Resumes can open doors, and they can also ensure that some doors never open. Creating a stellar resume remains a key aspect of obtaining a job in a tight legal market.

While practicing law for nearly a decade at three top 50 firms, I served on one of the firm's hiring committees and conducted countless interviews for associate positions and reviewed innumerable resumes in the process. These five keys have served my students well through the editing process.

1. Be concise. The resume shouldn't be longer than one page. Legal writing involves writing persuasively in a succinct manner. Some law firms will not even review a resume that is longer than one page. This is the first glimpse at an applicant's writing ability, and if it doesn't fit that standard one-page form, it might preclude their application from ever seeing human eyes.