federal job resume template

How to Write a Federal Resume in 2024 [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 2024 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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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

An official website of the United States government.

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• American Rescue Plan
• Coronavirus Resources
• Disability Resources
• Disaster Recovery Assistance
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Guidance Search
• Health Plans and Benefits
• Registered Apprenticeship
• International Labor Issues
• Labor Relations
• Leave Benefits
• Major Laws of DOL
• Other Benefits
• Retirement Plans, Benefits and Savings
• Spanish-Language Resources
• Termination
• Unemployment Insurance
• Veterans Employment
• Whistleblower Protection
• Workers' Compensation
• Workplace Safety and Health
• Youth & Young Worker Employment
• Breaks and Meal Periods
• Continuation of Health Coverage - COBRA
• FMLA (Family and Medical Leave)
• Full-Time Employment
• Mental Health
• Office of the Secretary (OSEC)
• Administrative Review Board (ARB)
• Benefits Review Board (BRB)
• Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
• Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB)
• Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
• Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ)
• Office of Congressional & Intergovernmental Affairs (OCIA)
• Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
• Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
• Office of Inspector General (OIG)
• Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS)
• Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM)
• Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy (OASP)
• Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO)
• Office of the Solicitor (SOL)
• Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP)
• Ombudsman for the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOMBD)
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)
• Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS)
• Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
• Women's Bureau (WB)
• Agencies and Programs
• Meet the Secretary of Labor
• Leadership Team
• Budget, Performance and Planning
• Careers at DOL
• Privacy Program
• Recursos en Español
• News Releases
• Economic Data from the Department of Labor
• Email Newsletter

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.

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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Home » Career Advice » Resume Tips » How to Write a Federal Resume (Example and Template)

How to Write a Federal Resume (Example and Template)

In the competitive landscape of job applications, a resume isn’t merely a list of accomplishments on paper; it’s a pivotal tool that encapsulates your professional essence and sets the tone for your candidacy. When it comes to the federal sector, this significance is magnified even further. A federal resume is not only a representation of your professional journey but also a testament to how you align with the detailed requirements of federal jobs.

Unlike the standard private-sector resumes, which can often be a brief overview of one’s experience, a federal resume demands precision, detail, and a clear alignment with the job in question. It’s your ticket to being noticed, understood, and selected in a highly competitive environment.

You might also be interested to view more  resume examples by profession »

Federal resume example (Word version)

Federal resumes require more detailed information, and specific formats and resume layouts can vary depending on the agency and position. Ensure you follow the guidelines specified in the job announcement when crafting your resume.

Download Resume Example (docx)

Example of federal resume  (text version)

Here’s an example of a federal resume for the hypothetical position of “Executive Secretary” at a federal agency. Customize this copy and paste federal resume example according to your personal and professional experience.

Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Veteran’s Preference: No Security Clearance: N/A

Job Announcement Number: ES-2023-002 Job Title: Executive Secretary

Resume Summary

With over eight years of administrative experience spanning both the federal and private sectors, have consistently showcased proficiency in streamlining operations and fostering team collaboration. As a Senior Administrative Assistant at the Department of Administrative Services, excel in coordinating executive schedules, enhancing communication channels, and orchestrating large-scale departmental events. Previous role as an Office Manager at Bright Tech Solutions further highlighted expertise in driving inter-departmental collaboration, overseeing administrative operations, and crafting cost-effective travel solutions. Noteworthy achievements include the initiation of a digital appointment system and the successful transition to an advanced communication platform. Committed to operational excellence and equipped with a deep understanding of the federal landscape, well-suited for advanced administrative roles within the government.

Work Experience

Senior Administrative Assistant, January 20XX – Present Department of Administrative Services, Washington, D.C. Grade Level: GS-9 Hours per week: 40 Supervisor: John Doe, 561-123 1234, may contact

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Coordinated and managed daily schedules and appointments for a team of six executive members, ensuring efficient time management and meeting preparations.
• Served as the primary liaison for inter-departmental communications, facilitating seamless exchanges between executive members and other departments.
• Oversaw the preparation and distribution of high-level internal and external communications, ensuring clarity, coherence, and confidentiality.
• Assisted in organizing 10+ large-scale departmental events and conferences, managing event logistics, guest lists, and promotional materials.
• Collaborated with IT teams to implement advanced office software, improving workflow efficiency by 25%.

Accomplishments:

• Developed a digital appointment system that reduced scheduling conflicts by 50%.
• Recognized with the “Star Performer Award” in 2019 for exemplary service.

Office Manager, March 20XX – December 20XX Bright Tech Solutions, Virginia Grade Level: N/A (Private Sector) Hours per week: 40 Supervisor: Jane Doe, 561-123 1234, may contact

• Managed administrative operations for a fast-paced office, overseeing a team of five administrative staff and ensuring seamless daily operations.
• Introduced and streamlined communication channels, improving inter-departmental collaboration by 30%, enhancing project completion rates.
• Orchestrated comprehensive travel arrangements for executives, negotiating with vendors, and crafting efficient travel itineraries.
• Supervised the procurement of office supplies and equipment, working within budget constraints and reducing operational costs.
• Conducted monthly team meetings to identify areas of improvement and implement solutions.
• Played a pivotal role in the transition to a new digital communication platform, reducing communication delays and boosting team collaboration.
• Implemented a cost-analysis system that resulted in a 20% reduction in executive travel expenses.

