resume usa jobs

An official website of the United States government.

Here’s how you know

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

American Rescue Plan
Coronavirus Resources
Disability Resources
Disaster Recovery Assistance
Domestic Workers
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.

Federal Resumes Guide for USAJobs

Introduction

USAJOBS.gov

Writing Strategies

Federal Resume Sample

Introduction to federal resumes.

Searching for a federal job can be a daunting task. The stringent guidelines for both the application process and the formatting of required materials, including the federal resume, can seem overwhelming to first-time applicants and seasoned professionals.

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the key steps in the application process, including successfully navigating USAJOBS (the official job-search website of the US government), targeting vacancy postings, and crafting an effective resume that highlights your career accomplishments while aligning with federal resume-writing best practices.

How a Federal Resume Differs From a Private Industry Resume

The main differences between a federal resume and a private sector resume are the length of the resume and the detail involved. While a typical resume should be no more than two pages in length, a federal resume can extend to five pages or more. In addition, federal resumes require more details in regards to references, availability, and expanded job descriptions and accomplishments. Also, readers of your federal resume will be expecting certain stylistic attributes and exact phrasing that mirrors the language of vacancy postings on USAJOBS.gov.

Grade Levels: General Schedule (GS) & Senior Executive Service (SES)

In the federal job arena, there is a highly specific and expected career progression and salary roadmap referred to as the GS pay scale, ranging from GS-1 through GS-15. Applicants are required to meet clearly defined expectations for jobs at each level, and each progressive step includes a raise in salary:

GS-1 through GS-7: Entry-level positions – If you have recently entered the workforce and have at least a high school diploma and a few months of work experience, you qualify for positions up to GS-2. If you have more than a few months of general experience, you qualify for GS-3 and GS-4 levels. Following this (GS-5 and above), positions require at least 1 year of specialized experience to be considered. Graduates within a specific career field are eligible for GS-5 jobs and qualify for GS-7 if they attained certain grades, test scores, or other criteria while in college.
GS-8 through GS-12: Mid-level positions – Jobs within this range typically require master’s degrees or a doctorate for GS-11 grades and beyond. In lieu of a degree, acceptable candidates can qualify with at least 12 months of experience at an equivalent grade level.
GS-13 through GS-15: Senior managers, high-level technical specialists, physicians – Positions in this range are typically reserved for top professionals holding advanced degrees. Candidates must be able to demonstrate relevant job experience. At levels 14 and 15, the candidate is eligible to apply for a Senior Executive Service (SES) job.

SES & Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs)

SES roles represent executive-level positions across management and policy. These roles are classified above GS-15 in most Executive Branch agencies of the US government. These also represent the highest-level positions below presidential appointments. To qualify for an SES position, one must demonstrate alignment with five ECQs and their key components:

As you’ll see, the questionnaire asks about certain abilities that the ideal candidate would possess that might not be spelled out in the job posting itself, so it’s important to identify these and leverage them in your federal resume.

In addition to specific phrasing of expected abilities and accomplishments, you will want to identify the KSAs that are specific to the position. USAJOBS makes this process easy by highlighting them at the bottom of a vacancy posting with the “How You Will Be Evaluated” section. Remember, these are expected to be written verbatim in a federal resume.

After you have made a list of both the KSAs and phrases you need to incorporate into your federal resume, it’s time to start writing.

Strategies for Writing a Successful Federal Resume

Define Your Core Skills

With your list of KSAs and duty phrases in hand, ask yourself what five high-level responsibilities describe your current role in order to define the key knowledge, skills, and abilities you apply every day and how they align with the information you obtained from the vacancy posting. Once you have compiled this list, brainstorm about specific examples of achievements in these areas and how they support the position you’re applying to as well as its KSAs.

If you are making a transition from military service into civilian service, you will need to translate your experience and accomplishments to align with the language of the vacancy postings. Using the posting language and KSAs as a guide, consider how your accomplishments within the military reflect the skills and abilities required for the position. A good starting point for this information is your performance evaluations.

Formatting & Layout

As with a private industry resume, a federal resume is most impactful when it is organized and highly readable. A main point of difference between the two is that while a private resume can take many forms including functional or creative, the federal resume must be in the traditional reverse-chronological order covering the last 10 years. Private sector resumes use succinct career highlights and bullets with few details, whereas federal resumes use full phrases, sentences, and paragraphs to cover the informative descriptions and extensive details that support the job qualifications. While a private sector resume is typically limited to 2 pages, a federal resume can average anywhere from 3 pages to 7 or more.

