Writing a federal job resume is a serious task that requires enough time. Comparing with a standard resume, this document includes more detailed information about your skills and past work experience. If you don't have any experience in writing this paper, you may feel confused about what to include in this document to write and format it properly. In our article, we will highlight the most successful techniques to make a good resume.
9 Hints to Make a Great Federal Job Resume
Follow these nine successful tips to write a good resume:
1. Read the List of Jobs.
Make sure your experience and skills match the federal job you are applying for. Discover key information about the chosen position to understand what skills you should demonstrate in the federal job resume. You may see that every job announcement has the same layout but different requirements for candidates. It is useful to use keywords to find positions that fit your skills perfectly.
2. Make the Checklist.
If you are making a federal job resume, it is quite important to include full data about the requested skills. It is easy to miss something: if you did it, your resume may be discarded. You can prevent this error with a checklist - just follow it during making your resume, then check your document thoroughly when it is finished.
3. Outline Your Resume Properly.
Your document must be well-organized; we suggest making a clear plan before writing. Follow the standard structure: put your qualifications and accomplishments in a chronological order (the recent ones should be written at the beginning). Your main task is to demonstrate yourself. Show the employer that you fit the specific job perfectly.
4. Write Your Application in the Active Voice.
A standard federal job resume includes 3-10 pages. Use a clear style to create your document: just demonstrate your skills and experience, define your achievements, mention your goals, explain why you are the best candidate for the position. Every section of your federal resume must contain relevant, clear information.
5. Format Your Resume Properly.
Needless to say, most of the recruiters decide in about 15-20 seconds if they are going to continue working with your resume or reject it. If you included a lot of odd information in your document, it will be hard for a hiring manager to find important information. He or she may discard your resume even if you have all the needed skills for the job. We suggest including in your federal resume the employment history for the past 10 years. Make sure all sections of your resume contain clear information only.
6. Use Numbers to Highlight Your Accomplishments.
The best way to write about your accomplishments is to use numbers. You can use dollar amounts or percentages to measure your success. It will help you to create a persuasive federal resume to prove your achievements. For example, if you write that you have developed a new business plan at your past job, it is just a statement for the employer. But if you would say your newly developed business plan helped to increase profit at 5%, this highlights your experience much better.
7. Don't Forget to Contact Your References.
If you are making a federal resume, it is important to include your references. Before submitting your resume, contact your references to refresh their memory about your work. This will help you a lot. Your references will provide the recruiter with relevant and clear information about your experience at the past job.
8. Proofread Your Resume Thoroughly.
After you have finished the federal resume, do not forget to revise it. Re-read your document for several times to find and correct all grammar errors to make your federal resume look professional. Remember that if your resume contains errors, you will be discarded from the hiring pool even though you have all the needed skills and experience for the government work.
9. Submit Your Application Within a Deadline.
Many resumes from applicants are discarded because they have missed the deadline. You may find the deadline on the first page of the vacancy for the certain position. If you live in a different time zone, convert the time. Set a reminder to yourself when you have to submit your resume to send your document within a deadline.
Categories of the Federal Job Resume
A resume is an important document that contains detailed information about your education, work experience, training, certification, awards, etc. The header of your resume must contain your full name, contact data, citizenship. In fact, the entire paper should have categories with relevant information:
- Job History. This section contains information about your work experience. Feel free to write a list of your professional or military career; don't forget to include a detailed description of each position. You should also include terms of working on every position, salary, working hours, and your supervisors' contact information.
- Information about the Education. If you make a traditional resume, it is enough just to list your education shortly. A federal resume requires more detailed data: you have to include information about credit hours, GPA, the date when you completed the degree, the various awards you have got during studying.
- Certifications and Training. If you apply to work for the government, it is important to inform the employer about the training programs and certifications you earned. Do not forget to specify the names of the organizations; write the date when you completed the training program.
- Additional Details. If you have your own publications, or if you are a member of any associations, this data should be included in your resume. If you have special skills in particular technologies, or if you speak foreign languages, feel free to write this information in this section. Do not forget about references. Include contacts of your past managers, supervisors, even coworkers - just make sure they can describe you as a responsible and skilled worker.
We hope that our article was useful for creating a successful federal resume. Good luck in getting the chosen position!