as clerk, paralegal or junior attorney in a law firm, here are things you should do:
- Add focus to your CV: Your CV is like your personal marketing material and it advertise you as a potential employee. So, it needs to have a clear focus and anyone who reads your CV should be able to see some of the important details. Keep your document brief and elegant, while removing anything unnecessary.
- Showcase your key skills: It is a big mistake if your CV doesn’t emphasize your key skills heavily enough. Any details about experience and qualification should be showcased prominently by your CV. Unfortunately, recruiters don’t always read your CV in depth and they could lose interest quickly, especially if they need to process many applications. So, people should be able to find out about your key skills easily.
- Use unique templates: Millions of people use Microsoft Word and Google. Avoid using the generic templates you find in Microsoft Word and Google. You need to spend more time to discover unique template. Of course, you should avoid choosing overly complex template that can distract readers. A good template should be simple, but still brings out a sense of elegance and professionalism.
- Address the application to the correct person: It’s a mistake that easy to make when you send out many applications to different law firms or companies. If you address the CV to the wrong individual, you could ruin your chances instantly. Don’t use the generic “Dear Sir/Mrs” in your application. Find out the name of the person who accepts and processes your application.
- Check for typos and bad grammar: This is a common mistake found in millions of CVs out there. There could be more than a few typos and grammatical mistakes that can be corrected easily. Doing triple check is often not enough, you need to regularly re-read your CVs to avoid missing a single mistake. Another good method is to ask someone to proof read your CV with their fresh mind and set of eyes. Other people could easily and quickly spot mistakes, because they have different and more neutral perspectives.
- Personalize cover letter: There are hundreds of generic CV templates you can find in online sources. Recruiters will know if your cover letter is completely generic. It’s a good idea to use a generic cover letter as the template, but you should modify it and add a few elements of personality. As an example, add some details that are relevant to the law firm, which will catch the attention of the recruiter.
- Be positive about previous jobs: It is a fact that many people seek new employment opportunities due to dissatisfaction in the workplace, such as relatively low wage or poor relationships with co-workers. Emphasize positive things about your previous jobs and what you learned from them.