Associate of Arts in Office Management D.C. Community College, 20XX

Professional Development Course in Advanced Office Systems Virginia Training Institute, 20XX

Skills and Abilities

• Expertise in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace.
• Proficient in managing multi-level executive calendars.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize in a dynamic environment.
• Familiarity with federal government operations and protocols.

Training & Certifications

• Certified Administrative Professional (CAP), IAAP, 20XX
• Advanced Time Management Course, 20XX

Jane Smith Title: Senior Manager Organization: Bright Tech Solutions, Virginia Relationship: Colleague from March 20XX – December 20XX Phone: (555) 765-4321 Email: name@email. com

Format and design considerations

In the diligent world of federal resumes, presentation is paramount. While the content of your resume is king, its design and format are the throne it sits upon. Here’s what you should consider:

• Length and clarity : Unlike private-sector resumes that champion brevity, federal resumes are detailed narratives. Given their length, it’s essential to ensure clarity. Use straightforward layouts, clear headings, and bullet points to enhance readability.
• Recommended fonts, sizes, and formats : Stick to professional fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri in sizes 10-12. PDFs are often preferred as they maintain the resume’s formatting across different platforms. However, always refer to the job announcement for specific instructions.
• Importance of proofreading : An impeccable resume is free from grammatical errors and showcases consistency in format and style. Beyond spelling and grammar, ensure clarity in your descriptions. It’s advisable to have a colleague or mentor review your resume to catch any oversights.

What is a federal job?

A federal job refers to a position of employment within the federal government of a country. In the context of the United States, a federal job is a position within the U.S. federal government’s executive, legislative, or judicial branches, but excludes state and local government positions.

Federal employees work in various agencies and organizations that implement and oversee the policies, mandates, and regulations established by Congress and the President. These positions range from those in defense, healthcare, and law enforcement to science, engineering, education, administration, and many more.

Benefits of federal jobs often include:

• Stable employment : Federal jobs tend to offer more job security than many private-sector jobs.
• Competitive pay : Depending on the position and qualifications, federal salaries can be competitive with the private sector, and there are standardized pay scales.
• Retirement benefits : The federal government provides pension plans and benefits for its employees.
• Health and other insurance : Federal employees receive health benefits and often have access to other insurance options at competitive rates.
• Opportunities for advancement : There are clear paths for career progression and opportunities for training and professional development.
• Vacation and sick leave : Federal jobs offer generous leave policies.

It’s also worth noting that federal jobs can be found not only in Washington, D.C., but all across the country and even overseas, depending on the nature and scope of the position.

The primary portal for finding and applying to federal jobs in the U.S. is USAJobs.gov , where agencies post job vacancies, and applicants can submit their applications.

Understanding the basics of federal resumes

At its core, a federal resume serves a similar purpose to its private-sector counterpart: to chronicle your professional experience, education, and skills in a way that presents you as the best fit for a position. However, its specifics are where the differences lie. A federal resume is uniquely tailored to convey information that federal employers seek. It provides detailed descriptions of duties, accomplishments, and even the context of past roles.

Moreover, it adheres to certain specific formats, often being much longer than private-sector resumes. The driving force behind its distinct nature is its aim: to gauge an applicant’s suitability not just through qualifications, but also through the depth of their experiences and their alignment with the federal job’s requirements.

Getting started: pre-resume preparation

Before you even begin typing up your federal resume, there are essential preparatory steps that can make the difference between a good resume and a great one. First and foremost, research is key. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, each federal resume should be tailored to the specific job announcement you’re targeting. This involves closely reading the job announcement to understand what the federal agency is looking for, and ensuring your resume mirrors those requirements.

Next, ensure that you gather all necessary documentation and information. This goes beyond just previous job titles or educational qualifications. Think performance evaluations, recommendation letters, transcripts, training certificates, and more. The more comprehensive your information at this stage, the easier it will be to write a resume that ticks all the boxes for federal employers. Remember, in the federal world, it’s not just about meeting the qualifications; it’s about demonstrating them in-depth.

Essential components of a federal resume

Navigating the intricacies of a federal resume requires a clear understanding of its fundamental components. While some elements may mirror a conventional resume, the depth and specificity are unparalleled. In crafting your federal resume, each of these sections should be approached with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that you not only meet but also exceed the expectations set by the job announcement.

