How To Write A Government Resume

How To Write Your Federal Resume

Public service is never a question of social status or fame. For job seekers to make the grade, they need to show off their skills and prove their qualifications for the vacant post. Anyone, of course, can try. But in the end, federal agencies will only choose the best. Hence, job hunters must endure an intense federal resume writing task and withstand the stern race to succeed. If youre looking for government resume writing services, our federal resume writers can help!

Theres no other resume writing task thats tougher than doing a federal resume. Many job seekers for a federal job post will agree that this task is tiring. With that, lets look at what a federal resume is, what to put, and tips on how to write one its difference from a civilian resume and some resume samples to further guide you how to write your own.

List Your Citizenship Gs Grade Veteran Status And Availability

Below your contact information, include the following elements:

Citizenship

Write whether you are a naturalized citizen, permanent resident, have dual citizenship or other relevant citizenship status. This information is used to determine eligibility for certain roles, departments and organizations, though some government jobs employ citizens of other countries that have a valid visa.

GS grade

Only list your highest pay grade if you have previously worked for the federal government. If you have not been given a GS grade and have not been a government employee before, you may be required to provide relevant salary information during the interview process.

Veteran status

If you are currently or have previously served in the military, list the military branch, your current rank and pay grade or what rank and pay you had upon discharge. You may also choose to disclose a veteran-relation status if you are a child or spouse of a current or discharged member of the military.

Availability

Mention whether youre available for a part-time or full-time job, and list if its a temporary or permanent position. Use full-time, permanent to classify your willingness to work full-time unless the role you applied to is a temporary position.

Its A Good Idea To Incorporate Specific Keywords

If the post youre applying for doesnt include any particular KSA questions, examine the job opening thoroughly to see what knowledge, skills, and abilities the organization is looking for. Keep an eye out for keywords as you read the text. Make sure you incorporate them in your resume and KSA statements. It is a quick and easy way to customize your resume to a specific post.

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Writing Your Federal Resume: How To Write A Government Resume

When applying for a position with the government, you may need to expand and elaborate on details that make you stand out as a qualified candidate for the position you applied for. You may also be required to include other specialized information that assists hiring personnel in verifying your details.

In this article, we explain what a government resume is and how to write one tailored to a specific position. We have also included a template and example to help you write your own.

Tips For Writing Your Federal Resume

When it comes to finding a job, you probably already know that you should tailor to your resume to the job announcement. But did you know that federal positions require a completely different style of resume? Unlike a private sector resume, a federal resume is typically several pages long and includes a high level of detail. Here are our top tips for crafting a federal resume that is sure to get you noticed for all the right reasons.

Tailor Your Resume to a Specific Job Announcement

• This is one of the most important steps in writing your federal resume. For each positon you apply for on USAJOBS, you need to tailor your resume specifically for what the job announcement is looking for. Your resume should be a reflection of the qualifications, duties, and requirements listed in the job announcement you are applying for.
• Bonus Tip: Be proactive and start building your federal resume before finding that perfect job announcement! Go to www.opm.gov and review the general schedule qualifications standards. This is a list of all of the job series for federal employment. You can find most federal positions here and tailor your resume based on the requirements and qualifications from OPM .

Match Keywords

Use the USAJOBS Resume Builder

Write At Least 1 Accomplishment For Each Position

Still searching for more in-depth assistance with federal resume writing? Contact your installations Transition Readiness staff or the Network.

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What Is The Correct Date Format In A Cover Letter

You can use any standard date format to write a cover letter for a government job. The most appropriate date format for a cover letter can be , . For example, August 17, 2021. If you prefer, you can use a numeric date format, //. This is a format the Canadian government uses and makes it easy for the recipient to understand.

How Long Should A Federal Resume Be

Also, a federal resume is usually longer than a civilian resume. While most civilian resumes are 1 to 2 pages long, federal resumes can be at least 3 to 4 pages long.

