Hiring partners skim résumés in seconds. If yours signals risk—gaps you don’t explain, generic bullets, scattered practice areas, sloppy formatting—you’ll be screened out before anyone reads your writing sample. The good news: each red flag has a fast, professional fix. LawCrossing
1) Unexplained Employment Gaps
Why it hurts: In a profession built on reliability and judgment, a blank period with no context invites assumptions about performance or commitment. LawCrossing
How to fix it:
- Add a one-line clarifier in your timeline (e.g., Parental leave; Bar study and relocation; Family caregiving with ongoing CLE/pro bono).
- Use your cover letter to give brief, forward-looking context and show you stayed engaged with the profession. LawCrossing
2) A Pattern of Short Stints
Why it hurts: Multiple roles under 12–24 months can read as instability—risky for firms investing in long-term talent. LawCrossing
How to fix it:
- Offer neutral context (merger, group move, fixed-term engagement).
- Emphasize upward scope, bigger clients, or increasingly complex matters to reframe movement as growth. BCG ATTORNEY SEARCH
3) Vague, Generic Job Descriptions
Why it hurts: Bullets like “drafted documents” or “attended hearings” don’t reveal specialization, impact, or seniority—so you blend into the stack. LawCrossing
How to fix it:
- Lead with results, numbers, and matter types (e.g., First-chair trials; $300M cross-border M&A; nationwide FLSA collective actions).
- Include client/industry context where allowed; spotlight repeat trust from partners or clients. LawCrossing
4) No Clear Practice-Area Focus
Why it hurts: Lateral hiring fills specific gaps. If the reader can’t tell in three seconds what kind of lawyer you are, they’ll move on. LawCrossing
How to fix it:
- Put a precise headline under your name (e.g., Securities Litigation Associate).
- Front-load the most relevant matters and keywords for the opening; trim unrelated work to a line or two. LawCrossing
5) Typos, Formatting Errors, or Inconsistencies
Why it hurts: Attention to detail is table stakes for lawyers; even minor mistakes imply sloppy work product. BCG ATTORNEY SEARCH
How to fix it:
- Standardize dates, bullets, and verb tenses; verify firm and court names.
- Proofread aloud and have a colleague review; errors cost interviews. LawCrossing
6) Irrelevant or Outdated Information
Why it hurts: Overloading the page with pre-law jobs, obsolete software, or decade-old achievements dilutes what matters now. LawCrossing
How to fix it:
- Focus on the last 10–15 years of relevant legal experience.
- Drop high-school honors and unrelated side work; keep the signal, cut the noise. LawCrossing
7) No Evidence of Progression
Why it hurts: If your story shows years of similar tasks with no added responsibility, readers question initiative and trajectory. LawCrossing
How to fix it:
- Show scope increases (teams led, budgets, client-facing work, origination).
- Add representative matters that demonstrate complexity and judgment. LawCrossing
8) Missing Law School or Bar Admissions
Why it hurts: Omitting basics (school, grad year, bar states) triggers doubt and slows screening—often a hard pass.
How to fix it:
- List law school with year and honors; place Bar Admissions in its own section with jurisdictions and (optionally) years.
9) Inconsistent Story Across Your Materials
Why it hurts: If your résumé says “passionate about corporate” but your cover letter and questions scream litigation, evaluators see risk and confusion. LawCrossing
How to fix it:
- Align résumé, cover letter, LinkedIn, and interview narrative around one specialty and target role.
Fast Checklist (Copy/Paste)
- A crisp headline that states your practice area.
- Bullets that quantify results and name matter types.
- Recent, relevant content only (10–15 years).
- Clean, consistent formatting (dates, bullets, tenses).
- One-line explanations for any employment gaps.
- A clear Bar Admissions section.
- Materials (résumé/cover/LinkedIn) tell the same story. LawCrossing+1
Pro Tip: Use Your Cover Letter Strategically
Address potential “why” questions—briefly. Explain a relocation, group dissolution, or structured break, then pivot to how you’re ready to add value now.
The Bottom Line
A targeted, error-free résumé that screams your specialty and progression wins screenings—and interviews. Fix the red flags above and you’ll rise to the top of the pile in 2025’s competitive market. LawCrossing