Here’s a breakdown of these vital sections:

Personal information

• Full name : Present your complete name, ensuring there are no typographical errors.
• Contact details : List an up-to-date phone number and a professional email address. It’s also advisable to include a current address, especially if the job requires locality pay or is location-specific.
• Citizenship : Federal jobs often have strict citizenship requirements, so clarify your status.
• Veteran’s preference : If applicable, denote your veteran’s preference, as this can play a significant role in the selection process, providing certain eligibilities in federal hiring.

Job announcement number and job title

Every federal job announcement comes with a unique identification number, serving as a distinct marker for that specific position. It’s crucial to reference this number accurately in your application. Doing so streamlines the hiring process by allowing managers to swiftly match your resume with the particular role in question.

Furthermore, to emphasize your keen interest and alignment with the role, always replicate the exact job title from the announcement on your resume. This small detail underscores your attention to the exact position you’re pursuing.

Work experience

Unlike conventional resumes, for federal resumes, a thorough job description is necessary, detailing your specific duties and responsibilities in each role. Beyond just listing tasks, spotlight your key achievements, and bring them to life by quantifying them where feasible.

For instance, rather than a vague claim of “managed a team,” be precise and state you “led a team of 15 members.” Additionally, it’s crucial to provide clarity on the duration of each position held, adhering to a month/year format for accuracy and consistency.

It’s essential to list all relevant qualifications, begin with the highest degree you’ve secured. Equally crucial is to prominently showcase any specialized trainings or certifications, especially if they’re explicitly mentioned by the job announcement.

Beyond formal education and certifications, this section can be enriched by mentioning seminars, workshops, or relevant courses you’ve attended. These additions serve to bolster your candidacy, emphasizing your comprehensive fit and preparedness for the desired position.

Skills and abilities

In this part of your resume, make sure it closely matches the job posting. Pull out important words and needs from the job ad and include them in your skills and abilities, showing that you’re really good at those things. Don’t just list out what you can do; show how those skills are directly connected to the job you’re applying for.

Unlike many private-sector resumes, federal resumes usually ask for references. These should be people from your professional life who know your work well and can speak to your skills and qualifications. It’s important to give these folks a heads-up that a federal agency might reach out to them. Also, double-check that you have their most up-to-date contact information before you list them.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

When charting the intricate terrain of federal resumes, applicants must be wary of potential pitfalls that can undermine their efforts. One major misstep is crafting a generic resume. Such a resume not only represents a lost opportunity but also fails to underscore the applicant’s unique fit for a specific role. Given that each federal position comes with its own set of distinct requirements, it’s essential to tailor your resume, reflecting not just your qualifications but also how they align seamlessly with the role’s demands.

Another hazard is missing out on key details or entire sections. The omission of crucial information can be severely detrimental. To counter this, adopt a systematic approach, ideally using a checklist that’s in tandem with the job announcement, ensuring every vital component finds its place in your resume.

Lastly, a common oversight is failing to address specific qualifications highlighted in the job announcement. Instead of providing a broad overview, always tether your qualifications directly to the job’s detailed requirements. When a role stipulates a particular skill or experience, it’s imperative to both highlight and delve into these specifics on your resume, demonstrating a clear understanding of what the position entails.

Staying updated

The landscape of federal hiring is ever-evolving. Engage with websites like USAJobs and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to stay informed. Additionally, consider joining federal job-focused forums or networks where professionals share the latest changes and insights.

Crafting an exemplary federal resume is an investment. It demands time, effort, and an unwavering commitment to precision. However, the dividends it pays—in the form of a fulfilling federal career—are unparalleled. As the federal hiring realm evolves, it’s imperative for applicants to evolve with it. Embrace continuous learning, stay agile, and adapt to the nuanced requirements of federal job applications. Your resume is more than just your professional story; it’s the passport to a world of opportunities in the federal sector.

We help job seekers to better their career by offering career advice & free resources. Download free Word resume templates and resume templates for Google Docs .

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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!
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Federal Government Jobs

Helping job hunters find, apply for, and land government jobs, federal resumes, federal resume guidance.

Federal resumes and KSA s provide selecting officials their first impression of the applicant through their application and federal resume composition, format, and content.  I personally reviewed and rated thousands of federal resumes during my career. Resumes and KSAs that are tailored to the job announcement receive higher ratings.

Your application makes a lasting impression on the selecting official and it tells them a lot about your attention to details, desire, qualifications, and motivation. These are essential first steps that you must take to write a professional federal resume that will help you attract the attention of the rating and selecting officials. Use our Federal Resume Guide to make your resume stand out from the crowd.

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The essential first steps.

• Caution (Read this first)
• Required information
• Private and federal sector application differences.
• The Federal Job Announcement?
• Sample Federal Style Resume
• KSAs – Knowledge, skills & abilities
• About USAJobs
• Federal Resume Tips
• Federal Resume Guide

Certified Federal Resume Writing Services

• SES Positions – SES Resume Services
• What services do you need?
• Return to “Apply for Jobs”

To gain federal employment, candidates must be aware of two very specific strategies:

First, applicants must read the entire vacancy announcement and the position description if available. All too often, applicants transitioning from the military or private sector to the federal government do not read the entire announcement. Rather, they look at only the salary and the job description; if they like what they read, they decide to apply.