Another difference is that a civilian resume is commonly used as a marketing tool to get a job interview, while a federal resume is used to gauge if you meet the needs for a certain job announcement.

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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.

How To Write A Good Resume

Your resume must clearly, concisely and strategically present your qualifications to get a recruiter interested in meeting you. It should convey your skills, work experience and assets. The resume is used to describe what you can accomplish professionally in a manner that also illustrates what you can do for an employer. Job opportunities can arise unexpectedly. An updated modern resume is the key to a successful job search. Here are some do’s and don’ts of how to write a good resume and what to include.

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Government Of Canada Resume Format

Writing an effective resume for job competitions in the Government of Canada is not an easy task. HR managers go through hundreds of resumes daily and apart from the initial scan from a computerized system, an outstanding resume is the key to be screened in for further testing.

Not only is it necessary that your resume is presented without grammatical errors,it must also be done in a manner that is appealing to hiring managers. Below is the winning format for resumes.Provided that you have the minimum experience required, this format provides key elements that will get your application screened in and has worked for many individuals inside the federal service. Before I continue, I must underline that resumes for job positions in the federal public service must illustrate passion and drive.

Government of Canada hiring managers want employees who are confident of their skill set.

To start, like a regular resume, a personal information section is necessary:

The personal information section should include:

• Name

I do not recommend that you put your home address for three reasons:

1) The large majority of government communication is done through email.

2) This information is already in your online profile.

3) It takes up 2-3 lines of precious space on your resume that you need for more important things.

Education

Experience

Here is an example of how to do this:

Now that you know how to explain what you did based on the Statement of Criteria you will need to:

Languages

Tr: Is It Really Necessary To Employ A Resume

TP: You can certainly write your federal resume on your own, but letting a professional resume-writing service like TopResume do it for you will save you time and, more importantly, optimize your chances of landing the interview. Resume writing is a crucial part of landing the position you want, so why not leave this sensitive and complex job to an expert?

Our federal resume writers are carefully selected to ensure that they are knowledgeable of the general application process for federal jobs, the structure of the USAJOBS website, the elements of a vacancy announcement, and TopResume’s resume-writing standards. Armed with your critical information and their expert knowledge of the process, your TopResume federal resume writer will craft a federal resume that will leave you feeling confident in your applications.

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Provide Your Contact Information

As with a regular resume, you should always include the appropriate contact information and your current position. Start with your first name, current job title, phone number, personal email address and physical address. This information may be used to verify your identity in addition to serving as your primary contact information should your resume make it to the next step of the application process.

The Functional Or Skills

The functional or skills-based résumé highlights what you have to offer. It emphasizes your achievements or the skills youve acquired from past experiences.

Here are a few examples of skills:

• Proficiency in using a hydraulic press
• Ability to write reports

Describe your skills, starting with those most relevant to the job you’re applying for.

This type of résumé is recommended in the following cases:

• You have little or no work experience.
• You have held a number of unrelated jobs.
• You wish to emphasize talents that you have never had the opportunity to demonstrate in a work environment.
• You wish to highlight skills that can be transferred to a professional field unrelated to your past experiences.

Don’t opt for this type of résumé if you want to showcase how far you’ve come in your career.

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United States Army Transition Assistance Program

TAP helps transitioning Soldiers prepare for civilian life after active duty.

If youre considering leaving Army active duty service, you and your family will have many decisions to make. One of these is whether or not you are interested in pursuing a federal government job after your time on active duty.

Serving the government from the civilian sector is a great opportunity, but many transitioning Soldiers never get their foot in the door due to simple mistakes made on federal resumes.

If youre serious about pursuing federal employment, check to make sure your resume is free from the following errors:

1. Using the Word I on Your Resume

Resumes should be written in a professional manner. Just like newspaper reporters write stories from the third-person perspective versus from their point of view, a resume shouldnt be written in the first person. Clean up your resume to use action words versus putting yourself in the resume through the use of the word I.

