Sometimes my days have a theme. Yesterday’s theme: Get to the point. Be Direct.
Last night a lawyer friend told us a recent story about filing a motion for summary disposition after he was hired to replace a well known insurance defense firm. As soon as he was hired he recommended the motion to the corporate client. Who knows why the previous firm hadn’t recommended it. He filed the motion and won. The case was dismissed. The client thinks my friend is a genius.
Earlier a client told me she spoke her mind to one of her partners this week using his own words. She was clear, assertive, and decisive. He had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. He didn’t put up a false front, he didn’t try to intimidate her, and atypically he didn’t argue. Score one for the Practice Group Leader growing in her role.
I also worked with a young 20-something on her resume and cover letters. Her takeaways: in order to distinguish yourself “less is more” and “see your marketing materials through a different lens” – see them through the eyes of your reader. She is redrafting her resume. I know it will be markedly better.
Another attorney acknowledged that he borrowed language from a friend’s resume because he thought it was standard even though he didn’t really like it. As I tell clients almost daily, use your own voice on your resume, be direct, be clear. Use a relevance test for each bit of content and make it easy for the reader to see they should talk with you. But no matter how many interesting experiences and measurable successes you’ve had, don’t give it all away. I say be intriguing and they’ll find you compelling. They’ll want to talk with you to see if you are the one. Most important, don’t create stumbling blocks for the reader. One stumble and you are out. Get to the point!
If you would like to better distinguish yourself, please contact me!