The Government Wants Demonstrated Experience
For federal jobs, experience trumps almost everything. Hiring agencies arent interested in potential, or as Segal says, Its not about your journey. You should have already arrived. Federal HR wants to see proven success, role mastery, and expertise.
The entire federal job application process is about demonstrating that you are the ideal candidate by showing your experience and success. Experience even outweighs education for most jobs unless an applicants education is part of the value proposition, such as scientist or mathematician jobs.
Federal HR will not make any assumptions about your resume. Even things that seem very straightforward need to be explicitly spelled out. Federal hiring practices are highly regulated, so federal HR personnel cant make those assumptions. Every assumption could risk an EEO complaint or even a call from Congress.
As Segal puts it, From a federal perspective, if its not on the resume, you didnt do it.
Key Components Of Your Federal Resume
To create your federal resume, we;strongly suggest;you;use;the Resume Builder on USAJOBS;to;guide you through the resume-writing process;to;ensure;you do not leave out;anything;important. You;are permitted to;create;several;resumes;and;tailor;them;to;fit;different positions.;You;may also;create a;searchable,;master resume;that enables;HR specialists to contact you about an opportunity;that might;be a great fit for;your skills and experience.;
Building Your Federal Resume
- Candidate Information
You will first be asked to;provide;your name, contact information,;citizenship;status and other;basic information.;Most;positions require applicants to be a U.S. citizen;to;apply, but there may be some exceptions for hard-to-fill jobs. You also need to identify whether you have ever worked for the federal government and whether you qualify for;veterans;preference.;;
Note:;You are eligible for veterans preference if;you have served on active duty in the Armed Forces.;
- Work experience;
List the required;information;fields for all relevant jobs youve held. Each;part of the resume;is essential to your resume meeting the minimum qualifications. Experienced workers may choose to;only;list jobs held in the last 10 years.;
Required:Employer, location, position title, start and end date, average hours worked per week, responsibilities and accomplishments.;
- Education;
Required:Schools attended, degrees obtained.;
Optional Information to Include
Jobrelated training;
References;
Language skills;
Tr: What Is A Vacancy Announcement And Why Is It Important When Writing A Federal Resume
TP: A vacancy announcement is the federal version of a private sector job posting. Just like we recommend targeting a traditional resume toward your specific job goals, your federal resume should also highlight your qualifications for the specific job you’re targeting in your job search. Hiring managers whether they’re working for the federal government or for the private sector don’t appreciate a resume that takes the jack of all trades approach. Customize your resume to demonstrate how you’re a good fit for the role you’re pursuing, and your application will stand a better chance of making it to the top of the pile.
The vacancy announcement is a great place to source the information you’ll need to customize your federal resume in fact, it’s required! Because of the strong focus on addressing core elements of specific vacancies or job series, a federal resume must include key details of the vacancy announcement as required by the Office of Personnel Management and the agency posting the opening. It’s important to pay attention to this key piece of information so you can craft the most effective resume possible.
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When It’s Acceptable To Have A Three
There are some fields that require a long resume due to the inclusion of research, publications, and detailed projects. Those often involve people in science, medicine, academia, and engineering.
Even then, itâs advisable to keep your resume at two pages unless you have relevant information the hiring manager would want to see. You can include additional information on your LinkedIn profile, online portfolio, or a personal website.
Note: this advice is specifically for people writing a resume. If you’re not applying for a corporate job in the US or Canada, you may want to brush up on when to use a CV instead.
So how can you cut your resume down to two pages? You need to remove irrelevant and outdated information. Here are some tips to trim your resume down to be more effective.
How Are Federal Resumes Structured
Every applicant is unique and will have a different format for their resume.; Although there are certain guidelines which should be followed, you can structure your resume how you see fir.; This is mostly dependent on what your experience and education levels are and what format will help you stand out.
- Chronological typically the most common format, chronological order will list your work experience, your education, and any volunteer or community service activities. In addition, there is typically room left for awards and recognitions.; Chronologically ordered resumes will go in reverse order, with your most recent experience listed first.
- Functional these resumes do not focus on your job title, opting to focus on your skills, abilities, and accomplishments
- Combination these resumes are a mix of chronological and functional resumes. They typically list your functional experience first and then move onto your work experience in reverse chronological order.
- Targeted this is used when applying to a position that is not advertised. Usually reserved for internal moves, the targeted resume focuses on a specific company or position you have held.
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Topresume: Why Do Job Seekers Need A Special Resume When Applying For A Position In The Federal Government
TC Paulson: The federal application path itself is a more lengthy, involved, and comprehensive journey, so your resume needs to reflect that. However, it’s not just about developing a resume as complex as a government process there are lots of required elements you won’t find in a typical corporate hiring process, and it’s important that you include them all.
