help writing a federal resume

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Writing a Resume in Microsoft Word

Writing a resume in Microsoft Word offers a step-by-step guide for creating a new resume or revising an old one. If you already have the program installed on your computer, it’s a free way to get a resume. A resume is your introduction and first impression to a prospective employer.

Using Templates

The Microsoft Word program includes useful templates for users. The templates serve as guides with structure and formatting already in place. Choose a basic resume, curriculum vitae or job-specific resume. Insert your information by typing it in the template. You’ll be able to make edits to the document and change the formatting details to make it your own. Examples are provided to give you an idea of what a polished resume should look like.

The Style of Resume

As you make changes in the design and edits in the template, keep in mind the image you want to project. The resume is a first-hand look at your personal brand. If you’re looking for a creative job, you might want a creative-looking resume. For a high-level professional position, you may want to keep it more formal. Fonts and colors can vary based on your preferences, but most employers agree that simple and basic are best.

Information to Include

There are important details that should be included in any resume. This includes your contact information including your name, address, email address, social media contact info and phone number. Your employment history is key, but it’s usually recommended to only go back 10-15 years. Give enough info to describe your former jobs, but not so much detail that the reader gets bogged down. Include awards and achievements that make you stand out.

Review the Resume

Once you’ve written your resume, review the details to make sure you didn’t leave anything out. Proofread and check the spelling of the entire document. Ask someone you trust to look over the resume. Your resume is the ticket for an interview, so it needs to be correct.

Final Touches

After your proofreading is complete, name the resume document and save it to the computer. When you apply online through a website application or email, you can attach the resume document. Print a few copies on good quality paper stock to take with you to an in-person interview. Having a hard copy in addition to the digital copy can be advantageous and shows that you’re prepared.

Tips for Writing a Federal Resume

Creating a federal resume that brings your qualifications to life and shows that you are a perfect fit for the job can be a challenge. Be sure to demonstrate how your skills, experience, training and education match the employer’s needs. Avoid misspelled words and bad grammar. Following are a few ways to make this easier.

Consider what positions you are interested in and review what qualifications or experience they require by reviewing different types of jobs and job opportunity announcements on USAJOBS . Gather information and begin to build out a description of your knowledge, skills and experience to add to your resume. How you present your skills and experience in your resume will help determine whether or not you are invited to interview for a job.

Attend job assistance training prior to departing the service. Contact your Transition Assistance Center as soon as possible and sign up for a Transition Assistance Program Workshop. If you are not near a Military Transition Center, you may use the services at Transition Assistance Offices operated by the other military services. Use your transition counselors. They have the tools and knowledge you need. If available, get their help in creating your first resume or filling out a draft application. Ask them to critique your work and then make the changes they suggest.

One size never fits all. As you apply for jobs, tailor your resume to the position’s requirements. Study the job opportunity announcement and emphasize the parts of your work history that match the qualification requirements listed there. It is important to portray your knowledge and skills as a match to the requirements of the position and demonstrate the ability to do the job. This is easy to do when you include your results, achievements and accomplishments. Minimize the use of technical jargon or specialized terminology (e.g., military abbreviations) in your resume.

Resumes are generally presented in one of three formats: chronological, functional or a combination of both. Which format you choose will depend, in part, on the type of work you have performed and whether or not you are going to continue in the same field.

Chronological resumes list work experience according to date, with the current job appearing first. Chronological resumes work well if your career has been progressive and you plan to continue in the same line of work.
Functional resumes are organized by the skills you have used on the job. Functional resumes work well if you are contemplating a new career, do not have a lengthy work history, or have held a number of different positions because they sell your abilities based on the skills you have acquired throughout your career. Be sure to include relevant volunteer experience.
Combination resumes both describe your work experience and highlight your skills. Combination resumes usually provide the most comprehensive overview of your career.

Unlike resumes used in the private sector, federal resumes require additional information. For each past job, give the standard information found in most resumes. Your federal resume should include the following:

Job announcement number, job title , and job grade of the job for which you are applying
Your full name, mailing address , day and evening phone numbers and home e-mail .
Country of citizenship , if different from U.S.
Veterans – Ensure that you attach or upload supporting documentation (e.g., DD214 or Statement of Service if still on Active Duty; SF-15, Application for 10-point preference; and Disability Rating Letter of 30% or more from the VA, if applicable).
Peace Corps / AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteers – If you are a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, you will need to provide your Description of Service (DOS) to claim non-competitive eligibility for federal jobs. AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers
Persons with Disabilities (Schedule A) – To verify eligibility for employment under the Schedule A hiring authority, you must provide proof of disability issued by a licensed medical professions, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any federal agency, state agency, or an agency of the District of Columbia, or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. Contact the Department’s Selective Placement Coordinators for help with hiring and accommodation requests.
Veterans – Keep in mind that your military training may count towards qualifications. Use your Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) document (DD Form 2586) to document your training and education.
Begin with your current position and list all other positions held in chronological order.
State the job title, starting and ending dates (including month and year), prior employer's name and address (or write "self-employed," if that applies), and major duties and accomplishments. Include any positions temporarily held.
Show the average number of hours worked per week or simply state "full-time"; salary or wage earned; supervisor's name, address and telephone number; and whether you’re most recent supervisor may be contacted.
Veterans - Avoid using military job titles or occupational codes. Instead, look at what you did using your Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) as a starting point. Employers prefer proven performers, so make sure you know what employers are looking for in comparison to your military work experience.
Indicate if your current supervisor can be contacted
Job-related training courses (title and year).
self-management skills refer to the way you manage yourself on the job (e.g., dependable, resourceful, etc.);
functional skills are the skills you use on the job or have used in previous jobs (e.g., operate equipment, supervise, analyze, etc.); and
technical skills relate to specific skills required to perform a described task (e.g., computer programming, accounting, sales, etc.)
Current job-related certificates and licenses - Make sure you understand the licensure and certification requirements for your job objective.
Job-related honors, awards, special accomplishments , leadership activities, memberships, or publications.

Once you have spell checked your resume, take a good look at its overall appearance. Is it appealing and easy to read? Is there enough white space? Are the margins appropriate? Have the headings, font and formatting style been used effectively? Keep in mind that your resume is an employer's first impression of you. Make sure it makes the best one possible.

Review the job announcements carefully for key words
Use verbs and adjectives (e.g., managed, implemented, created) that match key words identified in the job announcement.
Eliminate military lingo (use words such as personnel instead of squad or platoon).
Include your accomplishments; do not be shy, be truthful.
Focus on the mission of the agency and translate your experiences.
Your positive attitude and genuine enthusiasm goes a long way.

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What to include

What should I include in my federal resume?

Whether you’re a current federal employee or new to the federal government, your resume is the primary way for you to communicate your education, skills and experience.

