How Many References Should You Have
Most job seekers should have between three and four references on their reference page.
However, if youre applying for a position that requires extensive vetting like a senior-level role, you should include between five and seven professional references.
But remember that all of your references should be high quality. Each reference should be able to meaningfully attest to your professional strengths and character. Dont include more references just to hit a higher number.
The Federal Resume Format
Federal resumes also known as USAJOBS resumes can be entered in the online builder on usajobs.gov. Deviating from the expected federal resume format and especially the important content which is critical in demonstrating you are qualified for the job in which you are applying are the essential elements to include an applicants federal resume. The following categories must be populated into your federal resume to ensure compliance.
- State or federal government experience
Other federal resume elements include a specialized experience to match the job vacancy, skills, experience, keywords and core competencies. This information can be wrapped around an accomplishment or story describing how you improved quality, reduced costs, came in under budget and the result of your hard work. Every resume has job descriptions, but its especially important in a federal resume to showcase your accomplishments. The level of experience you displace on your federal resume will equate to the general series and grade in which you qualify. Our clients advise its the best thing theyve ever done by hiring a professional service who is skilled and masters in applying for federal jobs.
As mentioned above, federal resumes follow a format far more stringent than that of a private-sector application. Here are some best practices to keep in mind as you format your resume to federal standards:
Want To Include Something More To Your Government Resume
So youve already listed details about your education, experience, and skills. Youve also crafted an amazing summary.
But now you feel a creative urge to showcase your personality and not just your expertise.
Weve got you! Thanks to our modern templates, you can now include a chart of what your typical day looks like or even a word or two about your life philosophy. All this without sacrificing your Government resumes professional feel.
Some non-traditional sections for your resume include:
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Key Components Of A Federal Resume
The best way to create a federal resume is to use the resume builder on the federal governments jobs website, USAJOBS. The resume builder will guide you through the whole process. And you dont 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 theres an opportunity that fits your skills and experience.
Our Services Come With An Iron
Our goal is to help you reach your career goals. To ensure you are completely satisfied with our professional resume writing services, we offer a 5-Point Guarantee. Our resumes are proven to succeed because they are not cookie-cutter but custom, content-rich, and strategically developed to deliver a fast return on your investment. Additionally, we offer world-class customer service, as evidenced by our 99.6% customer satisfaction rate.
Are you tired of
- Applying for federal jobs, but never receiving interviews?
- Wondering how to develop your federal resume and KSAs?
- Performing in your current role, but ready to transfer to another federal agency?
- Getting passed over for promotions because youre not sure how to write your federal resume?
- Wanting to apply for a federal job, and getting sidetracked by USAJOBS?
- Being Qualified yet never Best Qualified?
- Wondering how to navigate the challenging Senior Executive Service application process?
- Navigating complex career transitions that keep you stuck in your current role?
- Never hearing back from your federal resume submission?
For a personalized consultation or to learn more about creating a federal resume, call CareerProPlus.com today at or click the button below.
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Showcase Your Work Experience
A government resume requires you to be as comprehensive as possible about your previous work experience. Here are the items typically required in each previous work experience entry:
Position title
Include the official title of the position you had to ensure hiring personnel can understand your role at that organization and verify your employment history.
Years worked
Note how many years you worked for your employer, including the month and year of your start and end dates, if applicable. This step can help government hiring personnel verify your employment and calculate your total professional experience.
Employer:
State the company or organization you worked for, including the official, public name and physical location. List city, state and ZIP code to help hiring personnel verify your employment. This step can ndicate your current location, which can help prospective employers determine if you will relocate if hired.
Salary
Include your current annual salary at your present employer as it may be comparable to the position you applied for. Hiring personnel may use it to determine the salary youre awarded in a government position.
Hours per week
Describe the number of hours per week you typically work, including eligible overtime hours. This is usually a requirement for government employers, and it can determine the level of experience you have in a given role. They may also use it to quantify how much professional experience you have.
