Suggested CV Format and Tips

Personal details:

• Name (including preferred or anglicised name)
• Address
• Phone Number
• Email address
• LinkedIn profile link
  

Education and Admission Details:

• Reverse chronology and only high school onwards
• Include one-off courses etc. towards the end rather than here.

Work Experience:

• Again, reverse chronology and try not to leave gaps, e.g. if a break was for parental leave, study, travel etc.
• List each employer, your position and dates (use month and year to be as precise as possible). If it is a less well known organisation then it can be useful to briefly describe it as well.
• For each role, include:
  • Basic responsibilities and perhaps your reporting line and/or level of responsibility
  • Individual examples of particular work or achievements are better than an exhaustive list of things you were involved in. For example, ‘I worked directly with a partner on a complex contract dispute for a New Zealand-based construction company. I was involved in every stage of the work including client meetings and mediations. The matter was settled in favour of our client.’ Including client names can be useful but that is up to your discretion.
  • Mention any good feedback you had from colleagues, managers, clients etc.
  • Make sure you give the most page room to the most relevant or longest roles you have had so you properly reflect the balance of your career to date.
  • Include examples of non-billable work that you have done such as writing articles, business development, training delivered etc.

After that would be the place to list any extra training you have undertaken. Interests and Hobbies:

• Sports, Family, Culture, Travel, Reading, Writing, Volunteer work.

Referees:

• Only include these if you are comfortable with them being contacted without you receiving a heads-up.

Drafting documentation is a core skill for a lawyer and so you should consider it as a potential employers first chance to assess that.