Tailoring Your Legal CV to the Job You Want, Not the One You Have.

A strong legal CV does not just tell your story. It positions you for the role you want next. Whether you are targeting an in-house role in Queensland, working towards General Counsel, or making a first move into a specialist practice area, the most effective CVs are succinct, persuasive and tailored to the specific role in front of you. At Alex Correa Executive, we have helped a great many lawyers secure roles they aspired to, simply by reshaping their CV to focus on what matters most to the employer reading it: relevance, clarity and impact.

Why tailoring matters in the legal market

 

Your CV is often the first impression you make with a hiring manager or recruiter. In a competitive legal job market, sending the same generic CV for every role can mean being overlooked, even when you have the right skills for the job. Instead, your CV should highlight your most relevant skills and achievements for that specific role, position your experience in the context of the employer's needs, and make it easy for the reader, or the Applicant Tracking System, to identify your fit quickly.

 

Choosing the right CV format for your goal

 

There is no single correct format. The right choice depends on where you are in your career and what you are trying to achieve.

Employment history CV

This is the most common format, listing your previous roles from most recent to earliest, with responsibilities and achievements under each. It is clear and logical, but it can bury relevant experience if it sits several roles back. If you are applying for a construction law role but your construction experience is from three jobs ago, it may not get noticed in this format.

Skills-based CV

This format leads with a brief employment history, then immediately showcases key areas of expertise, such as construction law, commercial litigation or leadership, with examples and achievements under each. It works particularly well if you are changing practice areas, moving into an in-house role, or highlighting skills that are not obvious from your current title.

The tailor made approach

Think of your CV like a well fitted suit or dress. It is not created from scratch every time. It is adjusted from a base pattern to suit the occasion. Our recommendation is to create a master CV containing every role, skill and achievement you have, then for each application, reorder the headings and remove irrelevant detail to match the role. Save each tailored version so future updates are easy.

How long should a legal CV be?

There is no one size fits all rule, but here is our general guide:

• Early career lawyers: three to four pages.
• Mid to senior level lawyers: four to six pages.
• General Counsel and executives: up to six to eight pages, where every page is relevant.
  
  

The key is to keep it as concise as possible without losing critical detail.

A quick checklist before you hit send

• Does your CV put the most relevant skills front and centre for this role?
• Have you removed outdated or irrelevant detail?
• Is the format Applicant Tracking System friendly, in Word or PDF without heavy graphics?
• Have you quantified achievements wherever possible?
  
  

Ready to position yourself for your next role?

Whether you are seeking your first in-house legal role, a move into leadership, or a change in practice area, tailoring your CV is the first step to being noticed. It is your professional fingerprint. At Alex Correa Executive, we specialise in in-house and government legal recruitment across Queensland. We know what hiring managers are looking for, and how to help you position your experience for maximum impact. For advice on updating your CV or pursuing an aspirational role, we would love to hear from you.