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Tips for Writing a Federal Resume

woman writing a 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.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock Locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

What should I include in my resume?

Whether you're a current federal employee or new to the federal government, your resume is the primary way for you to communicate your education, skills and experience. The federal government does not have a standard job application. Your resume is your application.

A resume for a federal job is different than one for the private sector.

  • You must address each of the requirements and qualifications listed in the announcement—write clearly and without jargon. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
  • It requires more detailed descriptions of your work experiences, including experience level and complexity of work and may exceed the private sectors commonly recommended one to two pages.
  • You must include the start and end dates (month/year) and number of hours worked per week for each work experience.
  • You should tailor your resume for each federal job you apply for instead of using the same resume.

Before you write your resume

Read the entire job announcement. Focus on the following sections to understand whether you qualify for the position. This critical information is found under:

  • Requirements , which lists the Qualifications , and Specialized Experience and Education
  • How to Apply which will include a link to a preview of an assessment questionnaire, if that is required
  • How You Will be Evaluated

Make sure you have the required experience and education before you apply. Hiring agencies use the job announcement to describe the job and the required qualifications, including:

  • Level and amount of experience

What to include in your resume

Federal jobs often require that you have experience in a particular type of work for a certain amount of time. Your resume must show how your skills and experiences meet the qualifications and requirements listed in the job announcement to be considered for the job.

Include important contact information at the top

Include current contact information. Most job applications require this information:

  • Your address
  • Your email address
  • Your phone number

Read the job opportunity carefully to make sure you have included all required contact information.

Include dates, hours, level of experience and examples for each work experience

For each work experience, make sure you include:

  • Start and end dates (including the month and year).
  • The number of hours you worked per week.
  • The level of experience—describe the level of responsibility you had, for instance, whether you served as a project manager or a team member helps to illustrate your level of experience.
  • The amount of experience—use numbers to illustrate the number of people you managed, or the number of years you worked or managed.
  • Examples of relevant experience and accomplishments. Write your experience by matching your work experiences and accomplishments with language in the job announcement. Your experience needs to address every required qualification and prove that you can perform the tasks at the level required as stated in the job announcement.

Optional details to include:

Your salary – some agencies require you to list the salary for each work experience.

Example of work experience

Program Analyst GS-343-11 January 2009—Present 40 Hours/Week $63,000/Year

  • Describe your experience.
  • List an accomplishment. For example: "Accomplished as measured by [Y], by doing [Z]."
  • Provide greater detail for experience that is relevant to the job for which you are applying.
  • Show all experiences and accomplishments under the job in which you earned it. This helps agencies determine the amount of experience you have with that skill...

Use numbers to highlight your accomplishments

Use numbers, percentages or dollars to highlight your accomplishments—you can find this information in things like your performance reviews, previous job descriptions, awards and letters of recommendation.

When explaining your accomplishments:

  • Include examples of how you saved money, earned money or managed money.
  • Include examples of how you saved or managed time.
  • "Improved efficiency of document processing by 25 percent over the previous year".
  • "Wrote 25 news releases in a three-week period under daily deadlines".
  • "Managed a student organization budget of more than $7,000".
  • "Wrote prospect letter that has brought in more than $25,000 in donations to date".

These statements show in concrete terms what you accomplished.

Include volunteer work and roles in community organizations

Don't limit yourself to only including paid work experience. Include relevant volunteer work or community organizations roles that demonstrate your ability to do the job.

Use similar terms and address every required qualification

Your experience needs to address every required qualification in the job announcement. Hiring agencies will look for specific terms in your resume to make sure you have the experience they're seeking.

For example, if the qualifications section says you need experience with “MS Project” you need to use the words “MS Project” in your resume.

Organize and format your resume to make it easy to understand

You need to organize your resume to help agencies evaluate your experience.

  • Use reverse chronological order to list your experience—start with your most recent experience first and work your way back.
  • Use either bullet or paragraph format to describe your experiences and accomplishments.
  • Use plain language—avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood.

Customize your resume for each job application

You should tailor your resume to the job announcement rather than sending out the same resume for every job. Customizing your resume helps you match your competencies, knowledge, skills, abilities and experience to the requirements for each job. Emphasize your strengths and include everything you've done that relates to the job you're seeking. Leave out experience that isn't relevant.

