A federal resumes is different from traditional resume, as the federal government wants to know as much information as possible during an initial screening. Below is a general outline, but we also recommend checking out government resources including:
Although there is no mandated format for a government resume, federal resumes require more detail than standard resumes. A recent graduate’s federal resume can be two to three pages long.This is different from resumes used to apply for positions in other industries, which is typically one page in length for a recent graduate.
Essentials include:
- Your personal information
- Education and coursework levels
- Work experience
- Dates of employment, number of hours worked per week, location of position and a supervisor’s contact information
- Volunteer, service, and leadership experience
- Projects and skills
- Any additional qualifications and abilities
Agencies also request eligibility information including:
- Past or current federal employment
- Veteran qualifications
- Non-competitive appointment: Peace Corps and AmeriCorps
Some agencies will accept a standard resume. However, all applications through USAJOBS require you to build your resume through their resume builder, which can be accessed when you create your free account.
Once you have your account, you can:
- Build and store up to five distinct resumes
- Save and automate job searches
- Save and apply for jobs
- Learn how to use USAJOBS
- Learn about the federal hiring process
- Discover special hiring programs
- Search by agency, occupation, location
- See which jobs are in demand
- Apply to federal agencies