Before you get started

Read the entire job announcement. Focus on the following sections to understand whether or not you qualify for the position. This critical information is found under:

Duties and Qualifications
How to Apply (including a preview of the assessment questionnaire, if applicable)
How You Will be Evaluated

Make sure you have the required experience and/or education before you apply. Hiring agencies use the job announcement to describe the job and the required qualifications, including:

Level and amount of experience

What to include in your resume

Federal jobs often require that you have experience in a particular type of work for a certain period of time. You must show how your skills and experiences meet the qualifications and requirements listed in the job announcement to be considered for the job.

Include important contact information

Don’t forget to add current contact information. Most job applications require this information:

Phone number

Read the job opportunity carefully to make sure you have included all required contact information.

Include dates, hours, level of experience and examples for each work experience

For each work experience you list, make sure you include:

Start and end dates (including the month and year).
The number of hours you worked per week.
The level and amount of experience—for instance, whether you served as a project manager or a team member helps to illustrate your level of experience.
Examples of relevant experiences and accomplishments that prove you can perform the tasks at the level required for the job as stated in the job announcement. Your experience needs to address every required qualification.

Program Analyst GS-343-11 January 2009—Present 40 Hours/Week $63,000/Year

Experience/Accomplishment

Include volunteer work and roles in community organizations

Don’t limit yourself to only including paid work experience. Include relevant volunteer work or community organizations roles that demonstrate your ability to do the job.

Use numbers to highlight your accomplishments

Use numbers, percentages or dollars to highlight your accomplishments—you can find this information in things like your performance reviews, previous job descriptions, awards and letters of recommendation.

When explaining your accomplishments:

Include examples of how you saved money, earned money or managed money.
Include examples of how you saved or managed time.
“Improved efficiency of document processing by 25 percent over the previous year”.
“Wrote 25 news releases in a three-week period under daily deadlines”.
“Managed a student organization budget of more than $7,000”.
“Wrote prospect letter that has brought in more than $25,000 in donations to date”.

These statements show in concrete terms what you accomplished.

More resume writing tips

Customize your resume.

You should tailor your resume to the job announcement rather than sending out the same resume for every job. Customizing your resume helps you match your competencies, knowledge, skills, abilities and experience to the requirements for each job. Emphasize your strengths and include everything you’ve done that relates to the job you’re seeking. Leave out experience that isn’t relevant.

Use similar terms and address every required qualification

Your experience needs to address every required qualification in the job announcement. Hiring agencies will look for specific terms in your resume to make sure you have the experience they’re seeking.

For example, if the qualifications section says you need experience with “MS Project” you need to use the words ” MS Project” in your resume.

Organize your resume to make it easy to understand

You need to organize your resume to help agencies evaluate your experience. If you don’t 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 experience—start 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.

Hiring agencies often receive dozens or even hundreds of resumes for certain positions. Hiring managers quickly skim through submissions and eliminate candidates who clearly are not qualified. Look at your resume and ask:

Can a hiring manager see my main credentials within 10 to 15 seconds?
Does critical information jump off the page?
Do I effectively sell myself on the top quarter of the first page?

Review your resume before you apply

Check your resume for spelling and grammatical errors and have someone else, with a good eye for detail, review your resume.

Important facts about the federal hiring process

The federal government does have a standard job application. Your resume is your application.
Hiring agencies use the job announcement to describe the job and list the required qualifications and responsibilities.
After applying, the hiring agency uses the information in your resume to verify if you have the required qualifications stated in the job announcement.
Once the hiring agency has determined who is qualified, they may use other assessments such as interviews or testing to determine the best qualified applications.

Learn more about the federal hiring process .

Additional resources

What should I leave out of my resume?
How to build a resume
How to create a resume

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Federal Resume Tips

Federal and private sector resumes.

Federal resumes differ from resumes used in the private sector with regard to both content and purpose.

multiple pages long
detailed description of work experience and qualifications
used to determine if you meet requirements/qualifications for a job announcement. Be sure to list all your experiences (including non-paid).
generally limited to two pages
brief summary of work history
used as a marketing tool to get an interview

In the Federal Government, your resume is your application. There may be an additional component called an assessment questionnaire . The assessment questionnaire asks you to rank yourself on your qualities necessary to do the job being advertised. It must support the experiences listed in your resume.

Curriculum Vitaes

An academic curriculum vitae does not provide enough information to determine if you meet eligibility requirements. If you use one, please be sure to add the information listed below.

Resume Content

Resumes must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria in the job announcement. It must also support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. To do this, be sure to include detailed examples in your resume.

Why? We operate under various federal employment laws, rules, and regulations. We are prohibited from drawing conclusions or making assumptions regarding your experience or qualifications.

Resume Checklist

We encourage you to use the USAJobs online Resume Builder . If you use your own resume, you must include the following information:

Contact information . This includes your name, address, day and evening telephone numbers, and email address
Citizenship (if other than the U.S.)
Relevant work experience . This includes paid and unpaid experiences. For instance, volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social)

For each employment listed, include the following information:

Dates of employment . Include beginning and end dates in the following format: month/day/year
Hours per week . We assume fulltime unless otherwise stated. Employment will be prorated in crediting experience.
Include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable). This information helps determine if you meet minimum eligibility requirements for the position.
Review the qualifications section in the job announcement closely and directly address the education, skills, and experience required in your resume.
Series and grade or equivalent (if a Federal position)

Education R equirement

If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, include the following:

Education history . Specify the type of degree and major of study.
Relevant courses . This information is needed if the position requires credit hours.

Do NOT Include

On your resume and cover letter, you should not include any of the following:

A photograph or video of yourself
Any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.)
Links to web pages
Spell out all acronyms .
Projects worked on
Specific duties and tasks
Tools, software, or systems
Results and outcomes (i.e. saved money, time, consolidated resources, etc.)
Example: an individual in the budget field has "worked with disseminating budgets for small projects." To make the description more relevant, the applicant describes the experience with numbers, "disseminated budgets for small projects amounting to $450,000."
Example: When a recruiter reads the keyword "analyst," he or she might assume you have experience in collecting data and evaluating effectiveness.
If a job announcement uses a keyword such as "develops," use it in your resume. It is representative of independence in work assignments and the range of responsibility for the available position.
Be honest . Be honest in describing your accomplishments, but not modest.
Use reverse chronological order to list experience . Start with your most recent experience first and work your way back. An exception: when it is more appropriate to list your most relevant work experience first (e.g. if you are changing careers).
Tailor your resume to include information relevant to the specific position you are applying to. Education and work experience that is indirectly related can be excluded if the resume begins to grow too long.
Be concise and keep paragraphs short. To make your resume easier to read, add a brief, relevant heading to paragraphs to maximize readability.
Use bullets to describe your experiences and accomplishments.
Ensure correct grammar and no spelling errors . Your resume is your first impression – make it a good one!
Resume Builder
Resume Writing
USAJOBS Guidance

Writing a Federal Resume

Is your resume one page? That’s fine for a private sector job. Your government resume, however, will need to have more detail, and it’s likely to grow to about two to five pages.

