Updated on JANUARY 10, 2020 by JOSEPH MERCER
Knowing the Difference Can Get You Hired!
A resume for one industry is not the same as a resume for
another industry. With that in mind, different sectors also have different
resumes. Federal jobs use a different style of resume than a private sector
job.
Why do you need to know the difference? In order to be the
best candidate for a job, you should have the right resume. To help you with
that process, we are going to take a look at the biggest differences between
private sector resumes and federal job resumes.
Specific Requirements
Most private sector jobs just assume that you know what
should be included in your resume. This isn’t very helpful for someone who is
applying to work in a position they have never held before. One great part of
federal job listings it that they will often include specific details about
what they are expecting from your resume.
These details include length, how far back information
should be provided for, what is relevant, and any other specific information.
Make sure to read this before starting to write your resume. You don’t
want to have to go back and change everything you have written.
A specific requirement to keep an eye out for is an essay or
short response section. Depending on the level of federal job that you are
applying to, you may be asked to write an essay or short response. Missing this
will almost always cause you to be disqualified from the position you are
applying to.
Generic Resume Vs. Specific Resume
While you might be able to get away with using one resume
for all of your applications in the private sector, especially if they are all
in the same industry, this doesn’t work for the federal resume. Your federal
resume should be tailored to the position you are applying for. This is
important as each position has different requirements and they are looking for
you to demonstrate those requirements on the resume.
Also remember the first bullet point. Federal jobs often
give specific requirements for how you format your resume and what to include
in it. A generic resume will not fit that need.
Length of the Resume
If you have ever written a public sector resume you know the
challenge of trying to pair the document down to one page, two-page max. Public
sector hiring managers do not want to read overly long documents and would
rather have a very brief overview of everything you have done in your career.
A federal job resume is far more detailed. Before being
considered for a federal, military, or contractor job, the government wants to
make sure they know who they are hiring. Instead of the two-page max, a federal
resume can end up being around 5-8 pages depending on your work experience and
education.
In the end, your private sector resume will be a quick and
easy read, guided by the bullet points, while the federal sector resume will
read more like a paper about yourself.
Detailed Contact Information Vs General Contact Information
One of the details that a federal resume requires is the
contact information for everyone listed on the resume. On your resume, you
should have your phone number, email address, and mailing address. You can
often leave at least the mailing address off private sector resumes now that
there is such a large focus on email communication.
For each job listed on a federal resume you also have to
list contact information for each supervisor or manager that you have had. At a
federal job, they will contact each manager or supervisor as a recommendation.
Bullet Points Vs Descriptions
When most people think of resumes, they think of bullet
point documents that list out a very brief description of either a task or
skill related to that job. These bullet points are typically limited to three
or four bullet points per job title you have had. Each bullet point is as
compact as possible, less than a line in the document.
In the federal sector, you are expected to write a paragraph
description for each position you have held. In this paragraph, you are
expected to give a detailed description of your job duties and skills
associated with that job.
Keywords
In general, on a private sector resume, you are going to
want to intersperse keywords throughout your resume to make it appealing and to
hit everything. With the federal style resume, you are going to instead put
keywords at the beginning of every section or paragraph. This helps to start
with the basic relevant information then get detailed from there. As you
imagine, this makes sorting through hundreds or thousands of resumes for one
position much easier.
When adding keywords to a federal resume you can write them
all caps to help make them stand out.
Accomplishments
Not every civilian resume lists accomplishments but when
they do, it tends to be as a small part of the overall resume. Federal-style
resumes include an accomplishments section where you highlight things you have
accomplished through your career and in your education.
Education
Almost all resumes require that you put any education you
have gone through on them. The difference is that in private sector resumes you
tend to only put your school name, graduation date, and what you specialized
in. You might also put any clubs or extracurricular you participated in.
For a federal resume, you are going to want to put in all of
the details about your schooling. From your GPA to your years attended, to any
special accomplishments, you don’t want to hold back. The only thing you should
leave off is a list of your classes as that would likely be pretty long.
Veteran Status
If you are veteran apply for a federal position it is
essential that you make it clear on your resume that you served. Almost all
federal positions have what is known as veterans preference. This gives you
extra points when your application is being weighed. Depending on the position
that you are applying for, you may be able to get more than just extra points
due to your veteran status.
When writing a resume for any job position it doesn’t hurt
to go and look at samples. Just remember to look at samples that are as similar
as possible to the position that you are applying for. That includes looking at
private sector samples vs. federal samples. Make sure to use the right format
and the right language for each resume that you write. With this list, you
should be equipped to start your resume and craft a winning final product.
Need Help With Your Federal Resume?
I've have over a decade of experience writing reviewing and recommending federal job applicant resumes. CLICK HERE to learn more about how we can help you get hired for that dream federal position.
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