Many end up disappointed when, during an initial consultation, they realize that other mandatory elements were overlooked in their haste to find federal employment — elements they’re unable to fulfill.

Further, in reading the entire announcement, you will gain an up-front understanding of what supporting documents are required for the announcement. In many cases, we have seen candidates — who were perfectly qualified for a job — end up being rejected by the government because they failed to include a document requested as part of the How to Apply section of the announcement

Second, candidates must tailor their federal resumes to the position description or the vacancy announcement. The federal government does not want to hear that an applicant thinks he/she can do the job; rather, the government is looking for specific examples that demonstrate that he/she can do the job. For example, being self-taught in setting up a home computer network and having successfully set up one in a home is not the same as setting up a Local Area Network (LAN) for a multi-location agency spread over a 500-mile radius.

When you complete your federal resume online read the instructions carefully. When tailoring your résumé to a specific job description or vacancy announcement, it is important to mirror what the announcement is looking for, as best as possible. There is no such thing as “too much information” — the more examples of your success in fulfilling the job description you can provide in accomplishment-focused statements, the higher your application package will be rated.

A federal style resume is completely different from the simple one-page private sector résumé. There are over 40 specific informational data elements required and much of it repeats for each work experience. Before attempting to complete your federal résumé online, review the samples in this chapter and use the next section to complete your federal resumes. You must include all requested information and answer occupational questionnaires if required in the job announcement.

I suggest writing your federal resume using a word processor program prior to attempting to post it online. Some agencies still require hard copy submissions, and this way you can produce both a paper hard copy and electronic format. You will be able to spell check your federal resume and you will have time to compose coherent work histories tailored to the job announcement or position description without time limits. To submit your application online simply copy and paste each section from your draft into the online résumé builder.

This process can dramatically improve your federal resume, resulting in higher ratings, and you will be able to keep your resume updated on your desktop. When you bid on other jobs in the same or similar occupational group you may be able to simply change the job announcement number and title and send it in. However, review each job announcement carefully. Even occupations in the same job series within the same agency can have significantly different requirements, and you must tailor your resume to those criteria to improve your chances.

Federal Resume Writing Services

Applying for federal jobs can be frustrating and the federal resume has to be targeted to the job announcement and highlight your qualifications to be rated “Best Qualified.” Only applications rated best qualified are forwarded to the selecting official for consideration. Federal resume writing services can give you the edge that you need if you work closely with them to highlight your qualifications for the position applied for.

You must work closely with the federal resume writer to provide detailed information. Federal resumes and KSAs must be specific, and the only way the federal resume writers can get this information is from you, so be prepared. They will need lists of your awards, detailed work history, military service job descriptions, rank and time of service if applicable, education and training, special skills and certifications, volunteer work, and temporary details and promotion information. Only you can provide the details.

A professional federal resume service uses only certified writers. They will work with you to ensure that your federal resume, KSAs, or ECQs are thorough, grammatically correct, properly formatted, tailored to the job announcement, and in a file format suitable for the job you are applying for.

Applicants can also write their resume / application independently with the proper resources and knowledge. Many are able to complete their application using these excellent resources. If you don’t have the time or inclination to do it on your own, there are Federal Resume Writing Services available to assist you. The service you select will be based on several factors including:

• Complexity of your resume and application
• Grade level that you are applying for
• Personal contact − ability to talk with the professional you hire
• The time you have available to work with the writer, and
• Cost of service – what you can afford

When selecting a resume writing service, make sure you will have phone and email contact with your assigned writer before you sign up. A professional service will help you tailor your application and resume to the specific job announcement. A number of low-cost services offer only online contact through a resume desktop.

Professional Service

Creditable services will discuss your personal needs and fees by phone once you provide them information about your work history, education, and qualifications, and upload a copy of the federal job vacancy announcement of interest.

Based on their initial review of your background, previously prepared documents, and position specifications, they will propose a federal resume package quote to meet your individual requirements. If you would like to proceed, an invoice will be generated for your approval and your certified federal resume writer will contact you for an introduction via email and telephone. Project development will be discussed and any additional documents that might be required will be requested by your writer.

Your federal resume and/or KSA drafts will be submitted for your review via email, and you will have the opportunity to request any changes or provide additional information to your writer.

Which Service is Best for You?

It depends on many factors. With the proper resources you can write your resume yourself, time permitting. If you hire a professional resume writing service, you will have to work by phone and online with the resume writer. Only you know the details they need to write your resume. An entry level federal style resume is typically 3 to 5 pages long and you must tailor you application and work experience to the job announcement’s required qualifications.

One advantage of hiring a professional service is that once they complete your resume for you can use that same resume, with minor modifications, for other government jobs within the same occupational group that you apply for. Just change the job title and announcement number and review the new job announcement to check for additional or different required duties and responsibilities. If these changed you will have to incorporate them into the new application.

