HOW TO BUILD
YOUR CV
WHAT EXACTLY IS A CV?
A CV is a short document that gives you a chance
to show a prospective employer the best of what
you’ve got. It sells your skills, experience, and
shows them you’re the right person for the job.
Making a good impression is important in today’s
competitive job market. Your CV will be your first
contact with employers so it’s essential to get it
right.
2
HOW DO WE
BUILD A CV?
There are multiple
layers of a CV ranging
from the basics which
are your Academic
Qualifications all the
way to competitions
and positions of
responsibility.
• Start with your present or most recent job. You should
include relevant details such as who the employer was,
the dates that you worked for them, your job title and
what roles you carried out. Try to emphasize those
things that will that bring out skills that employers
mightdone
• Work be looking
duringfor.
the internship is mentioned in 3-4
bullet points with precise detail. A uniform bullet style is
used throughout).
WHERE TO FIND INTERNSHIPS?
• Utilize Your Law School’s Career Services and Alumni Network
Many law schools have dedicated placement cells or career services that curate internship opportunities.
You can also reach out to alumni for referrals and advice, as they often know about openings at top law firms or courts.
• Explore Online Internship Platforms and Job Portals
Websites like Internshala, Lawctopus, and InternGuru list numerous legal internship opportunities—from private firms to
government departments—tailored to law students.
• Direct Outreach to Law Firms and Legal Departments
Identify firms or legal departments in companies you’re interested in and send personalized cold emails with your CV.This
proactive approach can help you secure internships that may not be advertised publicly.
• Attend Networking Events, Webinars, and Conferences
Participate in legal seminars, webinars, and workshops where you can meet practicing lawyers and HR representatives.
Engaging in these events not only builds your network but may also lead to internship referrals.
• Pursue Internships with NGOs and Public Interest Organizations
Many non-profits and public interest groups—like the Human Rights Law Network—offer internship positions that provide
exposure to social justice and advocacy work.
• Leverage Professional Social Media and Legal Forums
Platforms such as LinkedIn and specialized subreddits (e.g., r/LegalAdviceIndia) are great places to follow law firms, legal
professionals, and groups that regularly share internship opportunities. Engaging with these communities can keep you
updated on openings.
7
1. Start with a Clear Header
•Include your internship title, the company’s name, location, and the period you interned.
•Example: Legal Intern | ABC Law Firm, Mumbai, India | June 2024 – August 2024
2. Use Strong Action Verbs
•Begin each bullet point with an action verb to show initiative.
•Examples: "Developed," "Analyzed," "Implemented," "Coordinated," "Researched."
3. Be Specific About Your Responsibilities
•Describe your tasks clearly and concisely.
•Example: Conducted legal research for over 20 case files, summarizing key findings for senior attorneys.
4. Quantify Your Achievements
•Whenever possible, add numbers or percentages to highlight the impact of your work.
•Example: Streamlined document review processes, reducing turnaround time by 30%.
5. Highlight Relevant Skills and Tools
•Mention any software or methodologies you used that are relevant to your field.
•Example: Utilized LexisNexis and Westlaw for comprehensive legal research, enhancing case preparation quality.
6. Tailor Your Descriptions to the Job You’re Applying For
•Focus on responsibilities and achievements that align with the requirements of the new role.
•Example for a Marketing Internship: Developed and executed a social media campaign that increased online engagement by 25%
during the internship
1. Please run a spell check on your CV
2. Make sure the formatting (font colour, bullet types, alignment of the text etc) is
uniform throughout. Aesthetics are important.
3. A consistent font and font size is used throughout, except where clearly specified
4. Line-spacing is 1.15. The CV should not look cramped for space. Let it breathe!
5. Dates should be clearly mentioned, preferably at the end of the bullet point which
speaks of any achievement. Make sure you follow a reverse chronological order
(latest things in a particular category come first).
6. Text is left aligned or justified, whichever looks better
7. The CV should be 2 pages long (maximum). Cut out the unnecessary parts, keep
only the important parts. For example, if you have attended 10 conferences and
are applying for a law firm job, keep the biggest/best 3-4 which were on related
topics (corporate law, for example).
8. In case you want to highlight something, please make that text bold or italicised.
9. Things like sex, marital status should NOT be mentioned.
10. Make sure that your CV looks and reads professional.
ANY
QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU
Aditya Iyer
Member, IIP
