A well-written, attention-grabbing resume can push your career forward or hold it back.

For starters, please look over our general article on how to write a resume. A paralegal resume is based on the same fundamental concepts as other types of professional resumes.

Now, here are a few pointers that are more specific to you as a paralegal:

1. Use the chronological format, but replace the objective statement with an executive summary.
The chronological resume format, which could more properly be called the reverse chronological resume format, is the most traditional way to present work experience, skills, and education on a resume. Thus, it is better suited to this traditional field than the new functional and combination resumes, which focus more on presenting career accomplishments than providing an employment timeline.

However, we would still encourage you to replace the old-fashioned objective statement with an executive summary. The objective statement has gone past the point of being traditional and is now essentially passé. In your executive summary, you can sum up your most competitive skills and qualifications to make sure your paralegal resume packs a punch from the very start.

2. Mention the skills that are in demand for paralegals today!
Mentioning competitive skills is always a great way to get your paralegal resume noticed. According to Linda T. Chin of Paralegal Today, these include: 

• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite
• Proficiency with Westlaw and Lexis as research tools
• Proficiency with CaseMap, LiveNote and Abacus Law
• Foreign language skills, particularly Spanish
• Knowledge of legal research and writing
• Familiarity with litigation
• Law office management skills
• Leadership skills (you may get a position with supervisory responsibilities)
• Knowledge of specific legal specialties (bankruptcy law, immigration law, and employment law, for example)

One of the best ways to keep up with employer preferences in terms of skills is to browse job websites, such as Monster.com and Craigslist on a regular basis. Look up paralegal positions and write down the skills that employers ask for most often. From that list, you will know which of your existing skills are the most valuable and which skills you could acquire to make yourself more marketable.

3. If you are just starting out as a paralegal, draw attention to any relevant experiences you may have had while in college or your certification program.
Internships are always important on a recent graduate’s resume, but especially on a paralegal resume, since practical experience in the law field offers so many benefits.

If you participated in an internship, name the organization that you worked with and emphasize your achievements an intern. Quantify these accomplishments with numbers, dollar signs, and percentages whenever possible.

4. If you have any special certifications, emphasize them.
Sure, you may not need a specific certification to be a paralegal, but having one can really give you an edge.

Here are some examples of prestigious certifications that look great on a paralegal resume:

• Certified Legal Assistant (CLA), granted by the National Association of Legal Assistants
• Certified Paralegal (CP), granted by the National Association of Legal Assistants
• American Alliance Certified Paralegal certification (AACP), granted by the American Alliance of Paralegals, Inc.
• Registered Paralegal (RP), granted by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations
• Professional Paralegal (PP), granted by the National Association of Legal Secretaries

Now, although we have mentioned the abbreviations for these titles above, you should not use abbreviations on your paralegal resume, especially since these are all voluntary certifications.

Our advice would be to list the full name of each certification, either the year it was issued or the year in which it will expire, and the name of the organization that provides the certification, since there is no uniform standard.

All of the above certifications require you to take continuing education courses to qualify for certification and recertification. If you find that one or more of the continuing education courses you took is relevant to the position for which you are applying, mention it in a separate “career development” section to make sure it catches the reader’s eye.

The bottom line for your paralegal resume…
Paralegals have a wide range of experiences, skills, and training, from high school graduates who worked as legal secretaries for several years to recent university graduates with Baccalaureate degrees in paralegal studies all the way up to highly specialized paralegals with Master’s degrees.

It’s a wide field and you have to find your niche. If you have the specialized skills that come from work experience or a higher education, make them stand out. If you have a prestigious certification, like the ones mentioned above, use that to your advantage.

The field is just going to get more competitive as people flock to one of the careers that is still growing in this economy, so don’t get complacent. Make sure your paralegal resume makes a great case for you.

Before we start, please understand which types of skirts we are talking about. This article will discuss conservative skirts, generally knee-length, in the pencil or A-line style. We will not talk about miniskirts, high slit skirts, or other revealing garments. Everyone knows that a revealing skirt or pants that are too tight are not appropriate for a job interview.

Fun fact: A recent study showed that skirts make a better first impression in the workplace than pants.
A study carried out by the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K. found that women in skirts still make a better first impression than women in pants.