You will find a sample federal style resume on our Federal Career Development Site . You must devote the time necessary to read the application sections, understand the concepts, tailor your resume to the job announcement, and compile the data logically, spell and grammar check your work in a word processor, and then apply.

Write Your Federal Resume Using Proper Guidance and Samples

When writing your resume, you have to consider many things and include all required information . Format is also important especially with RESUMIX and online submissions. If you are good at putting your thoughts down on paper and have the time available, you can complete your resume application as long as you fully understand the application process. I wrote many federal applications during my 35 + years of government service with great success. I was also a trained and certified federal rating official and reviewed and rated thousands of job applications.

The application and federal resume process isn’t formidable; however, you must tailor your federal resume to the job announcement . With a little coaching and the comprehensive federal resume samples that we provide here, you too can compile a comprehensive resume. Entry level job applicants can expect to spend at least 4 to 8 hours on their application. Midlevel applicants can easily spend several days compiling key information in preparation for completing their federal resume.

I encourage all who apply to complete their resume OFF-LINE. It is best to write your federal resume and/or application on your word processor and take your time to compile the info you need, draft your work experiences, spell check and ensure that you have ALL information that is required for the Job Announcement. Your federal style resume MUST be tailored to the job announcement to improve your chances of landing the job. After you complete your federal resume offline, it is a simple matter to copy and paste your federal resume data into online resume builders.

A word of caution. Once you have your federal resume completed and posted on USAJOBS, it’s easy to submit that same resume to apply for other job vacancies. That can cost you a possible job. Before resubmitting that same federal resume for another job vacancy READ the job announcement thoroughly to confirm 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.

While all federal resumes typically require the same information, here are the significant character count requirements for the USAJobs online resume builder in order to file your application successfully online:

• Overall Length: 30,000 characters
• Work Experience: 3,000 characters per work experience
• Education (includes relevant course work, licensures, and certifications): 2,000 characters to describe course work
• Job-Related Training: 2,000 characters
• Professional Publications: 2,000 characters
• Additional Information: 22,000 characters; enter job-related honors, awards, leadership activities, skills, and professional profile. KSAs may be copied and pasted into this field, depending on the announcement’s instructions.

Candidates may store up to five separate federal resumes for use on the USAJobs site.

Tips for Preparing an Electronic Federal Resume

As you have seen in the previous section in which we discuss the different types of online application systems (USAJobs, CPOL, CHARTS, etc.), there is no such concept as “one size fits all” when preparing a federal résumé. However, below are a few tips to help you bridge the compatibility differences in most of the common application systems.

• Use white space and line breaks to separate topics and sections
• Use 10- or 12-point type size
• Use a margin of at least one inch on all sides
• Use CAPITAL LETTERS to highlight sections
• No graphics of any kind, including bullets
• Use date format mm-yyyy (example: “May1988” would be “05-1988”)
• No bold, italic, or underlined text
• Keep each employment block (duties and accomplishments) to about 3,000 characters and spaces each. (Note: If you must exceed this count, you can break up a job into two separate entries when you file your application online.)

Professionally Written Federal Resumes , KSAs, ECQs, and Cover Letters

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• Federal Resume Templates
• Federal Resume Guide

Do You Need an Eye-Catching Resume That Quickly Communicates Your Skills and Qualifications?

Examples of federal resumes will provide guidance that increases your chances of landing an interview. The following samples of federal resumes display proper formats that will meet the standards of government job recruiters. 

When you study resume samples for federal government jobs, look for ones geared toward your career field and the government department where you’re seeking work. Government agencies perform thousands of different functions, and you’ll want a federal government resume template download that highlights the topics pertinent to the job that you want.

You’ll need to tailor a resume so that it fits the posted job requirements. A resume that addresses the needs of government hiring managers will help them satisfy their administrative guidelines for screening candidates. 

In these examples of a federal resume, you’ll note that it focuses on professional accomplishments, education, and training. Simple lists of job duties lack the impact of strong statements about your successes and capabilities.

You don’t have to confine your federal resume to a single page either if you need more space. A long resume is not necessarily a detriment when applying for a government job, unlike in the private sector that generally prefers single-page resumes. 

Government Resume Template

Federal resume templates simplify the process because you can focus on describing your job qualifications instead of sweating every detail of the document’s format. When filling in a free federal resume template, select statements that stress your talent for managing details and multitasking. Your statements should also convey strong knowledge of the government regulations applicable to the job opening. 

You’ll have to consider your personal background when looking for the right federal government resume template download.

• A military veteran seeking a civilian job should study examples of federal resumes that explain how military duties translate into civilian job requirements.
• A civilian professional looking to switch from the private sector to the government sector should seek inspiration from resume samples that describe service for a public mission.

Federal Government Resume Example

As you look at each example of a federal resume, note how action-oriented verbs dominate the language. This is a powerful technique for attracting attention to your career accomplishments and unique qualities. Don’t hesitate to include statements that highlight critical values, like your integrity and honesty. 