Key Components of a Federal Resume

The best way to create a federal resume is to use the resume builder on the federal government’s jobs website, USAJOBS. The resume builder will guide you through the whole process. And you don’t have to stick with one. You can create a resume tailored to fit different positions you apply for. You can also create a searchable, master resume, so HR specialists can contact you if there’s an opportunity that fits your skills and experience.

Building a Federal Resume

Candidate Information A federal resume will ask your citizenship status and most, but not all, positions require you to be a U.S. citizen. You’re also asked if you’ve worked for the federal government before and if you qualify for veterans preference —that is, you’ve served on active duty in the Armed Forces.

Work experience Your resume should list all the relevant jobs you’ve held.

Required : Employer, location, title, start and end date, average hours worked per week, responsibilities and accomplishments for each job you list.

Optional : A supervisor(s) as a reference and salary, although not listing salary doesn’t exclude resumes from consideration.

Education Include information on the schools you attended and the relevant coursework you completed. Only list degrees from accredited schools, or programs that meet the Office of Personnel Management’s standards . Provide as much information as possible to support your case that you’re the best person for the job.

Required : Schools attended and degrees obtained.

Optional : Grade-point averages, relevant coursework, academic papers or projects, key presentations, honors received, other important accomplishments.

Optional Information

For the best shot at a position, provide as much pertinent information as possible in optional sections, including:

Job–related training 

This could include classes, seminars, coursework, certifications or training that relates to the skills and experience the position requires.

References 

Consider listing professional or personal references who can vouch for your character, work ethic and dependability—such as colleagues, classmates and mentors.

Language skills 

Include the languages you have experience in, and your level of proficiency.

Affiliations 

Use this to list professional associations, societies, clubs or other organizations you belong to and to highlight leadership roles and volunteer experiences you’ve had that relate to the position description.

Professional publications

If you’ve been published, include the outlets you’ve contributed to, the publication names and the date your submissions were published.

Additional information 

You can add other relevant information, including awards, leadership activities, public speaking engagements or volunteer experience. You can also add your availability, the type of work environment you seek and your desired location. Even if your interests and desires don’t match the position’s needs, your resume will stay in the running.

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Writing a federal government resume

This page provides an overview with examples of how to write a federal government resume, which have content and formatting that differ from most private sector resumes.

How to write a Federal resume

Written by , external, Amanda Costello , 18F content designer and gummi bear enthusiast, July 10, 2019.

Writing a US federal resume is hard. When I started writing mine, all I wanted was a solid example. What needs to be there, in what order, and what would it look like with real information. This is that example. ( Law and Order chimes )

Below are excerpts from my federal resume, along with details and notes about how it’s written and formatted. I want more awesome folks from all backgrounds and experiences as colleagues. I don’t want the resume formatting or particulars to be a mystery; it’s already a very challenging piece of writing.

General things to keep in mind:

This resume’s job is to connect the requirements of the job posting to your experience using the straightest possible line . I printed out the job posting and highlighted every key phrase of the requirements, qualifications, and what kind of work this job would do. I then made that into a checklist to make sure each one of those things could clearly be mapped to my resume.
Throw out your formatting. I used CAPS for headers, italics for mission statements, and bullet points. Expect that the bulk of your formatting will be stripped out. No columns, no fanciness. Just write. Hard.
Speaking of writing: get your words going, and then get more words. I had to submit two writing samples, and that was where I could show off my content strategy particulars. Remember the job of the resume content: clear, straight lines between the requirements and your experience.

Explicit disclaimer: This resume format is what I chose to use in applying to 18F in the US Federal Government’s General Services Administration. It is not the only acceptable format, but is what worked well for me. I currently work as a content designer at 18F, but put this together on my own time, using no government resources to do so. Using this formatting is not a guarantee of consideration. You still gotta do the work.

Want to chat more about this? I’m on Twitter: , external, @amandaesque

My comments below will all be in code demo backticks .

And now, the resume!

Everything about this top material is standardized formatting. Go ahead and put your own info in just like this.

AMANDA COSTELLO 123 Lutefisk Street You Betcha, MN 55555 Mobile: 555-555-5555

Email: Availability: April 1, 2020 Job Type: Permanent, Telework Work Schedule: Full-Time

Desired locations: United States - MN

WORK EXPERIENCE

Below is an example of one job, and how I talked about it. I recommend listing as complete of a job history as you can for at least the last 7 years, more ideally the last 10 years. Here's a formatting example!

Workplace name, Unit name if relevant - City, State, Country Your job title - MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY - Hours per week: xx

Mission statement(s) of the workplace, or summary of the company’s work on a larger scale.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES A paragraph-long description of what the work was overall. Describe your work using a wide scope, leaving the specific details for later.

SPECIFIC TOPIC (e.g. CONTENT STRATEGY)

Examples are in a bulleted list, each point describing a project or part of a project, or a piece of work that fits the heading, plus matches up with the qualifications/reqs.
I chose to start each bullet with a past tense verb (Collaborated, Wrote, Managed, Edited), because that’s how I usually write resumes.
Some of these bullets reference specific things I wrote, and those were included as writing samples with my application.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Software you know, tools you use, best practices and methods. This can’t just be a list, but has to have context in your work overview of how and why they were used. Also, please throw Microsoft Word on there because I was once rejected from a job in 2007 because I put “Microsoft Office” and the listing said “Microsoft Word.” Word matching! Seriously!

SELECTED WORK:

Another bulleted list, this time of URLs related to work I did.
They had quick little blurbs underneath about what they were, and what I did.
Photos won’t come through on this resume, so no screenshots or anything.

End of formatting example!

University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development - Minneapolis, MN Lead Content Strategist - 07/2012 to Present - Hours per week: 40

The mission of the College of Education and Human Development is to contribute to a just and sustainable future through engagement with the local and global communities to enhance human learning and development at all stages of the life span. The college is part of the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, a land-grant high-level research institution, dedicated to generating and preserving knowledge through research, sharing that knowledge through teaching and learning, and apply that knowledge through outreach and public service.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Developed and led college-wide content strategy combining current and prospective student needs with college goals for recruitment and retention. Worked as a member of a cross-functional team including designers, developers, business analysts, marketers, and well as content strategists across 7 academic departments to promote and deliver effective processes and consistent content strategy.

CONTENT STRATEGY:

Collaborated with college academic departments, research centers, student support offices, and senior leadership to develop a “bottom up” content strategy, prioritizing student needs based on their relationships with academic programs. Assessed content through the lens of recruitment and retention.
Wrote “Stakeholder’s Guide To Launch,” a two-page reference for the launch of a new college website. By anticipating the top questions stakeholders might field, this guide gave talking points surrounding new features, along with contacts for further questions.
Served as strategist, editor, and project manager for regular essay series on college diversity and inclusion work, written by academic leadership. This generated authentic, meaningful content and helped stakeholders better understand the time commitment involved in content production.
Established user-centered college voice and tone guidelines, using “A, but not B” format. This was informed by close work with students in formal and informal usability testing, and brand sort activities with college leadership and key stakeholders.

