How to Create a Paralegal Resume that Gets You Noticed

T H E C A R E E R R E S O U R C E
F O R P A R A L E G A L S
ParalegalResume.org
Creating a Paralegal Resume That Gets You Noticed

Paralegal Career Outlook &
What It Means for Your Resume
 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.
Go to ParalegalResume.org now for more helpful career tips and advice.
 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.

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
 Let’s look at each section in more detail in the next
few slides.

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.

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.

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 2012 ‒ present
• 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
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

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

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

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.

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.

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
 You’re not required to list all the jobs you've ever had. Stick to jobs
where you displayed the attributes employers are looking for.

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.

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.

Jumpstart your Paralegal Career!
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How to Create a Paralegal Resume that Gets You Noticed

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