Review your resume before you apply

Hiring agencies often receive dozens or even hundreds of resumes for certain positions. Hiring managers quickly skim through submissions and eliminate candidates who clearly are not qualified. Look at your resume and ask:

  • Can a hiring manager see my main credentials within 10 to 15 seconds?
  • Does critical information jump off the page?
  • Do I effectively sell myself on the top quarter of the first page?
  • Are there any spelling or grammatical errors?

Finally, have someone else, with a good eye for detail, review your resume.

Important facts about the federal hiring process

  • Hiring agencies use the job announcement to describe the job and list the required qualifications and responsibilities.
  • After applying, the hiring agency uses the information in your resume to confirm if you have the required qualifications stated in the job announcement.
  • Once the hiring agency has determined who is qualified, they may use other assessments such as interviews or testing to determine the best qualified applications.

Learn more about the federal hiring process .

You can upload your resume into the documents section of your profile, or you can use our resume builder to create a resume.

Additional resources

  • What should I leave out of my resume?
  • How to build a resume
  • How to create a resume

Still need help?

  • ORDER RESUME PACKAGE

The Keys to Keywords in Your Federal Resume

As Veterans, we often feel compelled to continue our noble pursuit of serving the public by seeking Federal government jobs after discharge or retirement. The reasons are many: comradery, relatively high pay, job security, great benefits and even a sense of renewed purpose. Simply, federal jobs are a natural continuation of military service!

In the 9 years I spent as a Human Resources Staffing Specialist, I staffed hundreds of federal positions and examined thousands of resumes. One major mistake Veterans should avoid is creating a ‘master resume’ and using that one resume to apply for all the jobs in which they have an interest.

Instead, a better way is to create a brand new, highly customized resume for every job to which they apply. You can do this based on the information given in job announcements.

What are keywords good for?

Luckily, federal job announcements (mostly found at USAjobs.gov) are very detailed and this is terrific for you, the Veteran job seeker. Why? You can extract plenty of relevant keywords from these announcements and place them into your resume. Not having the proper keywords in your resume could hamper your efforts to secure an interview.

There are many, many reasons why you need these keywords in your resume. Here are just a couple:

  • They are actually telling you exactly what knowledge, skills and abilities the HR department is looking for. It’s your job to hand them back a well-rounded resume that ‘speaks’ to the job announcement!
  • They are given to you on a silver platter – use them! Keywords are easily copied and pasted into your resume directly from the announcement. Remember: DON’T copy and paste entire sentences, only individual keywords.
  • Using keywords from the announcement in your resume lets the HR Specialist (who initially screens your resume) know that you are not only qualified for the job, but that you are HIGHLY qualified.
  • Keywords allow you to customize your resume to every single job you apply for.
  • Keyword scanners will be on the lookout. While it’s a myth that USAjobs uses electronic keyword scanners (human eyes initially screen resumes), some Agencies have their own application systems that DO have keyword scanners.

Without the proper keywords in your resume, it can be eliminated the second you apply!

Where can you find useful keywords?

Good news!  On each USAjobs announcement, there are several places from which you can extract these valuable keywords.

Let’s look at a sample USAJOBS announcement for demonstrative purposes.

Go here to see the announcement. This was an announcement (now closed) for a Secretary (OA) position with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

As you scroll through it, pay special attention to these sections:

  • The Duties Section;
  • The competencies section;
  • The specialized experience section;
  • The USAjobs Occupational Questionnaire.

Let’s head back to the sample Secretary announcement above and take a look at the duties section.

Highlighted for your convenience (and BOLD) are some sample keywords that would be powerful when placed into your resume if you were applying to this specific Secretary job.

  • The incumbent receives, scheduled, refers, and contacts members of the staff, agency and persons outside the agency ranging from the general public to vendors.
  • The incumbent provides public contact support services via telephone, email, or in person providing information about the office, its functions, and standard operating procedures.
  • The incumbent greets Service visitors to include Pharmaceutical Vendors and Medical Center Service Chief’s, scheduling meetings and conferences with the Chief of the Service and Senior Staff of the four subordinate Service sections.
  • The incumbent satisfies the customer and public needs by providing information and/or referring to appropriate resources.
  • The incumbent is the liaison officer to all levels of administrative services within the Healthcare System (HCS), as well as the outside organizations with whom the Service has contact.
  • The incumbent serves as principal timekeeper for a Service Level organization of 120 or more personnel.
  • The incumbent directs the training and activities of subordinate part-time timekeepers to ensure proper allocation of compensatory time, overtime as well as all other types of leave.
  • The incumbent acts as PIV Sponsor identifying that the Applicant has a need for a facility identity badge (PIV, VA Badge or One Day Pass).