USER EXPERIENCE (UX) WRITING:

Combined findings from user research, new graduate student interviews, faculty and researcher focus groups, higher ed industry trends, and analytics to consolidate more than 600 areas of academic research expertise into 111 categories. Categories were deployed across the college for consistent organization and increased findability of research work.
Developed strategy and standards to categorize and sort 127 academic programs and 111 areas of research expertise. This was incorporated into two web-based tools developed in-house and allowed students to explore college offerings and expertise independent of department. Wrote and edited descriptions for each area, capped at 25 words to promote ease of reading and top-level understanding.
Planned, edited, and delivered a “Web Writing Best Practices” guide for college content strategists. Formatted as a “one-pager” for printing and pinning up as a reference, this collected links to and recommendations from external tools and guides (Hemingway, 18F, King County Editorial Guide), internal editorial recommendations from the university and college, and voice and tone particulars. Strategists often felt intimidated and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of recommendations connected to good web content; this guide promoted four starting points to improve content: addressing the user (you/your/yours and we/our/ours), employing structured content, concise writing, and using plain language.

USABILITY TESTING AND USER RESEARCH:

Led and managed annual process of web usability testing, including project kick-offs, stakeholder workshops, scenario development, task analysis, lab and field-based testing, issues analysis, research and recommendation presentations to project team members, key stakeholders and college senior leadership.
Helped subject-matter expert teams and stakeholders understand their users through research and usability testing methods, defining problems and crafting effective solutions based on both quantitative and qualitative data.

COLLABORATION ON CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS:

Contributed to responsive redesign of college website by conducting a content audit, editing student-facing content for an overall 75% file reduction, and migrating updated content to custom-built CMS. Collaborated with design and development teams to create comprehensive style guides, pattern library interface copy.
Convened monthly “coworking days” among all college web professionals, bringing us together as a team of peers for a day of training, collaborative problem solving, idea sharing, and camaraderie. Set programming, mentored colleagues on presentations, and collected feedback to regularly adjust how our central content strategy was best supporting the specific work of the departments.

ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH:

Advocated for content strategy best practices to over 30 University departments by regularly meeting with peers and presenting to leadership stakeholder groups. Promoted clear, consistent, user-centered writing from all contributors, even those who don’t identify as “web people,” and facilitated collaboration across organizational silos to increase efficiency and support.
Consulted with faculty and staff in academic departments outside the college that frequently contributed to content strategy. Regular guest lecturer and student mentor in the Writing Studies program.
Contributed as one of four subject matter experts to the University of Minnesota’s Content Strategy Self-Help Guide, recommending resources and structuring process for the centrally-maintained system to help contributors at all levels improve content writing and strategic thinking for the web.
Frequently presented at local Twin Cities-based tech meetups, translating content strategy best practices to adjacent fields such as front- and back-end development, UX research, accessibility, interactive design, and marketing.

Provided strategic content design with skills in copywriting, style guides, plain language, comprehension/reading levels. Conducted usability evaluations using card sorting (OptimumSort), tree testing (Treejack), direct observation user research methods. Worked on a cross-functional team that used Asana, Trello, Slack, Hemingway, pattern libraries, Google Drive, MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point), and semantic HTML.

CEHD Academic Programs, www.cehd.umn.edu/programs Developed content and structure for directory/sorting tool
CEHD Research & Expertise, www.cehd.umn.edu/topics/ Created new content structure around college research, including categories and descriptions
UMN Content Strategy Self-Help Guide, , external, z.umn.edu/csmap Subject matter expert for update to university-wide guide

VOLUNTEER WORK

Your volunteer work doesn’t count as experience for scoring, but is still good to include. I used a format similar to the work experience job entry above, though used the bulleted list format for duties and responsibilities, and shortened everything up.

MinneWebCon Annual Conference - Minneapolis, MN - www.minnewebcon.org Conference Director - 10/2011 - 06/2015

MinneWebCon is a two-day web conference in Minneapolis that encourages inclusive grassroots knowledge-sharing. In addition to keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and half-day workshops, our annual conference is a space for speakers and attendees to collaborate, talk, learn, ask, test, and grow.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Directed volunteer-run tech conference for 200+ annual attendees, bringing local and national speakers to the Twin Cities web community.
Oversaw event logistics, speaker recruitment and support, partnerships and sponsorships, promotion, and attendee experience with conference committee support and input.
Introduced speaker mentoring program, pairing conference speakers with an experienced mentor to review slides, practice presentations, and provide support.
Expanded conference to two-day event in 2012, adding half-day workshops to meet attendee demand for deeper learning.

SELECTED SPEAKING AND PRESENTATIONS

I do a lot of presentations and workshops, and they’re a big part of who I am and how I share my work with the community. This is a shortened list to show you what examples look like, including upcoming talks. Like volunteer work, this does not count towards experience scoring, and is optional.

My resume listed about 15 sessions that I thought were particularly relevant to this job. I also had sections on selected publications and selected podcast guest appearances, because those are cool too!

“How Silos Learn: Working in the Idea Factory,” closing keynote address - 08/2018 (scheduled) PSEWEB Conference - London, ON, Canada
“Better Stakeholder Wrangling,” half-day workshop - 10/2018 (scheduled) edUi Conference - Charlottesville, VA
“Better Stakeholder Wrangling,” half-day workshop - 05/2018 Confab: The Content Strategy Conference - Minneapolis, MN
“Explain Anything to Your Boss & Grandboss,” closing keynote address - 05/2018 Manage Digital Conference - Minneapolis, MN
“How Silos Learn,” opening keynote address - 10/2017 Digital Project Management Summit - Las Vegas, NV

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN United States Bachelor's Degree MM/YYYY Major: English Minor: Japanese

You can add in particular awards or distinctions here too. I was not a particularly distinguished student. :)

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Language: Japanese Spoken Level: Novice Written Level: Novice Reading Level: Novice

This is totally optional. For each language you speak in addition to English, list the levels at which you speak, write, and read. More details: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/profile/languages/

Name: Super Awesomeboss Employer: University of Minnesota Title: The Best Boss Email: [email protected]

While I listed references on my resume, it’s not required. The hiring folks wouldn’t cold call your references, they’d ask you for their contact information later on in the process.

, external, [email protected]

Handbook.tts.gsa.gov

An official website of the U.S. General Services Administration

How to Write a Federal Resume in 2023 [3 Free Templates]

Creating a federal resume is a lot trickier than a conventional one.

For starters, you need to make it way more comprehensive (3-4 pages instead of the usual 1-2).

You also have to add very specific details, such as your GS rating, clearance, and more.

