Cover Letter/Resume Thread!

[Visual Dictionary]

I thought that this could be a good thread in which prospective 1Ls who want firm jobs talk about cover letters and resume, researching firms, and other related topics.

http://www.law.uga.edu/career/students/cover_letter_samples.htm

Are these form cover letters any good?  I'm preparing my resume and some firm cover letters right now.

Would it to be too much to say that I want to be a litigator in a cover letter for 1L employment?

[Resident CLS Troll]

I would phrase it a little less strongly.  For example, "I am interested in litigation.". But that's just me.

[Resident CLS Troll]

I don't see anything wrong with adopting someone else's formatting scheme.  I mean it's not as if I created mine from scratch.  As long as all the data is your own I don't see why it should be an issue.

As for cover letters, keep it general and don't lay it on too thick.  You don't want to come off as fake.

[UnoriginalAndrew]

I'm inclined to say no....

[dischord]

So do I, but it gives me a clear connection to a secondary market in which I want to work.

I'm sure you can come up with a more compelling reason you'd like to live somewhere than, "I really enjoyed the summer after my junior year when I worked at the Dairy Queen at Skyline Mall and got drunk in the parking lot every night with my coworkers."

[dischord]

I'm sure "I used to live here will suffice."  Unless you have some sort of connection from that job with someone really important that you could name drop, it'll make you look like a dumbass.

[UMKb]

So do I, but it gives me a clear connection to a secondary market in which I want to work.

I'm sure you can come up with a more compelling reason you'd like to live somewhere than, "I really enjoyed the summer after my junior year when I worked at the Dairy Queen at Skyline Mall and got drunk in the parking lot every night with my coworkers."

You're obviously not familiar with this market.  It's very insular, so I thought that previous WE there (even in HS) might give me credibility.

Maybe you could mention working in the area in your cover letter instead of putting the HS work experience on your resume?

[Alecto]

What should I say?  What's the typical format?

Should I include something specific about each firm, like "I love your litigation practice group"?  What are some typical compliments?

I'm having trouble thinking of any instances where it would be appropriate to use the word "love" in a cover letter to a law firm . . . .  Maybe you could say something like "Your firm's litigation work is very impressive."?