My sources tell me the market for Federal positions for civilian and ex-military personnel will heat up soon. Therefore you may want to explore transitioning your skills into this sector. To do so you will need to acquaint yourself with the protocols and documents used in this sector because no matter how unique and well written your current resume is, it is not what Uncle Sam is looking for.
Whereas a winning business resume is a custom structured marketing document that focus on selling a candidate to an employer, a Federal resume is a highly structured document, more in line with a CV in terms of presenting specific information in a predefined format, it requires limited creativity, and it is written not to impress people but to garner high rating scores in a computerized rating system.
As far as protocol is concerned, here too there is a major difference you must be aware of when applying for government jobs. Most of us are used to filling out the job application only after we are selected for an interview. This is not so for most government jobs where submitting a detailed job application along with your resume, or in lieu of a resume is a required part of the selection process.
Since the federal application process is complex and something new for most of you, the best advice I can offer you is to read the job vacancy announcement thoroughly to know exactly which information needs to be provided to generate high rating scores. This can be tricky because unlike a resume that focuses on accomplishments and achievements and downplays responsibilities, especially those that are irrelevant for the new job you are applying for or are repetitive from one job to another, a detailed listing of job responsibilities is an integral part of a Federal resume; as is listing detailed academic information which is often glossed over in a business resume.
Federal Resumes
As I mentioned there are major differences between federal and non-federal resumes and the most glaring one is that we try to limit non-federal resumes to 1 - 3 pages in length while a Federal resume is often 3 - 5 page long (or more), and it is highly structured and contains specific data. In addition, unlike a standard resume you may be required to include a KSA - Knowledge, Skills, Abilities statement which federal screeners use to rate the best qualified candidate for the position.
Additionally your work history and education MUST include the required Duties and Specialized Experience listed in the Job Announcement to rate high enough on the list to be called for an interview. The format and content is critical.
For those of you who have never gone through this process before be aware that in applying for a federal job posting you must submit ALL required information and fill out all required forms and there is no margin for error. In many position you will have the option to use a federal style resume format or the OF-612 Optional Application, and you need to know that many government agencies require applicants to use their online resume builders to apply, and if you don't include all required information as per the job posting your application will be rejected or loose valuable rating points.
Understanding the Selection Process
The federal government rates applicants on their work experience, education, and special qualifications. The personnel specialist rating your application is a generalist in most cases and rates you either eligible or ineligible based on the FQS- Federal Qualification Standards. The qualification standards describe the general and specialized work experience and education required for each pay level within a job series. You must have a certain number of years of both general and specialized experience and/or education to be rated eligible for the position's pay grade.
Prior experience and training must be presented in your Federal resume and/or application in sufficient detail to receive a rating. If your application is rated eligible, you will be ranked against all applicants and the best qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official. The selecting official picks from the top rated applicants...
Online application and Resumix
Many Federal positions require on-line applications, resume builders, or RESUMIX formats which are optically scanned into ATS computer systems. Once you have your resume completed and posted on USAJOBS or one of the many other agency resume builders, it's easy to submit that same resume to apply for other job vacancies. That can be a mistake. Before resubmitting that same resume for another job vacancy READ the job announcement thoroughly to insure that other duties and specialized experience are not required for the new position. If you find different requirements, and you possess the new duties or specialized experience, incorporate them into your resume. It is not unusual to apply for the same job series and find other requirements, or new or additional KSA statements.
Online applications undergo a triple screening process that is designed to reject as many unqualified applications as possible. Unfortunately, this system often eliminates many qualified candidates as well. The online resume screening process begins with an electronic search for key words and phrases required for the position. By carefully reading the announcement you can identify themes, repeated phrases, and jargon, but the keywords are by no means obvious. Without the right keywords (or enough of them), a resume will be rejected. Other hidden factors include proper keyword placement and frequency to maximize their value, proper format of text and paragraph usage, and many other details that are not found in the vacancy announcement or online instructions. Of course, your resume must also read well and directly target the qualifications listed in the announcement. Additional irrelevant information can distract from legitimate experience and result in a rejection.
After the electronic search, a lower-level administrative assistant will visually inspect the document for information he or she has been directed to find and many not even understand, then a higher-level reviewer (who probably does have experience in the appropriate field) will check the details to determine if the resume should be passed on for consideration by the hiring authority.
Author:
Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com/, and email him your resume at perry@perrynewman.com for FREE resume critique.
Federal Resumes
As I mentioned there are major differences between federal and non-federal resumes and the most glaring one is that we try to limit non-federal resumes to 1 - 3 pages in length while a Federal resume is often 3 - 5 page long (or more), and it is highly structured and contains specific data. In addition, unlike a standard resume you may be required to include a KSA - Knowledge, Skills, Abilities statement which federal screeners use to rate the best qualified candidate for the position.
Additionally your work history and education MUST include the required Duties and Specialized Experience listed in the Job Announcement to rate high enough on the list to be called for an interview. The format and content is critical.
For those of you who have never gone through this process before be aware that in applying for a federal job posting you must submit ALL required information and fill out all required forms and there is no margin for error. In many position you will have the option to use a federal style resume format or the OF-612 Optional Application, and you need to know that many government agencies require applicants to use their online resume builders to apply, and if you don't include all required information as per the job posting your application will be rejected or loose valuable rating points.
Understanding the Selection Process
The federal government rates applicants on their work experience, education, and special qualifications. The personnel specialist rating your application is a generalist in most cases and rates you either eligible or ineligible based on the FQS- Federal Qualification Standards. The qualification standards describe the general and specialized work experience and education required for each pay level within a job series. You must have a certain number of years of both general and specialized experience and/or education to be rated eligible for the position's pay grade.
Prior experience and training must be presented in your Federal resume and/or application in sufficient detail to receive a rating. If your application is rated eligible, you will be ranked against all applicants and the best qualified candidates will be referred to the selecting official. The selecting official picks from the top rated applicants...
Online application and Resumix
Many Federal positions require on-line applications, resume builders, or RESUMIX formats which are optically scanned into ATS computer systems. Once you have your resume completed and posted on USAJOBS or one of the many other agency resume builders, it's easy to submit that same resume to apply for other job vacancies. That can be a mistake. Before resubmitting that same resume for another job vacancy READ the job announcement thoroughly to insure that other duties and specialized experience are not required for the new position. If you find different requirements, and you possess the new duties or specialized experience, incorporate them into your resume. It is not unusual to apply for the same job series and find other requirements, or new or additional KSA statements.
Online applications undergo a triple screening process that is designed to reject as many unqualified applications as possible. Unfortunately, this system often eliminates many qualified candidates as well. The online resume screening process begins with an electronic search for key words and phrases required for the position. By carefully reading the announcement you can identify themes, repeated phrases, and jargon, but the keywords are by no means obvious. Without the right keywords (or enough of them), a resume will be rejected. Other hidden factors include proper keyword placement and frequency to maximize their value, proper format of text and paragraph usage, and many other details that are not found in the vacancy announcement or online instructions. Of course, your resume must also read well and directly target the qualifications listed in the announcement. Additional irrelevant information can distract from legitimate experience and result in a rejection.
After the electronic search, a lower-level administrative assistant will visually inspect the document for information he or she has been directed to find and many not even understand, then a higher-level reviewer (who probably does have experience in the appropriate field) will check the details to determine if the resume should be passed on for consideration by the hiring authority.
Author:
Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com/, and email him your resume at perry@perrynewman.com for FREE resume critique.