Describe your greatest accomplishments first when organizing your work history. Use as many specific details as you can, like:

“Managed 20 volunteer teams during a fundraising event that exceeded goals by 58%.”

Many sample federal resumes clearly show how to present your experience and education effectively. 

Proper paperwork is essential to the functioning of federal agencies, and job applications are no exception. To connect with hiring managers who can advance your career, you need to base your resume strategy on proven resume samples for federal government jobs.

These government resume samples will allow you to write a resume that helps you stand out from other candidates. Although a free federal resume template is not hard to come by, keep in mind that you can hire a professional government resume writer when you need extra assistance with the task. 

No matter how professional, efficient, and effective your firefighting protection competencies are. You won’t be able to get employed without showing off your reliability to an employer.  We’ll do our best to explore what looks good on a firefighter resume, and provide the best firefighter resume examples with detailed descriptions for each element.  Creating a Perfect Firefighter Resume Objective The

According to various statistics, one legal assistant vacancy receives an average of 15 – 20 active resumes – and most of the candidates are highly qualified specialists. But such a competition should not surprise you! After all, jurisprudence is still one of the most competitive professional occupations in the labor market. How to compose the best paralegal resume? There are no

Work in the field of law is always considered prestigious. However, if earlier this profession was not so accessible, today, almost every second university in the country graduates legal specialists. Therefore, competition among lawyers is growing exponentially.  For the last few years, a well-written resume for attorney began to play the most critical role in the selection of candidates for

Cover letters are crucial when applying for a new job, especially in the military industry. This is your main argument and statement that you are better than other applicants and worthy of this vacancy. Therefore, in a cover letter, every word and every comma are essential. But if in a motivation business letter, a candidate can show his/her creativity, the

An entry-level resume of any specialty is always complicated to write. The main challenge is to describe short work experience as advantageously as possible. Nowadays, recruiters are full of those who are seeking work. They are looking through hundreds of resumes per day, so it is almost impossible to surprise them. Anyway, you shouldn’t surprise anyone with an entry level

These examples of military resumes will allow you to overcome mental roadblocks to writing your resume. The resumes possess similar sections, particularly summary, work experience, skills, and education. Except for starting with the summary, you can place other sections in the order that makes the most sense for your situation. Don’t try to compose your resume completely from the beginning.

After years of military life, you might find it difficult to explain your job qualifications to civilians. The military resume examples for civilian jobs presented here offer clear guidance for translating military skills into a civilian style. Writing a resume isn’t easy for anyone, but veterans have to overcome extra hurdles. The jargon and acronyms that you’re familiar with might

Salary negotiation letters should avoid being longer than one page unless someone has an extraordinary list of credentials to highlight. A short letter that quickly makes its point will show respect for the hiring manager’s time and ensure effective communication.  Templates for salary negotiation letters all follow a standard format. At the top, the job applicant enters contact information. This

The FBI has developed a specific resume template for people who want to become FBI special agents. Job postings for these positions will include access to the FBI federal resume template. Applicants must complete every section on the template with the exception of the Military Experience section, which is only necessary for veterans. The template sections are: Summary Statement Professional

PDF Version Size: 56,9 Kb MS Word Size: 21,6 Kb Need more information? See another federal job resume example.

• Federal Resume Example

Resume Examples

• Common Tasks & Responsibilities
• Top Hard & Soft Skills
• Action Verbs & Keywords
• Resume FAQs
• Similar Resumes

Common Responsibilities Listed on Federal Resumes:

• Conduct research and analysis on federal policies and programs to provide recommendations and guidance to senior officials.
• Develop and implement strategic plans and initiatives to support the agency's mission and goals.
• Manage and oversee the budget and financial resources of the agency, ensuring compliance with federal regulations and guidelines.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other federal agencies, stakeholders, and partners to promote interagency cooperation and achieve common objectives.
• Draft and review reports, memos, and briefing materials for senior officials, providing accurate and timely information on key issues and developments.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and impact of federal programs and initiatives, identifying areas for improvement and implementing necessary changes.
• Represent the agency in meetings, conferences, and public events, advocating for the agency's interests and promoting its mission and objectives.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including Congress, industry representatives, and advocacy groups, to gather input and support for agency initiatives.
• Lead and manage teams of staff members, providing guidance, mentoring, and support to ensure the successful completion of projects and tasks.
• Stay informed about current trends, best practices, and emerging issues in the federal sector, attending conferences and professional development opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to internal and external audiences, effectively communicating complex information in a clear and concise manner.
• Ensure compliance with federal laws, regulations, and policies, conducting audits and reviews to identify and address any potential issues or violations.

Speed up your resume creation process with the AI-Powered Resume Builder . Generate tailored achievements in seconds for every role you apply to.