Look at that! Now you have a rock-solid list of powerful keywords which will help the HR Specialist quickly determine that you are a qualified applicant, thereby increasing your chances of getting called for an interview.

  • Use of telephone, email, or in person
  • Provided information
  • Standard operating procedures
  • Schedules meetings
  • Provides information
  • Ensure proper allocation of compensatory time, overtime
  • PIV Sponsor

You would then extract these keywords and pepper them throughout your resume, customizing it into what I call a “high-probability” federal resume.

All applicants are encouraged to customize their resumes when applying for every job to which they apply. Yes, it is time-consuming, but in the end, it is worth it when your high-probability resume begins landing you job interviews.

I’m going to talk more about keywords in future blog posts, so please subscribe to this blog to get notified about future articles.

© 2017-2024 Fast Federal Resumes. All rights reserved

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

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 2019. (Revised March 2024)

Writing a US federal resume is hard. When I started writing mine, all I wanted was a solid example. What needs to be included, in what order, and what would it look like with real information. This is that example. ( Law and Order chimes )

It can be helpful to think about a federal resume like an academic CV, an overview of your whole career. Also, these are long documents . This is not the place for a 1-2 page resume. When I applied, my resume was 7 pages long; after 5 years at 18F, it’s close to 15 pages.

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:

  • Pay particular attention to the Specialized Experience section of a federal job posting. These items must be clearly represented on your resume to show you’ve done the work to be qualified.
  • New in 2024! Another tactic that’s been successful for me has been making the job posting’s Specialized Experience the headers for duties and responsibilities. Obviously you can’t do this until you’re looking at a specific job, but it can be a good way to organize your work for readability.
  • 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? Shoot me an email at [email protected]

My comments below will all be in text boxes

Resume formatting

AMANDA COSTELLO 123 Lutefisk Street You Betcha, MN 55555

Mobile: 555-555-5555 Email: [email protected]

Availability: April 1, 2024

Job Type: Permanent, Telework Work Schedule: Full-Time

Desired locations:

United States - MN Remote

WORK EXPERIENCE

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.

Work experience example from my 2018 resume

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.

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

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.

  • 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

My resume listed about 15 sessions that I thought were relevant to this job. I also had sections on selected publications and selected podcast guest appearances, because those are cool too! The format I use is:

"Title of the Presentation," what kind of session - MM/YYYY Conference Name - City, State, Country

  • “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

LANGUAGE SKILLS

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How to Write a Federal Resume in 2024 [3 Free Templates]

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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:

federal resume differences

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!

federal resume template

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.

job search masterclass

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.

federal job example

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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Tips for Creating a Federal Resume

A resume is your ticket to a job.  It must do two things; qualify you for a job, and impress a hiring manager enough to offer you an interview.

In general there are two types/usages of resumes:

  • A private sector resume is typically limited to two pages, with concise information and plain language.  It includes bullet formatting that provides a brief synopsis of your work history.  This resume is preferred by many organizations that may not take or have the time to review a long comprehensive resume.  Recruiters may tell you that they prefer a private sector resume.  This type of resume is more commonly used when attending career fairs with no or very few federal agencies participating at the event.  Additionally, a private sector resume is popular with resume writing classes that are offered, many times at job fairs.  When competing for a federal job, a private sector resume limits your competitiveness against an applicant with a well-developed federal resume.  
  • A federal resume is typically several pages long with a high-level of detail and government keywords that demonstrates what knowledge, skills, and abilities you possess that align with the requirements listed in a federal job vacancy announcement.  This type of resume is more difficult to create and includes sentence and paragraph structure.  It requires you to read the job announcement closely to ensure the government keywords are included and addressed in your resume.

If you have multiple skills, it is advantageous to create more than one resume on USAJobs.gov.

