Refreshing Your Resume for 2025

Posted by

Cheyenne Cupp

Posted on

Jan 23, 2025

The new year is the perfect time to take a fresh look at your resume. Whether you're actively job hunting or simply keeping your professional documents up to date, ensuring your resume reflects current trends and best practices can make a significant difference. For legal marketing and business development professionals, standing out in a competitive landscape requires strategy and precision. Here are the essential dos and don’ts for refreshing your resume in 2025:

The Do's

1. Focus on Results, Not Responsibilities
Hiring managers want to see how you’ve made an impact. Replace generic descriptions of duties with measurable achievements. Instead of saying, “Managed social media accounts,” try “Increased LinkedIn engagement by 40% in six months by implementing a content strategy tailored to legal audiences.”

2. Tailor Your Resume to Each Role
Generic resumes are a thing of the past. Customize your resume to highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to the specific job. For example, if applying for a business development role, emphasize your expertise in relationship management and revenue growth.

3. Emphasize Digital Proficiency
Legal marketing is increasingly driven by digital tools and platforms. Highlight your experience with technologies like CRM systems, email marketing platforms, SEO, and analytics tools. For example, “Leveraged Salesforce to streamline client outreach, resulting in a 15% increase in lead conversions.”

4. Showcase Collaboration and Leadership
If you’ve worked closely with attorneys or led cross-functional teams, make it known. Mention your ability to align marketing initiatives with firm goals, train junior staff, or mentor colleagues.

5. Keep it Concise
A polished resume is succinct and to the point. Aim for one to two pages, focusing on your most recent and relevant experiences. Use bullet points to improve readability and ensure each point packs a punch.

6. Incorporate Keywords
Many firms use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes. Ensure your resume includes relevant keywords from the job description, such as “client development,” “media relations,” or “revenue generation.”

7. Include Professional Development
Highlight certifications, courses, or workshops you’ve completed to stay ahead in the field. For instance, “Completed HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification” or “Participated in Legal Marketing Association (LMA) Annual Conference.”

The Don’ts

1. Don’t Overload with Jargon
While industry-specific terms can demonstrate your expertise, avoid overusing jargon that may alienate hiring managers outside your niche. Keep language clear and impactful.

2. Don’t Neglect Design
Presentation matters. Use a clean, professional format with consistent fonts and spacing. Avoid overly elaborate designs, but consider subtle design elements like bold section headers to improve visual appeal.

3. Don’t Include Outdated Information
Remove irrelevant experiences or skills, such as proficiency in outdated software. Focus on roles and accomplishments from the last 10-15 years unless earlier positions are highly relevant.

4. Don’t Forget a Strong Summary
Begin your resume with a compelling professional summary that highlights your key strengths and career goals. Avoid vague statements like, “Looking for a challenging role.” Instead, try, “Strategic legal marketing professional with 10+ years of experience driving client engagement and revenue growth.”

5. Don’t Skip Proofreading
Typos and grammatical errors can undermine your credibility. Proofread meticulously and consider asking a trusted colleague or mentor to review your resume.

6. Don’t Include Personal Details
In the U.S., it is not necessary to put specific personal information on your resume. We recommend your name, email, phone, location and LinkedIn link. Stick to professional information.

7. Don’t Overstuff with Keywords
While keywords are important, overloading your resume with them can make it unreadable. Balance is key—incorporate them naturally.

A Fresh Start for Your Career

Refreshing your resume is an opportunity to reflect on your accomplishments and set the stage for future success. By following these do's and don’ts, you’ll position yourself as a standout candidate in the ever-evolving legal marketing and business development landscape. Here’s to landing your next big opportunity in 2025!