Want to learn how to create/build a federal resume the easy way?

What’s a Federal Resume & How Does It Differ From a Conventional One
How to Write a Federal Resume in 6 Easy Steps
How to Look for Federal Jobs

So, let’s get started.

What’s a Federal Resume?

A federal resume, as the name implies, is the type of resume you need to make in order to apply for US federal positions.

It is similar to the conventional resume in the way you describe your experiences. You include all the must-have sections in your resume, and describe your skills and past experiences.

There are, however, some differences from a conventional resume that make creating a federal one a bit trickier.

Federal Resume VS Conventional Resume - Key Differences

The differences between the two types of resumes are as follows:

Sounds a bit complicated, right?

Worry not - once you’ve gotten the hang of it, writing a federal resume becomes a child’s play.

And you’re about to learn just how you can do that!

How to Write a Federal Resume [6 Easy Steps]

Step #1. start with a trusted format.

There are 3 typical resumes formats you can pick from:

Reverse-chronological: this one’s the standard and it lists your experiences from most recent to the oldest one.
Functional . This one doesn’t include work experiences and focuses solely on your skills.
Combination , a mix of the other 2 formats.

Since you’re making a federal resume, though, you need to go with a reverse-chronological format .

It’s the most common format in the US and is recognized by every single federal recruiter.

How Long Should a Federal Resume Be?

While a traditional resume is 1-2 pages max , the federal resume provides you with a LOT more freedom.

As we highlighted above, a federal resume includes a lot more detail than the conventional one. So, if you aim for 1-2 pages, you’ll just come off as lazy (and most likely unable to list all the information you need to land the job).

Which Format Should You Use ForYour Federal Resume?

Unless the job ad specifically asks for a specific format, we recommend you stick to PDF.

A PDF resume maintains its original formatting and will look just like you intended regardless of which computer you open it with.

The same, however, can’t be said for a Word resume format.

Should I Use a Federal Resume Template?

Yep - if you use a resume template, your resume is going to be a lot more noticeable and at the same time, easier to create.

You can pick one of our hand-crafted CV templates and get started with yours in minutes!

Step #2. Include a Detailed Contact Information Section

Once you’ve picked your federal resume format, you should create a contact information section at the top of your resume.

That's where you include the typical information you’d put on a standard resume:

Phone Number
Email Address

For a federal resume, also include the following essentials:

Citizenship.
Mailing Address.
Highest GS Score. You can find yours here .
Veterans’ Preference (0, 5, or 10). Find yours here .
Disability. Learn more about this here .
Clearance (if any)
Desired Location (if relevant)

202-555-0101

[email protected]

Citizenship: United States

Desired Job Type: Security Specialist

Highest Federal Pay Grade: GS-10

Desired Location: US, Massachusetts

Step #3. Create an Attention-Grabbing Resume Summary

Federal or not, a resume summary is essential.

Picture this: you’re a hiring manager and you’ve got 1,000 resumes to go through for a single position.

Are you going to 1) go through them in detail , one by one, and read them cover to cover?

Or 2) glance through them , find the ones that are relevant and give them in-depth attention.

You’d probably pick #2 (and so do hiring managers).

This is exactly where the resume summary comes in.

A resume summary is a short, 2-4 sentence paragraph that goes right on top of your resume (under contact information). As the name implies, it’s used to quickly summarize your work experience and give the hiring manager a snapshot of your application.

If you get the resume summary right, then you can rest assured that the hiring manager is going to read your resume start-to-end.

Federal Resume Summary Example

A well-written federal resume summary contains the following information:

Your title & objective (i.e. the job you’re applying for)
2-3 of your most noteworthy achievements or key responsibilities
2-3 of your top skills
Your areas of expertise

Here is a real-life federal resume summary example:

Maintenance and Management professional with 10+ years of experience seeking the role of a Production Planning Manager. Past experience includes equipment maintenance and repair, policy enforcement, transportation coordination, and more. Seeking a GS-10 to a GS-11 position.

Step #4. List Your Past Work Experiences in Detail

Your work experience section is going to make or break your federal resume.

At the end of the day, this is what hiring managers really care about, while the rest of your resume is supposed to “support” this section.

Creating a convincing work experience section for a federal resume is a 2-parter:

First, you need to make sure that you include all the relevant work experience information.

Then, you need to present your path responsibilities and achievements in the most convincing way possible.

Let us teach you how to do both:

What to Include in a Federal Resume Work Experience Section

For each entry in your work experience section, start off with the employment information. This includes:

Employer name
City & State
Hours Worked Per Week
GS Rating (If Relevant)
Supervisor’s Name
Supervisor’s Contact Information
Whether It’s OK to Contact Supervisor

Supervisory Security Specialist

National Nuclear Security Administration

04/2015 - Present

Washington, DC

Pay Grade: GS12

Average Hours Per Week: 40

Supervisor: Michelle Doe (202-555-0180)

Yes, you may contact the supervisor.

Then, in plain text or in bullet points, describe all your responsibilities and achievements right underneath each work experience.

If you had several roles for the same employer, bold out each role and put the corresponding responsibilities and achievements underneath.

Here, It’s important to note that you want to be as detailed as possible, compared to when compiling a conventional resume.

For the latter, you’d list out 4-6 bullets of your top achievements and responsibilities and call it a day. With a federal resume, you need to include more information.

Oversaw the Office of Defense Nuclear Security (DMS). Handled HR processes including classification, recruitment, training, workforce management, and more. Responsible for developing NNSA policies and guidance, as well providing guidance to NSSA headquarters, NNSA field organizations, and NSSA contract organizations.
Exceeded sales KPIs by 20% for 3 months in a row
Responsible for outbound cold calling, doing up to 100+ calls per day.

How to Write a Convincing Work Experience Section

Now, let’s talk about part 2:

How do you effectively communicate your past achievements and responsibilities?

The key here is to be as achievement-focused as possible.

Most job seekers, when writing about their past work experiences, tend to talk about their former responsibilities.

While this is OK (and will land you a job here and there), it doesn’t help you stand out much.

The hiring manager can probably figure out what your past responsibilities were - they’re hiring for your role, after all.

What they’re really interested to learn about you is how you excel compared to the rest of the job-seekers.

So, instead of saying:

Managed 3 projects from start to finish over the last year.
Helped implement a cutting-edge project management solution organization-wide, improving employee output by 20% for the year.

Step #5. Add Your Educational History

Next up in the federal resume is your educational history.

This one’s pretty straightforward - all you need to do is mention the following:

College name
Type of degree
# of years attended (or semesters completed)

If specifically requested, you might also need to include the same information for your high school or GED.