This study included 300 participants, both women and men, between the ages of 14 and 67. For the study, participants were asked to make snap judgments about businesswomen wearing different professional outfits, with their faces blurred out. Each photo would feature a woman in a skirt or pants—the color and fabric would be the same. Then, the participants had to rate each woman based on confidence, trustworthiness, flexibility, success, and salary.

Within 3 seconds, study participants showed they strongly preferred the skirted businesswomen.

Professor Karen Pine, one of the leaders of the study, commented that women “have to maintain an identity that balances professionalism with attractiveness and the skirt suit may achieve that balance without appearing provocative.”

Fun fact: In the U.S., you can sue an organization for discrimination based on “denial of right to wear pants.”
Well, at least in California! As part of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, Government Code Section 12947.5, preventing someone from wearing pants is a kind of discrimination. The official FEHA complaint form provides a category titled “denial of right to wear pants.” Interestingly, there is no “denial of right to wear a skirt” option.

Other U.S. states haven’t officially protected a worker’s right to wear pants, but generally, women are almost always assumed to have the option to wear a skirt or pants in the Western world. As an example, this author’s mother wore formal pants to her own wedding! These days, an employer that requires all women to wear skirts could face legal and ethical issues, especially considering that the growing population of Muslim women generally require either ankle-length skirts and dresses or pants to preserve their cultural tradition of modest attire.

Honest opinion: While you have the right to wear pants, a skirt is generally the safest choice for a job interview, unless wearing a skirt would make you feel uncomfortable.
Ultimately, what you wear to your job interview should help you succeed in that interview, not serve as a fashion statement. Think about whether wearing a skirt or pants would help you during your job interview and choose accordingly.

According to educator Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., skirts are usually still the best choice for job interviews because they are traditional attire. A formal suit with a skirt and flat shoes or modest heels is still the standard business outfit. She especially recommends a skirt suit for conservative industries, such as law, banking, and financial services.

However, she warns that women who are uncomfortable wearing a skirt may not present well at a job interview. We agree that it is better to arrive looking confident in pants than nervous and awkward in a skirt. A skirt might also be physically uncomfortable if it is cold—tights can only do so much. You wouldn’t want to arrive shivering, right?

Dr. Hansen also stresses that a skirt or pants should always be part of a suit. That means a jacket in the same color and texture, worn as part of a coordinated outfit. Your overall appearance is much more important than a specific garment.

The bottom line: Keep both professionalism and your comfort in mind.
Whether to wear a skirt or pants to a job interview is ultimately a personal choice. There’s no right answer. You need to pick a job interview outfit that fits the environment of the company you’re interviewing with and your own level of comfort.

If you do wear pants, slacks with a crease are still considered the most professional. If you wear a belt, it also needs to look conservative. Obviously, flashy belts and big belt buckles are not acceptable.

For skirts, pick a hemline that hits your knees. You can go just above the knee if you’re short, or just below if you’re tall-or just don’t want anyone to see your knees. If you must cross your legs while wearing a skirt, do it at the ankle.

Hopefully, your interviewer will be too impressed by your excellent resume to pay attention to your skirt or pants anyway!

That said, it is definitely possible to write an attention-grabbing, compelling accounting resume that still meets the expectations of hiring managers in this conservative industry.

First, please read our general article on how to write a resume. Your accounting resume should be built on the same basic fundamentals that apply to job seekers from other professions.

The following are extra tips to fine-tune your resume for the field of accounting:

1. Stick to the chronological format, but with an executive summary instead of an objective.
The chronological resume format is so named because it lists your work experience in reverse chronological order. In addition to this common format, there is the functional resume, which lists skills and career accomplishments instead of work experience, and the combination resume, which combines features of both the chronological and functional styles.

For an accounting resume, it’s safest to stick to the chronological format. Accounting is considered a conservative industry and the chronological resume is the most conservative, widely-accepted format.

That doesn’t mean your accounting resume has to be bland, however. You can make it pack a punch by including an executive summary at the top instead of an old-fashioned resume objective, which is quickly becoming obsolete. Use your executive summary to quickly synopsize your accounting skills and relevant qualifications.

2. Use accounting keywords.
You thought the 20-second resume scan was harsh? Today, an applicant tracking system might dump your accounting resume off into the “no” pile before a human even sees it!