How To Write A Federal Resume
If youre applying for a position with a federal government agency, you may have to submit a specialized resume that includes several unique elements, in addition to traditional elements like education, work experience and contact information.
In this article, we explore what a federal resume is, what information to include in it and provide an example federal resume to help you write your own.
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Tr: So A Federal Resume Is Different What Does It Look Like
TP: First and foremost, you can expect a federal resume to be longer than a private sector one. A typical private-sector resume will be 12 pages in length, but to include all the critical data essential for the federal application process you might find yourself needing 3-7 pages for your resume, depending on the length and breadth of your work experience.
Related:;What You Need to Know About Applying to Federal Jobs
Writing Your Federal Resume
When applying for a federal job, forget what you;learned;about resume writing.;For private sector jobs, you typically;summarize;your work history in a one-page document, A;federal resume, even for an entry-level job needs to;be more detailed and;may;run;anywhere from two to five;pages;or more;since;you;need to;go into greater;depth about your skills;and your previous responsibilities;and accomplishments.;
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Focus On Your Most Recent Experience
Your potential employer wants to see your most recent skills and experience. You donât need to include an internship from 15 years ago! If you havenât used those skills since then, they are not going to help you land this job.
This applies to your work experience descriptions, as well. If you had the same responsibilities under multiple entries, consider including it only under the position you held most recently.
Put the focus on your most recent professional experience. In general, you shouldnât include any jobs from over 15 years ago. This will help you keep the focus on what youâre capable of now, as well as minimize age bias.
Exception: education. Your hard-earned degrees are almost always relevant, no matter how long ago you earned them.
What Are The Differences Between Federal And Private Sector Resumes
There are several differences between federal and civilian or private sector resumes.
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Add Your Citizenship Status
Include your citizenship and visa status in order to speed up the vetting process. You can list this as either yes, no, or simply write your work visa status.
Many positions in the federal government have specific requirements regarding citizenship, so this information is often required for job applications. Additionally, many jobs list the required citizenship status in the job description, so make sure you check that you qualify before applying.
Your Email Address Doesnt Matter Except That It Does
For example, if you are still using aol.com or bellsouth.net, that shows that you have not updated that part of your life, and begs the question whether you have updated other parts of your work life.
The smartest approach is use a professional email address, preferably, one that has your name . Also, verify that the display name is appropriate . Your email is the first impression most resume reviewers will have of you make it count!
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Using Saved Search Should Be An Integral Part Of Your Federal Job Search Strategy
Launched in 1996 as the single entry point for federal employment, USAJOBS.gov continues to evolve and improve at an adequate to moderately effective pace. ;Every year, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management launches invaluable new tools for federal applicants using the USAJOBS.gov website. Besides converting to a mobile-friendly responsive site in 2016, perhaps one of the most powerful of these tools is Saved Search. Having enough time to correctly apply for a federal job is crucial to your success in being referred, interviewed and hired. Up until 2017, the rule was, if a federal job announcement was open less than two weeks than it was already filled through internal or nepotistic channels. This is no longer true. Todays job announcements might be open for 3 days or close when a certain number of applicants have submitted their applications. Learning of an open job announcement the day it posts is now necessary to have the time to review the job announcement, ascertain your level of qualification and then edit your federal resume specifically to the job. In editing your resume to a specific position, you must provide quantifiable evidence of your skill sets and accomplishments according to the summary, responsibilities, minimum qualifications and occupational questionnaire of the announcement. To do it right, you need time.
Number Of Positions In Your Work Experience Section
Think twice before submitting a resume with more than 10 positions in the Work experience section. Are they are relevant? And if so, are they recent?
Answering these questions will help you sort the wheat from the chaff and keep your resume concise and clear. Try to narrow the list down to 4-7 positions at most.
The best way to go about it is to leave out any short-term positions, non-relevant, repetitive or non-paid or interim jobs. If you have some volunteering experience, move it to the Additional information section.
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What Are Dod Benefits
The Department of Defense is proud to give each of its employees a competitive benefits package, Recruitment and Work/Life Balance Incentives which include the following: Flexible schedules and possible telework. Family and medical leave. Family-friendly workplace including childcare centers in some locations.
Organize Your Resume To Make It Easy To Understand
You need to organize your resume to help agencies evaluate your experience. If you dont provide the information required for the hiring agency to determine your qualifications, you might not be considered for the job.
- Use reverse chronological order to list your experiencestart with your most recent experience first and work your way back.
- Provide greater detail for experience that is relevant to the job for which you are applying.
- Show all experiences and accomplishments under the job in which you earned it. This helps agencies determine the amount of experience you have with that particular skill.
