writing An EFFECTIVE FEDERAL RESUME

WRITING AN

EFFECTIVE

FEDERAL RESUME

Your resume should provide details of your job-related skills, be results

driven and demonstrate your ability to perform well in the target position.

A guide to

understanding and

writing an effective

Federal resume. Your

resume is your

marketing tool in

which to describe why

you may be the best

candidate for the

position for which you

are applying.

When writing your resume, you should consider your accomplishments, making your resume is

results-driven. It is best to break your resume down into major sections, outlining personal

information, education, experience and other qualifying information. The Job Opportunity

Announcement (JOA) may specify information that must be included on your resume, so please

read it carefully. Using the Resume Builder in USAJOBS helps ensure that you include this

essential information. The following information is required when applying for Federal

positions. Omitting this information could result in your being determined unqualified for the

position.

Personal Information Education

Full Name School Name, Country, City/State Zip Code

Mailing Address Degree Attained or Pursuing/Major

Email Address Completion Date or Expected Date of Completion

Phone Number Major - GPA* required if stated in JOA

Citizenship Total Credits (if not completed)*

Military Status Honors*

Job-Related Coursework*

*This information is optional, but recommended.

Also Include the Following Information (if applicable)

• Selective Service Registration Status (Males)

• Eligibility for Derived Veterans Preference (information can be found at www.OPM.gov

or www.Fedshirevets.gov )

• Federal Employee Status (Current Federal civilian employee, former Federal employee

[with or without] reinstatement eligibility)

• Any Hiring Paths for which you may be eligible

Example of Work Experience

Employer Name and Full Address or City and State

Job Title, Grade (if Federal), Rank (if Military)

Salary*

Employment Dates (month/year – month/year) – critical in determining amount of experience

Number of Hours Worked Per Week – critical in determining amount of experience

Supervisor’s Name and Phone Number

May we contact your current supervisor?*

Duties and Accomplishments - You must show how your skills and experiences meet the

qualifications and other requirements listed in the JOA to be considered for the job. Also,

consider the level of your experience. For instance, did you serve as a team lead or a team

member? Also, include examples of relevant experiences and accomplishments that prove you

can perform the duties of the position, at the level required for the job.

Use numbers, percentages or dollars to quantify your accomplishments. Include examples of

how you saved time, money, managed money, improved a process, etc. Examples: Improved

The following sections

are required when

applying for Federal

positions. Omitting

this information could

result in your being

determined unqualified

for the position.

Particularly important

are the dates of

employment, as well

as the number of hours

worked per week in

each position.

customer service ratings by 15%; presented with the Director’s Award for implementing process

improvements for incoming contracts.

Tailor your resume to the job of interest. Be sure to address the job-related competencies that are

detailed in the announcement and emphasize your strengths. Hiring agencies will look for

specific terms in your resume to make sure you have the necessary experience they’re seeking.

For example, if the qualifications section says you need conduct “data analysis”, your resume

should include the term “data analysis” and how you used the skill.

Make your resume easy to read. In other words, use plain language and a basic 12 font print.

Consider breaking your experience up into sections related to each major duty. Once you decide

on the major duties, list them. You can then describe the specific tasks related to each major

duty. Example:

Project Analysis

• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses and evaluations on the effectiveness of

operations within headquarters as well as in the field, meeting established goals and

objectives.

• Coordinate the receipt and oversee processing of over 15,000 grant applications.

Routinely exceed processing deadlines by a minimum of 18%.

Data Management

• Developed an office tracking system for managing an increased number of audit report

requirements. The new system improved workflow, file management, and

communication methods, which resulted in meeting reporting deadlines for the first time

in 5 years.

• Collect and maintain program financial, evaluation, and outcome data for over 30

projects operating within the organization. Analyze data quarterly and brief organization

leadership.

Translating Military Experience

Do not overuse military jargon and acronyms to describe your experience. If your resume is

filled with military terms, you may confuse the employer, which could lead to your

disqualification. Think of how you would explain your military job during a conversation. What

terminology would you use to be understood? Also, consider translating your military job title to

one comparable in the civilian workforce. Below are examples of how to translate military

experience, titles and general terms to civilian terminology.

Example of translating military experience to civilian:

• Military Job - Led an infantry platoon in combat operations, providing tactical and

technical guidance to subordinates and professional support to both officers and

subordinates. Led, supervised, and trained subordinate personnel in areas of logistics,

defense and maintenance of military equipment.

• Translation - Supervised and trained 150 personnel in the areas of weapons, military

vehicles operations and maintenance, and provided guidance to ensure their safety and

survival while in combat situations. Advised upper management on matters related to

overall company operations, which included supply levels and status, human resources

and budget matters. Evaluated and counseled staff on performance and conduct matters.

Oversaw inventory of over 2,000 line items and material assets, valued at over $50M.

This person may apply for Logistics and Management positions based on skills used in the

military position.

