Basics of Federal Resumes

Introduction to a Federal Resume

A Federal Resume is one which is accepted within the federal government and is very different from the commonly used private sector resumes. In order to apply for a federal job, it is required of you to adhere to a completely different set of rules and criteria as well as to have a very different approach. Unlike resumes meant for the private sector, federal resumes are very specific in nature as its main purpose is not to get an interview but to meet the eligibility requirements and to be ‘certified’ by the Human Resource office. Given below are certain points which if followed, will help you in your job search pursuits.

• Read the job vacancy advertisement VERY carefully: You need to present your information according to the requirements of the agency.
• Specifics of the job: Mention in detail the job announcement number, title, series and grade of the job being applied for.
• Personal details: Clearly provide your full name, mailing address, zip code, official email address, phone numbers with area codes, Social Security Number, country of citizenship, veteran’s preference, reinstatement eligibility, and the highest federal civilian grade held.
• Education: In the chronological order, state your academic credentials starting right from high school to college or university. Along with the name of the institute, mention the city and the state. Similarly, the diploma or the degrees received should be accompanied with the month and year of receiving the certification as well as the grade and the major subjects taken.
• KSA: This is a narrative statement component which matches your skills to the job being applied for. Make sure to give detailed information in this section.
• Other Qualifications: Mention any job related courses, certifications and licensures and special accomplishments.
• Work Experience: List all job titles, the tenure, responsibilities, and all major contributions to the company. Even if your experience does not match the advertised job, do not leave it out because you can still qualify through equivalent experience. If required, also list the employer’s and supervisor’s name, address, and phone numbers, hours per week, and salary and make it clear whether previous employers can be contacted.
• Awards: Highlight any awards received and give a one line description along with the dates.
• Publications and Presentations: Whether work related or not, you need to list any publication and presentation. It adds value.
• Professional Affiliations: List all professional memberships along with their dates. Do not mention them if they date decades back and the memberships have expired.

Writing a federal resume is not a simple process and a lot of care must be given to making it effective. You must remember that where a federal resume is required, a functional one will not work. Everything must be in the chronological order, complete with the smallest of details. It is recommended that you cover about ten years of your experience and the length should not be more than three to five pages, along with additional pages to list your skills and abilities and any announcement-specific information. If in case you do not have so much of work experience, your resume can be a single or a two-paged resume, but everything must be detailed. Since, each and every piece of information that you provide is critically evaluated, you need to craft an outstanding resume and statement that demonstrates your full potential and focuses on the quality of your past accomplishments.