If you want to increase the odds of even getting a 20-second resume scan, your accounting resume needs to include accounting buzzwords.

Here are some examples of accounting buzzwords:

• Accounts receivable
• Accounts payable
• General ledger
• Reconciliations
• Month-end close
• Profit and loss statements

You can find more of these by reading job ads for accounting positions on websites like Monster.com or Craigslist. And be sure to look up job search engines that are specific to the field of accounting, too.

Keep in mind that, while it’s important to use terms that are popular in your industry, your accounting resume should still be written in a way that appeals to human readers, so don’t go overboard.

3. Quantify your accomplishments.
Hey, you’re writing an accounting resume here, so it better have numbers!

So, how should you use figures to quantify your accomplishments? Well, did you find a way to make the company you worked for more efficient? How did you do it? How much money did the firm save? Did you help the company with financial planning decisions? How much money was involved?

Use numbers and dollar signs whenever you can.

4. Include your certification details.
Don’t expect employers to assume you’re a Certified Public Accountant just because you’re applying for a CPA position.

If you are a licensed CPA, spell it out in a “licenses” or “certifications” or “skills” section on your accounting resume. Include the state in which you received your certification, too.

If you aren’t involved in public accountancy, but you’ve chosen to renew your license in inactive status, you should put “inactive” immediately after the term “CPA” so you aren’t misleading anyone—if you choose to present yourself as a CPA.

5. Write a “software skills” section.
As you know, advances in technology are making the field of accounting a more technical one.

There are many different types of software packages for accounting available today and knowing how to use them is important. Beyond that, if you know how to correct software problems or develop custom software, you will certainly be in demand.

According to accounting market analyst Hunter Richards, these are some examples of software systems employers mention most often in accounting job ads:

• Microsoft Excel—mandatory!
• Systems Applications and Products—widely used, especially by big corporations
• Oracle—widely used, especially by big corporations
• Microsoft Dynamics—widely used, especially by mid-sized companies
• Sage—popular with mid-sized companies
• Quickbooks—always in demand, especially with small businesses

The following are examples of business intelligence software frequently mentioned in accounting job ads:

• Business Objects
• Crystal Reports
• Cognos

As you can see, it pays off to include a bulleted “software skills” section in a prominent part of your accounting resume. You can also include that you quickly adapt to new software, if it’s true.

One last accounting resume strategy…
What the above resume tips have in common is that they focus on what employers look for when scanning an accounting resume. If you have trouble thinking of what to include or leave out, put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes and consider what you would want to see if you had a stack of 100 accounting resumes weighing your desk down.

If you keep your accounting resume focused on the employer’s needs, you will have a much better chance of landing that next big job.

However, that does not give you an excuse to become complacent. Just because health care jobs are out there doesn’t mean one will drop into your lap. You still have to market yourself, and that means having an excellent nursing resume that includes the skills hiring managers want to see.

First, please read our general article on how to write a resume. Your nursing resume should include all of the items mentioned in that article.

Additionally, here are 4 specific items your nursing resume should include:

1. Licensing and certification details.
We said this to the accountants in our accounting resume article and we’ll say it again to the nurses: no one is going to assume you are certified. Your future employer will not just suppose you are a registered nurse because you apply for an RN position. People apply for jobs for which they are not qualified all the time.

So, specifically mention your relevant certifications in a “licenses” or “certifications” section on your nursing resume. Include any licenses or certifications that are relevant to the position for which you are applying.

For example, if you are a Registered Nurse, you could still include your Licensed Practical Nursing information or your Emergency Medical Technician licensing information. Do not use abbreviations.

For each license, include the state in which it was issued. You should also include either the year in which it was issued or the year in which it will expire. You may also choose to include your license number, when applicable.

2. Leadership capabilities, teamwork skills, and ethics knowledge.
Nurse educator Beverly Hansen OMalley, author of the Dimensional curriculum for practical nursing, has identified teamwork, leadership, and ethics knowledge as several of the most vital skills to mention on a nursing resume.

“Anything on the resume that shows leadership and independent decision making should be highlighted,” said Beverly OMalley in an interview with resume writing expert Richard Lindsey.