Stylistic Rules

As with private-sector resumes, some general stylistic rules apply to optimize the document:

Most jobs will have four to six paragraphs, and each should represent a KSA, if possible. “Communication skills” is the most common KSA.
Each resume should contain one paragraph on “Interpreting Regulations.”
Repetition aligning with job posting-specific phrasing is encouraged. If you did the work and have the skills, it’s acceptable to repeat these attributes throughout the resume. Avoid exact repetition, and paraphrase when possible.
Minimize using personal pronouns, and keep articles such as “an” or “the” to a minimum to optimize space.
KEYWORDS/CORE COMPETENCIES should be used to describe each duties paragraph and are in all caps. Nouns are preferred, but verbs can also be used if that is the language reflecting the vacancy posting.
Accomplishments should follow the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for a general federal resume or the CCAR (Challenge, Context, Action, Result) format for ECQs within the SES resume.
Some job announcements will require the full date (mm/dd/yyyy) and salary, supervisor name and phone, and whether or not to contact. It’s important to note that federal resumes will not be considered if required information is missing.
Certificates usually go under Job-Related Training, but longer programs such as the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Professional (PMP) certification will go under education.
Military, Soldier, Veteran, Marine, etc. are capitalized throughout the resume, which is reflective of Military AP Style.
All acronyms, except those that are obvious, should be spelled out. This is especially important to elucidate department or industry-specific jargon. Remember that it’s often HR that is reviewing your resume first, not a specialist within your field.
Font size and spacing should remain the same, except for paragraph spacing.
Jobs more than 10 years in the past will still be listed but will be presented in the Additional Information section, with the number of years listed instead of dates.

Contact Information & Career Summary

The federal resume presentation begins with your contact information. These details should match your profile on USAJOBS. Following this is the Career Summary which should be crafted to align your experience with the vacancy posting of interest. Also list your citizenship status, current employment status (federal or private sector), the highest GS level you have obtained (if applicable), and any security clearances you have.

If you don’t have the security clearance required by the position, make it known that you are aware of the requirement and are willing to obtain the necessary clearance. You can also use this space to describe any high-level awards you have received or technical skills that are relevant to your desired position. Again, while the private sector resume is intentionally two pages on average, federal resumes are more expansive and inclusive of details.

Following your summary and contact information is a section of bulleted areas of expertise. Again, focus on the keywords that align your strengths and abilities with the requirements outlined in the vacancy posting.

Work Experience

Next, outline your work experience for each agency in chronological order. The federal resume requires exact dates (month/year) of employment as well as hours worked per week and exact details of each position (Series, GS level, etc.). As stated previously, the federal resume is a chronological document that describes your work history in terms of an outline. This means that you should outline your progression of roles within that agency and follow the timeline with a skills-based resume-writing format. You will do this for each applicable agency.

Next, use the list of duties and KSAs that you compiled from the vacancy posting as a template to describe how your career duties and accomplishments demonstrate your success in those areas. In this applicant’s case, the following phrases (among others) were listed on the vacancy posting:

Logistics and transportation
Provide oversight and guidance
Leverage knowledge of organizational development and culture
Team leader
Organize and direct teams
Interpret policy and regulations
Effective written and oral communication
Build professional working relationships

Looking at the example below, you can see how the resume entry has been customized to reflect these lists:

As with a private sector resume, you’ll notice the use of bulleted accomplishments to describe specific accomplishments related to the listed and described skills. These should describe both what you accomplished as well as how you did it.

You will go through this process with every agency within your career history, ensuring that you continue to frame your accomplishments and work history around the list of phrases and KSAs that you obtained from your review of the vacancy posting.

It is also customary to list your supervisors as references under each position in your job history. You should also specify whether the HR specialist reviewing your resume can contact them.

Additional Information

After outlining and describing your career history in a way that aligns with your desired position, you will list additional information that is important and relevant, including education, certifications, job-related training, professional affiliations, and publications. This is also where older employment information is listed without specific dates.

Some higher-level applicants (in particular in the GS-14 and GS-15 range) have exhaustive lists of publications that would significantly lengthen the document. In this case, it is perfectly acceptable to present a selected list of representative publications.

Your Federal Resume – The Next Step

Hopefully, this guide has provided you with helpful information regarding the complications, nuances, and time involved in creating an effective federal resume.

If after reviewing this guide, you’d prefer to take advantage of a federal resume writing service and use your valuable time on other elements of your job search, you can request a 1-on-1 consultation with one of our experienced team members. Whether you are a private sector employee looking for government work, a military service member seeking a transition to civilian work, or a federal employee looking to advance, we invite you to speak with one of our career advancement specialists so that we can optimally position you for your next challenge.

Career Advice

How to Land a Government Job

More About Us

Frequently Asked Questions

REQUEST A FREE CONSULTATION

Enter your information to request your free consultation and receive our email series on the secrets to a successful career change.

Free 1 on 1 Consultation

Email * Enter Email Confirm Email
I accept terms and conditions
What GS level are you targeting for your next role? * --- Please Select --- GS 7 or lower GS 8 to GS 10 GS 11 to GS 15 SES
What is your current title or position level? * --- Please Select --- C-Level Vice President Director Manager Partner/Principal Founder Other Executive Other Non-Executive Level
What is your current income level? * --- Please Select --- less than $50K $50K-$100K $100K-$150K $150K-$200K $200K+
Immediately
6-12 Months
Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.