Here’s what your education section would look like on your federal resume:

Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service

Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, United States

08/2014 - 05/2018

Major: International Relations
Minor: International Business
Graduated Magna cum laude

Step #6. Top It Off With Optional Sections

If you have space left on your resume, you can add some of the following common resume sections to help you stand out:

Awards & Accolades

Certifications

Professional Associations
Relevant Training
Volunteer Experience
Won first place in the Google Code Jam competition.
Certification of Professional Achievement in Data Science (2019)
English - Native
French - Intermediate

Technical Skills

Federal Job Search Resources

There are a ton of useful internet resources to help you get a job in the federal government. Here are some of our top favorites:

USA Jobs is the official government portal for federal jobs and careers.
Learn how, exactly, the US government hires candidates .
Discover the most in-demand government jobs here .
If you’re a non-citizen, learn everything there’s to know about government jobs .
If you’re looking for a job in a specific government agency, you can browse through the options here .
If you’re a student looking for a government job, go here for entry-level positions .
If you’ve served in the military, check out FedsHireVets.gov - it contains all the information you need about getting a federal job as a veteran.

And finally, in addition to USA Jobs, you can find federal work on the following websites:

Careers in Government
GovtJobs.com
CareerOneStop
GovernmentJobs.com

Other Federal Resume & Job Search Tips

At this point, your federal resume should be ready.

But before you go and start your job search, here are some of our top tips to help you succeed in landing your next job!

#1. Tailor Your Federal Resume to the Job

If you’re applying to several different types of jobs, make sure to tailor your resume to each of them.

A very common mistake job seekers make is that they create a single resume for dozens of positions.

This is effective at times, but it very rarely works for the type of job you’d LOVE to have.

So how do you tailor the resume? it’s pretty straightforward. Look up a job you’d like to apply for, and read the responsibilities and skills required in great detail.

Then, cross-reference it with your resume.

In many cases, you’ll see that you DO have a lot of the required experiences , you just didn’t mention them because you didn’t have space, or because you thought other types of experiences were more important.

Now all you have to do is add the relevant information to your resume, and you’re good to go!

#2. Mind the Additional Documents

Federal positions will commonly ask you for additional documents other than your resume.

If you miss one, chances are, you’re going to get disqualified (even if you have the most eye-catching federal resume in the world).

So, carefully read about the job you’re applying for and ensure that you have all the right documents.

Some documents required for federal jobs include:

Cover letter
Academic transcripts

#3. Are You Still Struggling? Hire a Federal Resume Expert!

If you’re still struggling with building an effective federal resume, you can always hire an expert to give you a helping hand.

Check out some of the best career coaches in 2023 here.

Federal Resume FAQ

Do you still have some lingering questions on how to build an effective federal resume? We’ll answer them here!

1. What should I include in my federal resume?

In your federal resume, include the following sections:

Contact information
Resume summary
Work experience
Optional sections like skills, languages, etc.

2. What format should my federal resume follow?

Definitely reverse-chronological.

The other 2 resume formats (functional and combination) are nowhere near as popular and are more likely to ruin your chances to land the job if the hiring manager isn’t familiar with them.

3. Should I include my picture on my federal resume?

No , you should not include a picture in your federal resume .

You should also avoid adding any sensitive personal information (age, date of birth, marital status, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.), as well as links to any websites.

4. How long should my federal resume be?

Your federal resume should be around 4 to 6 pages long, as opposed to the conventional resume which is 1-2 pages.

The reason for this is that federal resumes require a lot more background information about you than the traditional ones.

Key Takeaways

Phew, that was a lot to take in!

Now, let’s recap all the key points we’ve covered about creating a federal resume:

A federal resume should be 4 to 6 pages long.
It should be very detailed and include all sorts of essential information, such as GS codes, citizenship, hours worked per week, and more.
In a federal resume, include the following sections: contact information, resume summary, work experience, education.
If you have additional space left, you can also add things like volunteering experience, certifications, skills, etc.

Related Resume Examples

Military Resume
Paralegal Resume
Career Change Resume

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We offer fast turnaround times 24/7, 365 days a year. Same day (EXPEDITED) service is also available for rush orders. See a USAJOBS® vacancy announcement that closes today? Federal Resume USA® can help you meet the closing deadline.

Need your federal resume, ECQs, TQs, KSAs and/or onlineOccupational Questionnaire narrative written today?…no problem, same day (EXPEDITED) service is available! “Don’t pay thousands of dollars, expensive hourly rates for resume writing services or KSA writing again!” The federal government is the largest employer in the U.S. and the federal career opportunities, benefits, salaries and opportunities for stability and growth are excellent! Our industry leading and experienced certified federal resume writers know what federal resumes must contain and what job series specific “buzzwords” selecting officials expect to see when deciding whether to place an applicant on the certification list as the most highly qualified candidate who will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration and interview!

Are you tired of applying to countless federal positions through USAJOBS® without success? If you already have a resume, and have not received an interview or federal job offer, Federal Resume USA® can help you. Federal Resume USA® is different from all other online federal resume writing services because our certified federal resume writers are independent contractors who are current senior level federal employees with hiring experience and expertise in virtually every federal job series on USAJOBS® !

Unlike other online resume writing services that claim to be experts in writing federal resumes; our certified federal resume writers are actual current senior level federal government employees who know exactly what it takes to get hired and to excel in any federal occupational series and job title in the federal workplace. Our certified federal resume writers are experts in the federal application process and know better than anyone else how to effectively word your federal resume to get you an interview for the federal position you want.

Only Federal Resume USA® offers all its customers “free updating and revising” services at NO additional charge for life! Become one of the countless satisfied customers that find success with America’s #1 federal resume writing service for USAJOBS – Federal Resume USA®.

Your career in the U.S. Federal Government starts with us!

Our independent federal resume writers and editors know exactly what federal job series specific “buzzwords” a federal resume should contain and know exactly how a federal resume should be formatted for virtually every federal occupational job series for good reason. Why? Unlike other federal resume writing services, Federal Resume USA® certified editors are actual senior level federal employees within the federal government! Our formula for success is simple – who better to help you write an effective federal resume to get you on the “cert” list to be interviewed for a federal position in the federal department or agency you desire, than someone who possesses specialized knowledge of the relevant federal application process.

No matter whether you’re currently a student, college graduate, private sector employee, current federal employee, professional, executive or member of the military transitioning to the federal civilian sector, our resume writers and editors are federal employment experts who know exactly how to customize your existing resume to get you past your competition, interviewed and hired.

Are you looking to transition out of the military into a federal job? The specific details of your military experience may be difficult to decipher for a federal civilian hiring manager. Our military-transition federal resume expert editors know exactly how to articulate why you’re the best candidate for the job from your Military Service Records (i.e., DD Form 214, Discharge Papers, Separation Documents, and other Military personnel records). Enjoy the highest quality military transition federal resume and military resume cover letter services available and score an interview in today’s ultra-competitive federal job market.

Become one of the thousands of federal applicants that find success with Federal Resume USA®.

FREE FEDERAL RESUME UPDATING AND REVISING FOR LIFE!