According to OMalley, leadership skills are essential, as nurses often need to work autonomously with little direction in a hospital setting.

She also said that collaborative capabilities are “highly valued and necessary” for nurses. Therefore, your nursing resume should emphasize any experience you’ve had working with physical therapists, physicians, pharmacists, and other nurses.

Finally, she said that a nursing resume should highlight knowledge of ethics or ethics courses taken. On her website, OMalley explained that nurses face many different types of ethical dilemmas on a regular basis and need to come to work prepared to handle them.

3. Relevant continuing education information.
Continuing education courses are a necessity for nurses, so a well-written nursing resume should certainly include those that are relevant to the desired position.

Of course, the focus should be on continuing education courses that pertain to the position for which you are applying. They do not have to be directly related as long as they are relevant to the position or the skills mentioned in the job ad.

According to OMalley, continuing education experiences should go in their own section, not under the “education” or “experience” section.

“Practice standards state that the RN must keep up to date,” said OMalley, “so this is considered professional development. Upgrading to a degree would be education.”

Moving continuing education experiences to a “continuing education” section can also emphasize your initiative.

“If you put it in the section of employment history and experience then it looks like it was the employer’s idea,” she said, “not yours.”

4. Technical skills.
Again, make it clear on your nursing resume that you are qualified for the job you’re trying to get.

OMalley recommended emphasizing physical assessment skills, such as:

• Chest assessments
• Peripheral pulses
• Neurological assessments

She also said to include knowledge of common work equipment, such as:

• Doppler machines (for taking a patient’s peripheral pulse)
• IV pumps
• Saline locks
• Central lines

Obviously, if a job ad mentions needing to know any specific skills and you have those skills, you should include them on your nursing resume. It would also be helpful to point them out in your cover letter.

A final piece of advice for your nursing resume…
Your nursing resume determines the first impression you will make upon the hiring staff at your future hospital or doctor’s office. A well-written nursing resume makes it clear that you are qualified for the job for which you are applying. Hiring staff will not assume you are a properly certified, up-to-date nurse with relevant people skills and technical skills if you don’t tell them.

Like a good nurse, your nursing resume needs to be able to communicate hefty chunks of information quickly yet effectively. A focused, efficient, carefully-written nursing resume reflects a focused, efficient, careful nurse.

Funny Cover Letter #1: Elementary School and Internet Accomplishments
This gem of a funny cover letter was first posted on the message board of the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club on April 10 of 2008. The user who submitted it, a regular, said their friend had just received it from someone applying for a business development associate position. Here is an excerpt:

I won 3 of my 4 elementary school spelling bees and it was here that I first made the newspaper with my picture. Years later, in the mid 1990s, my picture graced the papers many more times as an all-state and state champion runner. I am blessed by God.

In addition, my math skills are excellent and really consider myself a numbers guy. In elementary school, my flash cards multiplication skills set the standard for excellence. I have 3 semesters of calculus under my belt and was the co-captain of the calculus team.

My IQ is rated by tickle.com at 131.

You may be thinking that the author of this unintentionally funny cover letter was looking for a job while in middle school, but no. Apparently, on his resume, he said he had a Bachelor of Science.

Now, the grammatical errors are annoying and the reference to a religious belief is distracting, but the biggest problem is clearly that he is wasting the reader’s time by listing irrelevant experience. It is better to present a brief cover letter than a cover letter stuffed with fluff.

Funny Cover Letter #2: Even Santa Wouldn’t Hire This Elf
Our next funny cover letter-or cover poem, rather-comes from the marketing experts at Killian Branding. An applicant submitted this cover poem to them in what we can only guess was an attempt to be clever:

Twas 4 weeks after Christmas
And all throughout Killian and company
Human Relations pondered over
Who would be the next intern/employee?

The staff in their cubicles, all snug in their chairs
While visions of lunch in Chi-town were their only main cares
The big boss in his office, and me still at Miami
Both nervous and wondering: our hands remained clammy

When out in the mailroom there arose such a clatter
Employees from all over crowded to see what was the matter
Back in my apartment with a smile laid back
I knew once they’d opened my letter; there was no turning back

The sun on the streets of busy Windy City
Gave the luster of midday to 322 S. Green
When, what to their letter reading eyes should appear?
A girl with some spunk, and evidently no fear

As Ivory goes along with a substance called soap
Everyone looked at each other with a small gleam of hope
“It’s time to stop letting all the normal folk dance
And open our eyes, and give this chick a chance!”

