Authenticity or Résumé Fluff?

I grew up playing sports and everyone loved to go on about how athletes are so successful in their careers and have all kinds of transferable skills they bring to the workplace. I was comforted by that concept when I was young. I thought job offers would be hurled at me when it came time to apply. But, when job postings came out, it felt like those skills had left me high and dry. How was I supposed to write in my résumé that I was a hard worker and make it believable? 

Was the whole world going to read my cover letter and take me at my word that I was a team player with strong leadership skills?

I learned quickly through the summer student application and interview process that all those soft skills we learn and develop through life aren’t always marketable. They are demonstrated, proven, and reveal themselves through our experience, and otherwise might feel cheap or inauthentic when written down on paper.

This outlook may seem bleak, and as I write this, I hope I am not scaring anyone off. However, the bright side is this: those who praised my soft skills were not wrong. When they spoke of those skills leading to success in my career, they weren’t talking about getting a job – they were talking about being successful when doing the job.

Every working day, I not only use the strategies and skills I developed through sports -- I depend on them. 

I have balanced full courseloads, volunteering, work, and 25 hours a week of practice and games, and still find time for a social life! This taught me how to balance priorities between work obligations, hobbies, family, and friends. I learned how to recognize when coaches and teammates were actually upset, or when they were just stressed, Now I use that same skill when I speak to insureds and opposing counsel. 

The skill transference list could go on. Before I get off my soapbox, this is my final message for every student who is preparing for interviews and rehearsing their ‘elevator pitch’. Your laundry list of learned skills may feel unconvincing, but they are the reason you will survive and thrive once you get the chance to prove yourself. Good luck.

by Angela R

My 2025 INs and OUTs - Articling Student Trial Edition

This year is for learning, growth, and taking bold steps forward (so says my horoscope). 

So here are my 2025 INs and OUTs as an articling student who just conducted her first successful Small Claims trial.

 INs

Controlling the Controllable

A lot of litigation, especially when it comes to trial, is thinking on the fly – witnesses can be fickle, sometimes opposing counsel are loose cannons, and judges don’t always want to make your life easy. That's what makes litigation exciting! However, with the excitement comes unpredictability, so my first 2025 IN is controlling the controllables.

By the time trial started, I could quote our Statement of Defence, I knew important dates like they were my own family’s birthdays, and I studied the rules of evidence and court decorum like it was finals week of 1L. Everything I could do to prepare was already done, and it was a comfort to know that the unpredictability of the courtroom was not up for me to decide.

Humility 

Lawyers and law students have a reputation for being competitive and know-it-alls, and, frankly, insufferable at times. As an articling student, speaking from experience, are almost never the smartest person in the room, and even if you are, it’s very unbecoming to act like it.

The upshot of being humble is that soaking in the experience is when the learning happens. By being polite and courteous to the associate judge, the paralegal, and the registrar, I learned from all three.

OUTs:

Staying Quiet

I count my blessings every day that our client happened to be a former litigator. However, with his extensive knowledge of the law and the particular area of law in dispute, I let myself get intimidated and those nerves carried over into my opening submissions and cross-examination on day one of trial. I felt unsure after day one and didn’t want the same experience on day two. I decided to float my ideas by our client so that our strategy was collaborative and more importantly, it was one that I understood and felt confident executing. Suffice it to say, that my confidence improved on day two.

Uncomfortable Clothes

Day one of trial made me want to start a petition striking the first two words from the phrase “look good, feel good, play good”. Getting ready for trial, I put on an itchy grey top that looked so good, and I felt ready for the day! 

But as soon as I stepped into the warm courtroom and began my opening submissions, I regretted my outfit choice. 

Although looking professional and presentable is important – especially before receiving our “lawyer” robes – it is equally important to be comfortable speaking in front of a judge without looking like you want to jump out of your skin. So, my final 2025 OUT is uncomfortable clothes. Wear clothes that you can be confident and comfortable in.

by Angela R.