how do you craft a one-page resume when you have extensive life / work experience?

kpj744___kpj744___ Alum Member
in Law School Admissions 231 karma

Hi, all! I'm thinking about purchasing the admissions package (the $200 one), so this may be covered in that, but figured I'd ask. I'm an advanced-degree, working university professor, so we have to have our own CVs kept current and updated consistently (which are like really long resumes). This includes my education/degrees, my publications and courses taught (aka, my job), my committees/service (like volunteer work). It does not include personal interests (because it's not meant to be personal, per se). I can see from some other discussion posts that this law school app resume is supposed to be concise and representative of you, yet also personal. So how do I get my life down to a one-page resume and/or should I? Has anyone else experienced this and what have you done, if so? Looking for any insight on this. Thanks!

Comments

  • 1000001910000019 Alum Member
    edited December 2018 3279 karma

    Multiple pages is probably okay for you. Take a look at the admissions course. I don't have access anymore but I remember a post from @"vanessa fisher" asking and David confirming that multiple pages works sometimes.

  • kpj744___kpj744___ Alum Member
    231 karma

    Thanks, @10000019 . I have been considering doing that. Do you (or anyone) know if you do the basic admissions course, do they allow you to pay the difference to "upgrade"? Or, if you buy a bigger LSAT course 7Sage packet, can you add the admissions packet to it (the non-basic level)?

  • angelshoesangelshoes Alum Member
    edited December 2018 12 karma

    Pretty sure you can pay the difference - I'm in the same boat, @kpj744___ - trying to figure out what needs to be highlighted out of my CV and also pretty sure my volunteerism and interests are relevant, as it's mostly that part of my life that's led me to seek a law degree.

  • kpj744___kpj744___ Alum Member
    edited December 2018 231 karma

    @angelshoes -- so I just did that Q&A office hours w/ Dave, and got to ask him this question in a simplified way. They stressed trying to get it to two pages, if possible. He suggested that we write it in bullet form, if possible, wording it as (for example) "7 peer review publications in (name journals)". That way, they see the heft, without the detail. They also suggested highlighting our research expertise, etc., or our teaching at the university (e.g., what courses we have taught, especially if that has varied) -- but that it shouldn't be redundant with our personal statement. For example, like you, my expertise is exactly what is leading me towards law ... so I thought that I'd write about those areas in my PS. Now I'm not so sure. I'll probably try to highlight other areas of interest from my CV. They basically said look at what will make you stand out from everyone else, because literally the admissions people want to spend about 30 seconds reviewing your resume. They're looking for where we went to school, selected publications/courses taught (esp. if published articles/books). The last suggestion was to try to write this to a "non-academic, well-read person" so that you "pop out" from everyone else in the pile. Hopefully that helps you, too!

  • Chipster StudyChipster Study Yearly Member
    893 karma

    I am in the same boat as you with my professional CV beyond the 2 page limit. If you want to do some review work on each other's 2 pager, let me know.

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