Before final submission of your employment application materials, make sure you have checked the following:
General
- Ask multiple reviewers, including your career advisor, to proofread all of your materials. Applications with grammatical and typographical errors often are rejected without further review.
- Use the CDO’s templates for resumes, cover letters, grade lists and writing samples.
- Your cover letter and resume should be one page each with few exceptions. Your resume may be longer if you have 10 or more years of post-undergraduate experience, or if you are applying for certain federal positions.
- Use the same font type throughout your materials. The font type on your resume should be the same as on your cover letter, writing sample cover sheet and reference list, although font size may differ.
- List your contact information on your writing sample cover sheet and reference list in the same way it is listed on your resume.
Cover Letters
- Check for mail-merge errors. Make sure the salutation matches the addressee of the letter. Make sure the employer’s name is referenced correctly throughout the body of the letter.
- Type the date with the month spelled out (e.g., January 1, 2021).
- Address the letter to “Dear Mr. or Ms. or Judge [Last Name]:” with a colon at the end. Do not use the addressee’s first name in the salutation. Avoid using “To Whom It May Concern” by researching or calling the employer to determine the appropriate contact person.
Resumes
- Choose a readable font size (e.g., no smaller than Times New Roman 11 point).
- Use consistent margins and line spacing. Recommended margins are 1” all around, but no less than 0.5”.
- Use your richmond.edu email address.
- If you need to demonstrate a geographic connection not otherwise evident, use your permanent address and/or your local address.
- You are a candidate for a Juris Doctor (not a Juris Doctorate).
- List your activities and honors with the respective educational institution.
Grade List / Transcript
- Transcripts may be requested through the Registrar’s Office and uploaded in the document folder as a .pdf file to attach to your application.
- Do not use a printout from BannerWeb to supply your grades.
- If an employer requests an official transcript (often during the final stages of the interview process), request a hard copy from the Registrar.
Submission by Email
- Attach documents, including your cover letter, in PDF format.
- Include a brief message in the body of the email with an appropriate electronic signature (Name, Class of ___, University of Richmond School of Law, Phone, Email Address, LinkedIn URL).
- Include a descriptive subject line (e.g., Summer Clerk Application – Your Name).
Submission by U.S. Mail
- While email applications are fine for most employers (and often requested), when in doubt, the most conservative choice is U.S. mail. Most judges prefer U.S. mail, unless they are accepting applications via OSCAR.
- Use white or ivory resume paper (in linen or cotton) with matching business-sized envelopes.
- If you need to submit a writing sample, it may be printed on plain white photocopy quality paper.
- Print the address block and return address directly on the envelope or use mailing labels. Do not hand-write your envelopes.
Submission via Symplicity
- Carefully review the “Additional Requests” section, as many employers require additional documents such as cover letters, transcripts, writing samples or reference lists.
- Be sure to select the correct cover letter and resume for each employer before submitting.