That’s just an excerpt-the original is a full-length piece. Setting aside the fact that this applicant can’t write poetry, this gimmicky format is exactly the opposite of what a busy hiring manager needs to see. However, the worst thing about this cover letter is that it doesn’t speak to the company’s needs. After 180 words, the applicant still hasn’t given the hiring manager a single reason to hire her. No qualifications, experience, skills, or anticipated benefits to the employer are offered, unless “spunk” and lack of “fear” are somehow core job competencies.

As you can imagine, this poetess did not obtain the position for which she applied.

Funny Cover Letter #3: Fear and Loathing from Human Resources
This next excerpt comes from someone who actually did become a successful writer eventually. While this is an intentionally funny cover letter written by someone with a strong command of the English language, it’s still obviously ineffective:

Sir,

I got a hell of a kick reading the piece Time magazine did this week on The Sun. In addition to wishing you the best of luck, I’d also like to offer my services.

Since I haven’t seen a copy of the “new” Sun yet, I’ll have to make this a tentative offer. I stepped into a dung-hole the last time I took a job with a paper I didn’t know anything about (see enclosed clippings) and I’m not quite ready to go charging up another blind alley.

By the time you get this letter, I’ll have gotten hold of some of the recent issues of The Sun. Unless it looks totally worthless, I’ll let my offer stand. And don’t think that my arrogance is unintentional: it’s just that I’d rather offend you now than after I started working for you.

I didn’t make myself clear to the last man I worked for until after I took the job. It was as if the Marquis de Sade had suddenly found himself working for Billy Graham. The man despised me, of course, and I had nothing but contempt for him and everything he stood for. If you asked him, he’d tell you that I’m “not very likable, (that I) hate people, (that I) just want to be left alone, and (that I) feel too superior to mingle with the average person.” (That’s a direct quote from a memo he sent to the publisher.)

Nothing beats having good references.

Of course if you asked some of the other people I’ve worked for, you’d get a different set of answers.

If you’re interested enough to answer this letter, I’ll be glad to furnish you with a list of references — including the lad I work for now.

The enclosed clippings should give you a rough idea of who I am. It’s a year old, however, and I’ve changed a bit since it was written. I’ve taken some writing courses from Columbia in my spare time, learned a hell of a lot about the newspaper business, and developed a healthy contempt for journalism as a profession.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s a damned shame that a field as potentially dynamic and vital as journalism should be overrun with dullards, bums, and hacks, hag-ridden with myopia, apathy, and complacence, and generally stuck in a bog of stagnant mediocrity. If this is what you’re trying to get The Sun away from, then I think I’d like to work for you.

Most of my experience has been in sports writing, but I can write everything from warmongering propaganda to learned book reviews.

I can work 25 hours a day if necessary, live on any reasonable salary, and don’t give a black damn for job security, office politics, or adverse public relations.

If this sounds like an obnoxiously modern lack of respect for authority, keep in mind this cover letter was written in 1958. This person obviously did know how to attract attention through writing and could have used this talent to write an appealing cover letter instead of an inappropriately funny cover letter.

Again, putting aside the use of expletives and the tone, this cover letter does not speak to the employer’s needs. It is not until about 300 words in that the author starts explaining why he is qualified for the position, and even then, he says that the supporting evidence he’s enclosing is outdated. It is not until about 400 words in that he starts talking about what he can offer The Sun.

Of course, bad-mouthing one’s previous employer in a resume or cover letter is another big job hunting mistake, even if justified.

The author, by the way, was Hunter S. Thomspon, who later wrote the bestselling books Hell’s Angels and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He was never, however, hired by The Vancouver Sun.

The bottom line…
Your cover letter is supposed to be a concise business letter. You do not have time to list experiences or qualifications that have nothing to do with the position for which you are applying. You do not have time to be cute, clever, or gimmicky. Swagger will not compensate for a lack of substance. Human resources managers have seen all the funny cover letters imaginable already. They are much more likely to be impressed by a cover letter that dives in, presents the information they want to know, and ends on a professional note.