- Use either bullet or paragraph format to describe your experiences and accomplishments.
- Use plain language avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood.
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Why Your Resume Should Be One Page
Your resume can safely stick to one page if that is all you need to market yourself. One page resumes can be scanned over quickly by the human eye, so a one-page resume could appeal to in-person scenarios like job fairs and networking events.
If you have a two-page resume with no work experience, it probably contains filler words and information that isnât relevant to your current job application. Cut your resume down to one page by tailoring your resume to your relevant experience.
If youâre making a career change, your past experience is unlikely to be fully relevant to the new job target. Try to lead with your transferable skills and abilities if youâre in this position, rather than experience. A functional resume format may be better for you.
The same goes for recent grads. Odds are that you donât have two pages of relevant experience. However, some graduates have multiple internships, volunteer work, on-campus activities, or publications that belong on a resume. If you just graduated, read more about how to search for a job as a recent graduate.
Tr: What Should A Federal Resume Include
TP: Like any traditional resume, a federal resume is a key tool in the first phase of the job application process. It is designed to showcase that you have the required qualifications for the specific job you are targeting.
A federal resume needs to keep pace with government policies and procedures for hiring, which means following mandated changes required by the Office of Personnel Management . It’s important that you redesign your resume so it complies with the core elements required by the majority of government agencies, all while, of course, including unique aspects of each specific job. It should detail the key aspects of your qualifications, including your experience, education, certifications, and any other relevant data. In addition, the header should contain your personal data including your name, contact information, citizenship, Veterans Preference, and federal employment history .
Overall, it should contain the following categories of information:
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Resumes Should Reflect Your Duties Yes And
Also include the accomplishments related to those duties to demonstrate how well you performed your job, regardless of whether the target is federal or a private sector position.
Showing that you simply have done a task is not sufficient. Show your accomplishments so that reviewers see the value you brought to that organization while completing your work.
All accomplishments should show how your experiences mattered and made a difference for that organization.
What Are The Formats For Federal Resumes
Most formatting styles remain uniform across Federal and traditional resume styles.; However, as a reminder for our readers, weve listed the general formatting rules below.
- ;the margins surrounding your resume should be set at 1 around. Anything shorter than 1 looks too condensed.
- Font Type ;the type of font you choose should be clean and modern. Stick with Calibri, Times New Roman, or Arial.
- Font Size ;the font size should also be uniform across the page. You will want to choose a font size between 10-12.
- Color ;we recommend veering clear of differing colors and recommend sticking with black as the color of choice.
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Choose A Suitable Resume Style
Its good to know that there are several different resume styles. They have different functions and serve different purposes.
Choose a resume style that will suit your needs. First, think about which elements youd like to showcase. Is it your most recent job history? Or would you rather like to showcase your skills first? Here are your options:
- Chronological:;the resume lists information in reverse chronological order, the most recent items are placed first.
- Functional;or skill based resume:; instead of your job titles, this format puts the focus on your skills, accomplishments, job traits and personal characteristics that employers expect future employees to have.
- Combination:;contains elements of both the chronological and functional styles of resumes by including your relevant skills and accomplishments first and then describing your employment and education in chronological order.
- Targeted:;the resume is tailored to a specific company or position, especially when you know positions exist at a particular company.
- USAJobs:;the website will automatically create your resume based on the information you provide in their resume builder.
How To Make Your Resume Fit The Appropriate Page Length
In order to help you meet these resume-length tips, limit the amount of experience you include to the last 15 years and tailor your resume to a 15-year window. Employers care most about the recent work you’ve been doing and how it ties back to their role’s requirements, so place the emphasis of your resume on your current and relevant experience.
There are a number of ways you can incorporate your earlier experience into the resume without spilling over into a third or fourth page.
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The Federal Resume Has Evolved And Is No Longer Epic In Length
As of this year, OPM now recommends your resume should be 5 pages or less using a minimum 11-point font. Some agencies are even going to five-page maximum Senior Executive Services packages with the resume, Executive Core Qualifications and Professional Technical Qualifications all included. Gone are the days of a 16-page resume for a GS-07 Supply Specialist as well. Mercifully, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities , separate narrative essay responses, have been eliminated and replaced by the multiple-choice Occupational Questionnaire.
As a rule, focus on the last decade of your experience with the last five years getting the most attention and detail. In addition to your duties, always include at least three quantifiable accomplishments in each job description. Do not repeat yourself. Do not include job descriptions that have nothing to do with the position you are seeking. Articulate your skills and accomplishments clearly and succinctly without feeling a need for convoluted or repetitive verbiage. Always only add sections that will help you get more points. Think Hemingway, not Tolstoy.