Federal Resume Example:

• Conducted in-depth research and analysis on federal policies and programs, providing senior officials with actionable recommendations that resulted in a 15% increase in program effectiveness and cost savings of $1 million.
• Developed and implemented a comprehensive strategic plan to align agency initiatives with organizational goals, resulting in a 10% improvement in mission performance and recognition from senior leadership for exceptional strategic leadership.
• Led a cross-agency collaboration effort, fostering interagency cooperation and achieving common objectives, which led to the successful implementation of a joint program resulting in a 25% increase in program impact and visibility.
• Managed and oversaw a multi-million dollar budget, ensuring compliance with federal regulations and guidelines, resulting in zero audit findings and recognition from auditors for exemplary financial management.
• Coordinated and collaborated with federal agencies, stakeholders, and partners to promote interagency cooperation, resulting in the successful implementation of a joint initiative that received national recognition and increased program impact by 20%.
• Drafted and reviewed reports, memos, and briefing materials for senior officials, providing accurate and timely information on key issues and developments, resulting in informed decision-making and improved communication with stakeholders.
• Developed and maintained relationships with key stakeholders, including Congress, industry representatives, and advocacy groups, resulting in increased support for agency initiatives and successful advocacy for increased funding by 15%.
• Led and managed a high-performing team of staff members, providing guidance and support, resulting in a 20% improvement in team productivity and recognition from senior leadership for exceptional leadership skills.
• Stayed informed about current trends and emerging issues in the federal sector, attending conferences and professional development opportunities, resulting in the implementation of innovative strategies that improved program outcomes by 10% and received national recognition.
• Strategic Planning
• Policy Analysis
• Budget Management
• Interagency Collaboration
• Report Writing
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Team Leadership
• Knowledge of Federal Regulations
• Financial Management
• Program Development and Implementation
• Research and Analysis
• Communication Skills
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Project Management
• Negotiation Skills
• Decision-Making Skills
• Performance Management
• Knowledge of Current Trends in Federal Sector
• Advocacy Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Time Management Skills
• Conflict Resolution Skills
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Ability to Work Under Pressure
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Attention to Detail
• Public Speaking Skills
• Relationship Building Skills
• Change Management Skills
• Risk Management Skills

Top Skills & Keywords for Federal Resumes:

Hard skills.

• Policy Analysis and Development
• Budgeting and Financial Management
• Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement
• Regulatory Compliance
• Contract Management
• Data Analysis and Reporting
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation
• Legislative and Legal Research
• Security Clearance and Classified Information Handling
• Crisis Management and Emergency Response
• Interagency Coordination and Collaboration

Soft Skills

• Leadership and Team Management
• Communication and Presentation Skills
• Collaboration and Cross-Functional Coordination
• Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
• Time Management and Prioritization
• Decision Making and Strategic Planning
• Conflict Resolution and Negotiation
• Analytical Thinking and Data Analysis
• Attention to Detail and Accuracy
• Integrity and Ethical Behavior
• Interpersonal Skills and Relationship Building

Resume Action Verbs for Federals:

• Implemented
• Collaborated
• Coordinated
• Facilitated
• Streamlined
• Investigated
• Communicated
• Strategized

Generate Your Resume Summary

Resume FAQs for Federals:

How long should i make my federal resume, what is the best way to format a federal resume, which keywords are important to highlight in a federal resume, how should i write my resume if i have no experience as a federal, compare your federal resume to a job description:.

• Identify opportunities to further tailor your resume to the Federal job
• Improve your keyword usage to align your experience and skills with the position
• Uncover and address potential gaps in your resume that may be important to the hiring manager

Complete the steps below to generate your free resume analysis.

Related Resumes for Federals:

The Best Résumé Templates For Your 2024 Job Search

N o matter what the news says about low unemployment rates, if you don’t yet have your dream job , you’re going to need every tool at your disposal to attract an employer’s eye . Literally.

That’s why it’s increasingly popular for people to incorporate flashy designs in their résumé. For those of us who aren’t graphic designers, that often means using a résumé template. We’ll point you in the direction of some résumé templates out there in a minute, but first, you might be wondering how necessary these are for a job search . Do hiring managers even look at résumés when they can find out everything about us on social media or in those lengthy online applications we’re always filling out?

“Employers are always going to look you up on LinkedIn , but you also need to have some kind of tangible document that you can send along to demonstrate your professional identity,” career coach Elana Konstant tells Refinery29.

Amanda Augustine, careers expert for  TopCV , says having a strong résumé template is vital. “If a résumé’s content is king, then consider its design is queen,” she says. “How your information is presented on a résumé is just as important as the information itself. Recruiters want to see a visually appealing, yet uncomplicated, résumé that strikes the right balance between content and white space. If your résumé is not easy to read, employers will simply move on to the next application.”

When you’re going up against potentially hundreds of people for a job, the layout of your résumé could be the difference between being skipped over and getting an interview, Augustine warns. After all, studies have proved recruiters typically make a decision about a résumé within 10 seconds.