Highest grade
Responsibilities
Tips And Examples To Further Develop Your Federal Resume
When creating a federal resume, keep the following tips in mind:
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Veterans should take note that military training may count toward qualifications. Remember to include the Verification of Military Experience and Training document with your application.
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Lengthy federal resumes are common, so include all important details.
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Take time to study the job announcement and work its key points into the work history section.
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Avoid jargon since not all hiring managers will be familiar with the specific job.
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Veterans should avoid using military job titles or occupational codes.
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All pages of a federal resume must be numbered.
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Use bullet points within the objective if necessary.
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Describe Your Educational Background
Education is another important facet of your resume. Be sure to only list schools and programs that are accredited through the Office of Personnel Managements standards. If youre an entry-level candidate, consider including more information, like relevant coursework from your education.
Be sure to include these educational details for government recruiters to review:
-
Awards, scholarships or special recognitions
Tr: What Should A Federal Resume Include
TP: Like any traditional resume, a federal resume is a key tool in the first phase of the job application process. It is designed to showcase that you have the required qualifications for the specific job you are targeting.
A federal resume needs to keep pace with government policies and procedures for hiring, which means following mandated changes required by the Office of Personnel Management . Its important that you redesign your resume so it complies with the core elements required by the majority of government agencies, all while, of course, including unique aspects of each specific job. It should detail the key aspects of your qualifications, including your experience, education, certifications, and any other relevant data. In addition, the header should contain your personal data including your name, contact information, citizenship, Veterans Preference, and federal employment history .
Overall, it should contain the following categories of information:
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How To Build A Federal Resume
A federal resume template is different from an ordinary resume template because it requires a particular format and structure thats necessary for government jobs. In this article, we discuss what a federal resume is, the differences between a federal and regular resume and how to build a federal resume.
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What Is The Difference Between A Federal Resume And A Regular Resume
The main difference between a federal resume and a regular resume is the amount of detail required. This allows a fair and uniform rating for applicants. Such detailed information and formatting are not seen in private sector resumes. As such, they will not be accepted for federal positions.
An ideal federal resume should feature the last ten years of employment history, which puts them around three to five pages in length. Federal resumes sometimes require a knowledge, skills and abilities statement as a separate document, but this information can appear within the resume itself.
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Resume Reference Page Example
Check out this properly formatted resume references example to see what a references list looks like in practice:
Note that in this example, the candidate matches the style of her reference page to her resume design.
If you need to include a list of references with your resume, be sure to match the formatting to the rest of your application.
Compose A Resume Objective
Write a resume objective to summarize your most relevant skills and explain your career goals in one or two sentences. A strong resume objective can help get the recruiter’s attention, especially when you are a young graduate with minimal work experience. To write a compelling resume objective, identify the keywords the employer used in the job listing to describe the required qualifications, and include them in your statement.
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Provide Other Requested Information
This is the last section, and where you can provide the additional requested information as listed in the government job posting. You can include your language proficiency, such as being fluently bilingual or having another language as a native language. In this section, you can also add any security clearance specifications required for the position, if listed. Use this section to address any other criteria highlighted in the job posting when you can meet the requirement.
Include Your Citizenship Status
While citizenship is usually a strict requirement for federal government positions, some state and city government roles may only require potential employees to hold residency or general work entitlements. It’s likely that you may be required to prove your citizenship status or entitlement to work in Australia.
It can still be a good idea to mention your citizenship status on your resume itself, though. This may contribute to a more seamless application processing procedure.
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Tr: Is It Really Necessary To Employ A Resume
TP: You can certainly write your federal resume on your own, but letting a professional resume-writing service like TopResume do it for you will save you time and, more importantly, optimize your chances of landing the interview. Resume writing is a crucial part of landing the position you want, so why not leave this sensitive and complex job to an expert?