As a Federal Resume USA® customer, you’ll never have to pay us or another federal resume writing service again to update or revise your federal resume. Ever! We’ll take care of it for you, at no additional charge.

As a Federal Resume USA® customer, you get an unparalleled advantage over the competition. Federal Resume USA® understands it’s not always what you know, but who you know that counts. No one knows the federal government like Federal Resume USA® certified federal resume writers.

Invest your money wisely; put the proven power of Federal Resume USA® federal resume services to work for you!

Federal Resume USA® writes effective USAJOBS®-Compliant federal resumes with the right “buzzwords” for any USAJOBS® advertised federal position in any of the U.S. Government departments, agencies and bureaus. We specialize in helping the following federal job seekers below:

The Military to Civilian Occupation Translator will help you match your military skills and experience to civilian occupations for us to create the best military to civilian resume for you for any private sector job – free of charge – CEO, Federal Resume USA® – our way of saying THANK YOU for serving!

“Our certified federal resume writers’ hearts are in the right place. We have the nation’s MOST QUALIFIED group of expert Federal resume writers. All our editors are experienced current senior level federal government employees with hiring experience and expertise in every federal job series” – CEO, Federal Resume USA®

Your career in the U.S. Federal Government starts with us!

Our independent federal resume writers and editors know exactly what “buzzwords” a federal resume should contain and know exactly how a federal resume should be formatted for virtually every federal occupational job series for good reason. Why? Unlike other federal resume writing services, Federal Resume USA® certified editors are actual senior level federal employees within the federal government! Our formula for success is simple – who better to help you write an effective federal resume to get you on the “cert” list to be interviewed for a federal position in the federal department or agency you desire, than someone who possesses specialized knowledge of the relevant federal application process.

Here’s How To Get Started

2. After placing your order online, our patented resume retrieval system will enable you to easily upload your current resume, relevant military records, multiple USAJOBS® vacancy announcements and any additional information safely and securely thru SSL encryption (all personally identifiable information (PII) is automatically encrypted) . If you do not have a specific USAJOBS® vacancy announcement in mind, simply let us know what your federal career goals and objectives are at the upload page and your assigned lead editor will contact you to get additional information to develop one (1) comprehensive federal resume for you to use to apply to multiple federal positions in which you are best qualified based upon your experience.

3. The appropriate Federal Resume USA® certified federal resume writer with specialized knowledge of your target federal job series, agency and position is then immediately assigned to your customer account. Your assigned lead editor will contact you within 24 hours and work with other editors assigned to your account to create an effective custom-tailored federal resume for your identified target USAJOBS® vacancy announcements and federal job series. Your assigned lead editor is an invaluable federal resource who is there to answer your federal job application and interview questions.

4. Your assigned lead editor will communicate with you throughout the development of your federal resume package. It’s fast and easy!

5. When you receive your Federal Resume USA® federal resume package via email, your expert federal resume writer will provide you with easy to follow step-by-step instructions to ensure timely receipt of all your federal resume application documents.

6. Once you’re a Federal Resume USA® customer we properly update and revise your federal resume for FREE for life! Only Federal Resume USA® offers this invaluable free lifetime service.

Who we've worked with

What clients say

All federal resume writing services come with the following complimentary services, ABSOLUTELY FREE:

All Federal Resume USA® federal resumes are keyword optimized to improve results for documents uploaded to USAJOBS®.

New Lifetime KSA and Occupational Questionnaire Creation included with every online federal resume order. Limited Time Offer ( Never write another KSA or USAJOBS® Occupational Questionnaire narrative again! )

New Free Military Spouse Resume included with every online federal resume order. Limited Time Offer

Normal turnaround time 3 to 5 days from date of order (7 days a week) with expedited (same day) service available for rush orders .

Call Website Customer Service 24hrs a day/7 days a week

Federal Resume

Showcase your federal qualifications. A federal resume is a key tool in the application process. It goes beyond simply sharing your skills and experience to carefully showcase the qualifications for the specific job you are targeting.

Reviewed by the community. Trusted by professionals.

based on 12,729 reviews on

based on 12,729 reviews

Very impressed with how it was worded and put together.

I’ve written an enormous amount of evaluations for my guys in the military, and thought I could put the right words down that would accurately describe what I can offer an employer. I struggled to the point of a mental block, but TopResume was able to do it in a short amount of time! I was so impressed that I purchased a federal resume to cover all my bases.

Eric Heuerman

Top Resume vs Government "Expert" Resume writer

I am an older person, trying to return to work, after a workplace injury. I was sent by by Federal Government employer to a "resume expert", and in two years, I have not received one job interview. I submitted the same resume to "TopResume" and they gave me 5 detailed pages as to how I could correct "the government expert's" resume. I found that very useful and are going to pay for their services to re-write mine. Thank you

Trish Andrew

I plan on investing in this service.

Going into this I knew my resume needed a lot of work, since I've only had experience writing resumes for military/federal jobs that have clear cut instructions on content and style. That being said, I love the fact that the turnaround on the review only took about 36-48hrs and was extremely detailed/broken down. Emily's review felt personal, as in she takes pride in it not the "just a job" mindset. And, not only did they do the review free, they give you tips on how to fix it yourself. Lastly, the review wasn't bombarded with ads/links for their services (which I believe are very reasonably priced for the investment). Thank you TopResume and Emily.

Rewriting a Federal Employee Resume for the Private Sector

I work for the federal government and needed a resume to transition to the private sector. In a federal government resume, one has to list everything. Top Resume. My resume write, Jenna, within 25 hours provided me with a two-page resume that captured my last 15 years of federal service. My resume know has impactful and "achiever" language, especially since I have been with the same employer for over 10 years. However, I have held different roles. Jenna and I went through 2-3 minor iterations of my resume. When I showed my resume to friends in the private sector, they liked the formatting, layout, language, and that it is all of two pages.

Excellent work on a Federal resume

Excellent work on a Federal resume and working knowledge of the Federal hiring process.Very fast turnaround.

Excellent job!

My writer Mark D. did an excellent job with everything! Very detailed and listened to all my requests. Excellent job, he really knows today’s resume style formats, for both standard and federal formats. He also did my LinkedIn profile very nicely and professionally. He was very professional. Highly recommend him! Thank you Top Resume for all your help and service for a job well done!

My federal resume is much better

Bill did a great job on my federal resume. It looks and reads much better than the previous format.

Larry Ruffin

Federal Resume. I had a federal Resume done through Top Resume, and I must say, at first I was a little iffy about whether or not they could up me with a Federal Resume for Criminal Investigative Roles. But I must say, I was highly impressed with the work and Resume that I received. Not only was It precisely what I was looking for and needed, but anytime I had questions or concerns, my email's where always answered swiftly. I recommend Top Resume to anyone who has a hard time with trying to get their Resume to sound professional, is not for sure where to start when it comes to a Resume, or just want's a leg up when it comes to Resumes. These people are awesome!

Best Resume Writers!!!