“A good résumé template is designed with both the hiring professional and its recruitment tools in mind,” she adds. “The document is first and foremost easily skimmable; it utilizes a consistent layout with clearly marked headings and an uncomplicated design that allow the reader to quickly understand why you’re a good fit for a particular job. It also avoids certain design elements that might throw off an  applicant tracking system  (ATS), such as custom fonts or bullet points, graphics, and right-hand columns or rails, among others.”

As you browse through some of the templates, you might be tempted to choose the designs that are the most artistic or fit the most words on the page. Konstant warns that those aren’t necessarily the ones that will land you a job. Some managers in creative fields might welcome an unconventional design, while many others will prefer a more conservative approach.

“I’ve noticed on Etsy, and some other sites, they sell formats that are pretty to look at, but I sometimes find that it can be hard to extract the right information from them,” she says. “It’s a delicate balance between finding something that you think looks good, but that represents the right information. … I definitely err on the side of fewer bells and whistles and really having the experience stand out.”

While many of these template sites include guidance on the content, not just the design, Konstant suggests seeking guidance offline. “Ask people who actually do the kind of work that you want to do to take a look at [your résumé] and see what’s missing,” she says. “[That way] you can make sure that your résumé really speaks to the kind of jobs that you’re looking for.”

Before you run off and find your mentor, you can at least start by using the following template sites. One note: Beware of many sites offering free or low-cost templates. Some of them will automatically subscribe you to their services after 14 days, and charge you fees. If there’s no pricing info available on a site, that should be a red flag.

There are plenty of options here, and Augustine recommends using the London, Santiago, Singapore and Athens templates if you’re applying for a job in a country that discourages using a résumé photo.

In both the UK and US this should be avoided as many recruiters won’t consider applications with a photo.

Google Docs

The easiest place to start is right here, and it’s free. There are five templates to choose from that include tiny bits of personality in the form of font changes, colour, and lines.

This can give you a clean, need and easy to read format to follow, that you can also adapt and develop further if you need.

Microsoft Office

If you have Office, there are pages and pages of free résumé and cover letter templates available to download and use in Word. They range from the simplest to wildly colorful with photos. Choose wisely — you don’t want to use the same template as everyone else, nor do you want to present something wild to a very traditional employer.

At the very least, use this as a source of inspiration, then create your own format selecting the best of what you’ve browsed through.

There’s a variety of free Word doc templates to choose from here, but it comes with a catch: You have to share a link to the site on Facebook or Twitter in order to unlock the free download link. We know that can feel a bit cringy to do.

As an alternative, you can buy a premium pack, which includes a cover letter format and free email support.

Another site with plenty of Word templates for free, but this one comes with a land mines of ads for other résumé sites scattered throughout the page — and they all look like the buttons you should click for your download until they take you to a different page.

The trick is to hunt for the blue “Download” buttons on the template of your choice, and then click on the hyperlinked word “free.”

Graphic designers use this site to showcase their work, and some up-and-comers are so eager to showcase their wares that they offer résumé templates to download for free. This is a gold mine if employers in your field value creativity.

Canva is another option if you’re keen to be a bit more creative; both paid and free versions are available. Someone working in graphics or a creative role might enjoy the range of design options here more, as there’s plenty of space to put your own mark on your résumé. Remember, it still needs to be clear and easy to read, so don’t go overboard.

Seb Morgan, an expert at CV Genius, says most of the templates here are free to download, and you don’t need to sign up to access them.

“Two of my personal favourites are Severn and Tyneside, two versatile templates that are both easy to personalise and appropriate for most industries,” he says.

This site offers two templates you can download for free in a ZIP file and then edit in Microsoft Word or Apple Pages.

You can also buy fancier templates for around $12-13 (each, with some packages for $19). For another $29, you can get an editor to look at your résumé, too.

Support the entrepreneurial designers out there by buying a template directly from them.

There are plenty listed for around $10, give or take a few dollars. Most offer simple designs, so you might find it worth the investment.

This site offers free one-page résumé templates, in styles ranging from “functional” to “creative,” that are perfect for people in the early stages of their career.

Premium subscribers can get longer résumé templates, custom layouts, cover letter templates, extra fonts and colors, and options to add icons.

The best thing about this site is the way you can import info from your LinkedIn profile to begin building your résumé. Of course, you should probably do a bit of editing after that: Konstant recommends you tailor descriptions of your experience and skills for each position to which you’re applying, making sure you include some keywords that are in the specific job listing.

There’s a free option for some of the templates, but they will include a Resumonk footer, which doesn’t look particularly professional. An annual fee will get you 17 templates in both PDF and doc formats, accompanying cover letter templates, plus a URL for your résumé that allows you to track who’s looked at it.

Though it’s based in Poland and caters to people all over the world, this résumé-building site specifies which formats are recommended for American jobs. An online tool clearly guides users through each step of filling out the template, with tips from recruiters included in each section.

The starter pack includes four templates that you can save in PDF format and download unlimited times. The premium plan includes 18 templates, cover letters, and a URL that tracks views and downloads.