When youre transitioning to the civilian sector, it is important to use a professional email address. This makes it easier for employers to know that who they are corresponding with via email matches the name on the resume. Having unique email addresses may not set you apart from the crowd, but could in fact make it harder for an employer to remember the connection between your email conversation and your resume. Personal branding is very important in modern career searches.

Jobs That May Require A Federal Resume

There are a wide variety of jobs available with the federal government that need a complete federal resume, including:

• Law enforcement: Positions for police, criminal investigation, border security or national security often require a federal resume.

• Legal: If you have legal training, you could consider a position as a public attorney, paralegal or judge.

• International relations: You can apply your language skills as an interpreter or work in foreign affairs and other diplomatic positions.

• Technology: If you have education and experience within IT, you can find work in programming, networking and other IT specialties within a variety of government agencies.

• Engineering: Whether electronic, civil or general engineering, various government departments that often hire these specialties include Transport and Energy.

• Business: Accountancy, management and marketing skills can be used working in commerce or the treasury.

• Medicine: The federal government often hires doctors, nurses, pharmacists and medical technicians to fill roles in public health, research and healthcare policy.

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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.

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Example Of A Cover Letter For Government Jobs

Here is an example of a cover letter for a job within the government:

Albert Richards

123 Main St. Hamilton, ON L8S 1A2

Dear Alice Graham,

I am writing to express my interest in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s inspection and enforcement officer position. I have witnessed various Canadian Food Inspection Agency changes as a seasoned food and safety expert for over 10 years. My experience in food and safety is highly relevant and will be very helpful for this position.

This opportunity makes me excited to contribute to my fellow citizens’ food safety, health, and future generations. At Wilcox Beverages and Snacks, I learned how to make consumables safer during production and processing. I also checked our products for any issues that could harm our customers and the organization’s image. A recent survey on our farm shows that my team and I helped reduce safety issues in a product by 60%. I have never seen such a significant change in my career after implementing various measures and changes.

My attention to detail and expertise about harmful substances can help me make sure organizations make food products and consumables safer for the public. I believe we can approach each application for inspection with keenness using the right procedure.

Thank you for taking the time to go through my application and getting to know my professional background. I am excited to impact the food and safety sector and develop my career within your company.

Sincerely,

Albert Richards

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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:

How To Answer Ksa Questions

In the past, most government jobs required candidates to answer a series of KSA questions to determine their qualifications. KSAs inquiries were responded to in separate statements, one for each one, resulting in a lengthy summary. Currently, federal departments and agencies can still request the KSA as a separate document answering the question.

When you receive a KSA request from a federal human resources specialist, consider each question carefully before responding.

Follow these procedures to prepare responses to KSAs:

• Take the time to read the job opening.
• Analyze your resume.
• Fill up the fields with relevant information for each KSA.
• It would help if you wrote your KSAs in the first person.
• Pay attention to any results over which you had a direct influence.
• Examine your answers and make sure that there are no errors.

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List Your Work Experience

Federal resumes require a detailed accounting of your work experience over the last 10 years. Similarly to normal resumes, it is best to begin the body of your federal resume with professional experience, especially in positions related to the job you are applying for. If you are lacking significant professional experience, consider listing your education first and choose the most applicable positions that prove you are suited for the job.

To provide the most detailed account of your qualifications, include the following information when describing each of your work experiences:

Related: Listing Professional Experience on Your Resume

Choose The Right Words To Attract Attention

As you start to pull your resumé together remember to identify how you are a good fit for the job by highlighting your strengths and choosing your words with care. Here are some tips to help you organize and target your skill and strengths for the job you want:

New technology has made word choice more important than ever. Some employers use resumé tracking software that will evaluate resumés based on the words and phrases the employer wants and uses. If your resumé doesnt use the same words as in the job posting, the software may not choose your resumé for the employer to read. For example, the tracking software may recognize manager, but not your change to management.

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