Our federal resume writers are carefully selected to ensure that they are knowledgeable of the general application process for federal jobs, the structure of the USAJOBS website, the elements of a vacancy announcement, and TopResumes resume-writing standards. Armed with your critical information and their expert knowledge of the process, your TopResume federal resume writer will craft a federal resume that will leave you feeling confident in your applications.
Tr: What Is A Vacancy Announcement And Why Is It Important When Writing A Federal Resume
TP: A vacancy announcement is the federal version of a private sector job posting. Just like we recommend targeting a traditional resume toward your specific job goals, your federal resume should also highlight your qualifications for the specific job youre targeting in your job search. Hiring managers whether theyre working for the federal government or for the private sector dont appreciate a resume that takes the jack of all trades approach. Customize your resume to demonstrate how youre a good fit for the role youre pursuing, and your application will stand a better chance of making it to the top of the pile.
The vacancy announcement is a great place to source the information youll need to customize your federal resume in fact, its required! Because of the strong focus on addressing core elements of specific vacancies or job series, a federal resume must include key details of the vacancy announcement as required by the Office of Personnel Management and the agency posting the opening. Its important to pay attention to this key piece of information so you can craft the most effective resume possible.
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What Are The Differences Between Federal And Private Sector Resumes
There are several differences between federal and civilian or private sector resumes.
Tr: What Tips Can You Give To Someone Looking To Use A Federal Resume
TP: Your federal resume will go through a scoring process when you apply for a job. To help you score higher, your federal resume writer will need your help!
Thoroughly review the requirements in the vacancy announcement and select the details and achievements from your background that align with those requirements. As you invest in this service, take the time to provide your writer with comprehensive information, quantifiable data, and specific achievements. With this, your professional resume writer will be able to develop an interview-winning document for you.
After your writer has delivered your final document, the rest is up to you. Follow the directions in the application process and pay attention to additional questions or essay requirements. And of course, be mindful of the application deadline!
Looking for a position in the federal workforce? Hire a TopResume federal resume writer today!
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Writing Your Federal Resume: How To Write A Government Resume
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.
When applying for a position with the government, you may need to expand and elaborate on details that make you stand out as a qualified candidate for the position you applied for. You may also be required to include other specialized information that assists hiring personnel in verifying your details.
In this article, we explain what a government resume is and how to write one tailored to a specific position. We have also included a template and example to help you write your own.
List Your Work Experience
Federal resumes require a detailed accounting of your work experience over the last 10 years. Similar to normal resumes, it is best to begin the body of your federal resume with professional experience, especially in positions related to the job you’re applying for. If you’re lacking significant professional experience, consider listing your education first and choose the most applicable positions that prove you’re suited for the job.
To provide the most detailed account of your qualifications, include the following information when describing each of your work experiences:
Related: Listing Professional Experience on Your Resume
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How To Make A Federal Resume
Are you applying for a job and need a federal resume? Not sure where to get started? Go through this blog post to learn more about this unique type of resume style.
What is a federal resume and when do you need to use it? The federal resume is used to apply for many positions in the federal government and with intelligence agencies. If you are applying for a job through USAjobs.gov, there is a good chance that you need to have a federal resume. The federal resume is often the main component of your application to a federal position, which is why it includes more detailed information and can be more than one page. Look through this example federal resume to see what information you will need to include and how this type of resume is formatted.
How do I make a federal resume?If youre building your first version of federal resume, you may want to use the USAjobs.gov resume builder tool. This can help you get started and help you follow the format including the content that you need for this type of resume. You can also take a look at all the resources listed below which can be helpful when thinking about the different pieces of information you may want to be highlighting. For these jobs, you have to check every box under their job description. Make sure to tailor your resume to each position, and use their words/language when creating your resume.
List Any Professional Development Training
List any professional development training that is specific to the job position. This section is optional but can provide further credibility to your expertise by showing your willingness to continue improving your skills and knowledge. If you include this section, begin with the title of the training you completed, the facility that provided the education, and the date you finished. This is an excellent opportunity to highlight essential or asset experience not listed in your work history section.
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