Was able to get a great federal resume written by a top notch expert that was able to translate all my US Navy experience, training, evaluations and awards into terms that makes it easier for hiring officials to understand. First company that I used my Top Resume called within days. Would recommend again!

Elvin Matos Rodriguez

Great product, surprised me with the results.

I am 62 years old with 35 great years at one company so my resume certainly needed rehabilitation to promote my current skills. Top Resume did what they advertised. I consider myself a good writer but I was not getting traction. Bobbye T made it stellar using current formats required by digital readers. I used the services for both the Standard resume as well as the Federal resume (significantly different requirements) and immediately I was receiving contacts for good jobs and no more "rejections" at the first screen in the Federal hiring process. I had a very good experience even though it took a couple days to get connected with my writer.

Robert Koop

Comprehensively convey the value you can bring to a government agency, with a professionally written federal resume .

Robust, keyword-rich selection of your unique top achievements

Compliance with the core elements required by many government agencies

Optimization within the standards of Category Ranking

Did you know?

A standard resume won’t cut it when applying to a job in the federal field..

Certain government resources offer specific templates to use during the application process for a federal job. If you deviate from these templates, you risk losing out to a candidate who applied properly . Not to mention, the process itself is pretty complex.

Many career coaches recommend having a professional resume writer create the documents for you, as they stay up-to-date with training regarding the federal job application process. So, simplify your job search and ensure that every application you submit counts , with a professionally written resume optimized for the federal position you are targeting.

Get a Federal resume for only $199!

About Our Services

What is the free resume review?

TopResume knows what recruiters are looking for and how to present yourself on paper to maximize opportunities. We will review your resume for free, to provide:

Free, confidential, personalized evaluation from trusted experts

Objective feedback on layout, language and how well your resume communicates your skills and expertise

Personalized recommendations on how to make your resume stronger

Upload your resume for a free review now and you'll receive your personalized expert review within 2 business days.

Does every job seeker need professional resume -writing services?

No, not everyone needs professional help with their resume . That’s why our resume experts will review your resume ; to determine whether it’s formatted correctly and successfully showcases your skills. If your resume is already in good shape, we will be sure to let you know!

How much does a professionally written resume cost?

We offer multiple resume -writing packages, so whether you’re an entry-level employee or a C-level executive looking to change careers, we have what you need.

If you’re wondering whether resume -writing services are tax-deductible, the answer is yes (in most cases). Speak to your accountant or our support team for further instructions regarding tax deductions. You can also visit the IRS website .

How does the resume -writing process work?

TopResume uses the expert knowledge of our resume writers, combined with feedback from resume -scanning software called applicant tracking systems (ATS). ATS filters applicants based on keywords and formatting, and TopResume analyzes your resume using similar technology. Our expert writers break down this analysis to figure out how to make your resume more effective.

Your writer will collaborate with you to provide a first draft, which will be delivered to you in about a week. Then, you'll have another week to provide feedback to your writer, with up to two rounds of revisions. The process typically takes one to two weeks.

How it Works

Does TopResume provide additional job-search services?

In addition to resume , we professionally write cover letters and LinkedIn profiles . For help with interviews, we now also offer TopInterview , which provides proven strategies and customized interview coaching from the best in the industry.

You can check out our blog for all things resume and career advice. Learn more here .

What is Affirm?

TopResume has partnered with Affirm to offer our customers the option of paying over 3, 6, or 12 months periods. With rates from 0% APR or 10-36% APR. On a $349 purchase, you may pay $31.50 for 12 months with a 15% APR. See if you qualify.

If you have any further questions about Affirm you can click here to learn more.

Let us tell your best career story.

TopResume is the largest resume-writing service in the world. Our writer network is made up of certified career coaches, recruiters, and professionals with expertise in more than 65 industries. So, we can match you with the perfect writer to determine how to best tell your career story.

IMAGES

Entry Level Federal Resume Samples [PDF+MS Word]
Federal Resume—Examples and 25+ Writing Tips
How to Write a Federal Resume (Tips + Examples)
FBI Resume: Template, Example and Guide [PDF+Word]
How to Write an Effective Federal Resume (What to Include & Tips)
Federal Resume Writing 101: Everything You Need to Know

VIDEO

You can apply for these federal remote jobs on usajobs.gov. Make sure you qualify before applying!
Job Club: Preparing A Federal Resume
Resume Writing in English for class 11-12 || Resume Writing Formate || Resume Writing for Exams
Why education has failed
Federal Resume Workshop
Job Posting Parts Explained: "This Job is Open To…"

COMMENTS

Writing a Resume in Microsoft Word
Writing a resume in Microsoft Word offers a step-by-step guide for creating a new resume or revising an old one. If you already have the program installed on your computer, it’s a free way to get a resume. A resume is your introduction and ...
Applying Military Experience: Tips for Writing a Standout Resume
Are you a military veteran looking to transition into the civilian workforce? One of the first and most important steps in this process is creating a resume that effectively showcases your skills and experiences.
Save Money, Land Jobs: Mastering the Art of Free Resume Writing
In today’s competitive job market, having a well-crafted resume is essential to stand out from the crowd. However, professional resume writing services can be costly, leaving many job seekers wondering if there is a way to create a high-qua...
How To Write a Federal Resume (Plus Tips and Example)
How to write a federal resume · 1. Identify the role. Before your contact information, consider identifying the role you're applying for. · 2.
Tips for Writing a Federal Resume
Content · Begin with your current position and list all other positions held in chronological order. · State the job title, starting and ending dates (including
USAJOBS Help Center
More resume writing tips · Customize your resume · Use similar terms and address every required qualification · Organize your resume to make it easy to understand.
Federal Resume Tips
Format · Use reverse chronological order to list experience. · Tailor your resume to include information relevant to the specific position you are applying to.
Writing a Federal Resume
Include information on the schools you attended and the relevant coursework you completed. Only list degrees from accredited schools, or programs that meet the
writing An EFFECTIVE FEDERAL RESUME
Using the Resume Builder in USAJOBS helps ensure that you include this essential information. The following information is required when applying for Federal.
Writing a federal government resume
I used CAPS for headers, italics for mission statements, and bullet points. Expect that the bulk of your formatting will be stripped out. No columns, no
How to Write a Federal Resume in 2023 [3 Free Templates]
Step #3. Create an Attention-Grabbing Resume Summary · Your title & objective (i.e. the job you're applying for) · 2-3 of your most noteworthy achievements or key
FEDERAL RESUME WRITING
Minimum qualifications are standards set by the U.S.. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to help ensure that federal employees are, indeed, qualified for
Federal Resume Writing
Federal Resume USA® is America's #1 certified federal resume writing service and provider of federal resumes for USAJOBS® – The Federal Government's Official
Federal Resume Writing Service
TopResume is the largest resume-writing service in the world. Our writer network is made up of certified career coaches, recruiters, and professionals with