Examples of military job titles to civilian titles:

➢ Medic/Corpsman Health Care Specialist

➢ Commanding Officer/Commander Senior Manager/Director

➢ Resource Advisor Budget Analyst

➢ Senior NCO Supervisor

➢ Executive Officer Deputy Director

➢ Supply Sergeant Supply/Logistics Manager

Examples of general military terms to civilian:

➢ Troops Staff or Employees

➢ Medal Award

➢ Squad/Platoon Section or Team

➢ Subordinates/Service Members Employees

➢ S3 Training and Operations

➢ Reconnaissance Data Collection and Analysis

Examples of transferable skills:

➢ Leadership – indicate whether you supervised or led staff

➢ Technical – stress specific skills such as computer programming or contracting

➢ Negotiation – show how you can convince someone to do something or to accept your

ideas

➢ Problem Solving – describe situations where you had to resolve a conflict or work issue

➢ Communication – stress your ability to write effectively and to communicate verbally

For additional information on how to translate your military experience to a civilian resume,

consider going to www.military.com and use the Skills Translator.

Skills/Certifications

You may include any related skills and certifications. This information is only required when

stated in the job opportunity announcement.

Volunteer Work

You should include unpaid experiences if they are related to the target position. Volunteer

experience may be included in a separate section or listed with other work experience. Please

note however, that the same information is required as with regular work experience, as outlined

above.

Sample Resume Template

Jane A. Jones

123 College Street, Cincinnati, OH 45231

Home: 513-123-4567

Email: [email protected]

U.S. Citizen

Federal Status (e.g. Career, Career Conditional)

Veterans’ Preference (if any)

Selective Service Registration Status (Males only)

TECHNICAL SKILLS or SUMMARY OF SKILLS

This is not a requirement, however you can highlight specific skills you possess that are related

to the position. Example:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite

• Pre-audit analysis

• Skilled in tax examinations

WORK EXPERIENCE

Internal Revenue Service December 2017-Current

1234 Work Street, Covington, KY 41011 40 hours per week

Internal Revenue Agency GS-0512-7

Supervisor: Ms. Jackie Smith (859) 555-1111

(May Contact)

• Examine and audit individual, business and corporate tax returns to determine correct federal

tax liabilities

• Conduct field examinations and discuss findings with the taxpayer or their representative

• Perform package audits to ensure compliance, and determine need for multiple year

examinations based on findings

• Conduct pre-audit analysis of assigned cases, researching any available background

materials, and formulating a plan for the audit

• Received public recognition and time-off award for consistently completing a minimum of

20 additional analyses per year

Ace Financial August 2015-April 2017

1234 Work Street, Cincinnati, OH 41073 20 hours per week

Accounting Assistant (Internship) $21,000 per year

Supervisor: Ms. Jackie Smith (513) 555-1111

(May Contact)

• Developed monthly statements

• Researched and resolved invoice discrepancies

• Entered accounts payable and accounts receivable into accounting system

• Processed payments and organized client billing folders

• Assisted with daily cash balancing

• Reconciled bank statements and ledger accounts

EDUCATION

If the position requires education or certification to qualify, consider creating a section that

details the information. Below is an example of how you can communicate your education. You

can also include other job-related training and certifications.

Type of Degree/Certification Completion or Expected Completion Date

Institution, City and State GPA (if required)

Relevant Coursework

You may list some of the completed coursework if it is related to the job, especially if you haven’t

completed your degree or certification. This is not a requirement.

Examples:

Bachelor’s of Science Information Systems Completion date: 12/2018

Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA GPA: 3.6

Certification in Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Completion date: 8/2019

Volunteer experience is just as important as paid experience. Include the same employment

information as you would for paid work.

VOLUNTEER/COMMUNITY SERVICE EXPERIENCE

Your Taxes Done Right (non-profit) March 2017 - Current

123 Tax Drive, Covington, KY 41016 15 Hours Per Week

Tax Preparer

Supervisor: Jack Johnson, (859) 555-0000

• Assist more than 250 individuals each year with filing their taxes

• Stay abreast of new tax laws and advise peers of changes

• Interpret tax laws for colleagues and clients to ensure accurate submission of information

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

You can list awards, recognitions and achievements in this section. Consider those that are

recent and related to the position and include them as well. If you have little to no work

experience, you may include other awards. See the examples below.

• Sustained Outstanding Performance Ratings 2014 – 2019

• Director’s Award - 2018

• Member of the National Honors Society – 2017

***** OPTIONAL INFORMATION YOU MAY INCLUDE (SAMPLES) *****

Job-related training

• Calculating Taxes for Individuals - 2018

• Itemizing Federal Taxes – 2018 and 2019

• Exemption Laws for Tax Preparers – 2019

Language Skills

• Fluent in speaking and writing Spanish

• Skilled in conversational French

Professional Affiliations (Particularly those that are job related)

• Lifetime member of the National Association of Tax Professionals

References – not required on uploaded resume – we recommend you take a list of references to

interview

• In addition to providing the names of your current supervisor, you may want to

list professional references who can vouch for your skills, character, work ethic and

dependability.