Quick Tips: Application Materials

Three Common Mistakes in Application Materials - just in time for Summer Recruitment (deadline: August 1 at noon)!

Incorrect Salutation line. Begin with "Dear Mr. Lastname:" or "Dear Ms. Lastname:" when writing your cover letters. Using the contact's full name in the salutation is too awkward, while using only the first name is too informal. "To whom it may concern" is not acceptable 99.9% of the time. If a contact isn't listed in the job notice, try researching the employer online or calling the employer to find out more information about who does the hiring. If you're really stuck, contact LCS for advice. We're happy to help.

LCSonline conversion problems. What looked good on your computer yesterday might look entirely different on an employer's display tomorrow. Since you spent so much time fine-tuning your documents to be the best they can be (right?), this is problematic. The first step in combatting this problem is to preserve the layout of your documents by converting to PDF before uploading to LCSonline. The second step is to preview your uploaded application materials by clicking the document icons next to your uploaded file in LCSonline. What you see in this preview is what employers will see. Make sure you're happy with that.

Inconsistency. Are you applying to a district attorney's office? You shouldn't be writing about your love of defense work and long-held public defender aspirations in your cover letter. Each cover letter should be tailored to each employer, so you must do your research! Also, get the name right. Are the partner names separated by commas, dashes or a space? Is the name followed by LLP, PC or something else? A quick trip to the employer's website will often give you the answer.

[ Bonus tip: Proofread! ]