General information on how to enhance your federal resume:

  • The easier a resume is to read and the more focused it is on the job vacancy requirements, the faster it is for human resources (HR) staff and hiring managers to evaluate and determine if you qualify for a position.  Remember to include the month and year of previous employment when listing your employment history.  
  • You should focus your qualifications on the knowledge, skills, and abilities and job requirements listed in the vacancy announcement and provide your professional background as it relates to the needs of the federal agency.  
  • Use titles or headings that match language found in the job announcement.  In the federal application process, a “one resume fits all” approach is not appropriate.  Employers often make quick decisions while scanning resumes.  Furthermore, your resume should highlight the most important and relevant information about your experiences, skills, and education that relate to the job.  
  • It is important to “civilianize” your resume while effectively communicating your military skills and education.  HR staff and hiring managers often have little or no experience in the military and may not be familiar with common military language.  Moreover, many standard military acronyms are also not understood and you should limit its use whenever possible.  Have someone who has no military experience read your resume, and if they have questions or do not understand something you have listed, chances are HR staff and hiring managers will have the same questions.  
  • Using numbers, statistics, and quantifiable data to describe achievements and skill sets can improve how well you compete for a position.  If you can demonstrate that you have saved an organization money, streamlined a process to increase production, or improved efficiencies in an operation, it is easier for a hiring manager to favorably rank you against other applicants.  Additionally, it enhances your resume when you can highlight significant accomplishments or show the impact you have had in a previous occupation.  
  • It is a common practice in the military, especially on evaluation or fitness reports, to make a list of the duties you perform and to use words such as responsible, assist, coordinate, etc.  However, consider using the power words and active verbs below to describe your accomplishments to convey your skills:

accomplished

administered

analyzed

contracted

created

directed

developed

drafted

established

improved

implemented

negotiated

7. Creating a federal resume can become more difficult if you have multiple skill sets that you need to exhibit.  To help develop your resume, research multiple federal job announcements that you believe you are qualified to apply for, review each one from start to finish, and make sure you note all of the requirements, duties, and responsibilities of the position.  Next, highlight the key words and sentences from each announcement and use a search engine (Bing, Google, Yahoo!, etc.) to request information on the job titles listed on the announcement (Program Analyst, Program Manager, Program Specialist, etc.).  This will provide you with generic information on the types of responsibilities that are common to that job title (usually in civilian terms).  Finally, compare the words and sections that you highlighted on each job announcement and the generic list from the search engine, and see if you have a large number of those items already listed in your resume.  If those words do not appear and you possess those skills, add them to your resume.  Remember, for a federal position you are trying to create a comprehensive, well-written resume that is relevant to the job.

8. Information that should not be identified on your resume:

  • College fraternities/sororities
  • Health status
  • Marital/family status
  • References (use “references available upon request” to ensure they are current)
  • Social Security numbers
  • Notice at Collection
  • Your Privacy Choices
  • Exercise Your Privacy Rights
  • Newsletters
  • 2024 Election

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6 Tips for Writing Federal Resumes

Ask yourself: can a recruiter scan this in six seconds.

Lindy Kyzer

  • Promising Practices

If you’re interested in working for the federal government, you’ll need to navigate one very particular and time-consuming task—federal resume writing. You may have a perfect one-or two-page resume for career fairs or online profiles, but for your federal resume, you’ll want to consider a few tips.

1. Rules of Brevity Do Not Apply

Your federal resume should be highly readable, but unlike with your typical resume, don’t sweat the length. If it’s 20 pages, that’s a problem. A five-page word document is a good goal, but keep in mind that federal resumes generally ask for 10 years of employment history. That’s more than you should include on a typical resume (I mean, that college tutoring job really helped me in my career as an Army civilian, but I can guarantee it wasn’t the factor that got me the job). If you have more than 10 years of experience you can include that, but the closer you get to 20-plus years on the job, it’s likely your first few positions are irrelevant—they don’t need to be included on your federal resume, and they shouldn’t be.

The general principle for a federal resume is to go in chronological order—much like filling out employment history on your SF-86. But keep in mind this is still a resume, and it will ultimately be viewed by human eyes (if you do a good job of writing it and meet the qualifications). A functional resume format (where you lead off with your most applicable jobs/skills) will probably serve you better once your resume is viewed by human eyes.

2.  Write for the Human (and the Computer)

For most writing you’re appealing to a human. A key takeaway is to have a resume that can be scanned in six seconds—that’s how much time the average recruiter spends on a resume. Some federal resume writers get bogged down in all the details required and forget the six-second scan principle. View your resume two ways: as a screen shot and as a printout. Some government human resources specialists print out resumes to scan, particularly once the pool has been narrowed (sorry trees). Make sure in either format that there are key skills and qualifications that directly apply to the position and will catch a human’s eye. These may be keywords that apply to the position or they may be unique skills, a cool credential or certification, or something else that will make the human scanning your resume stop and want to learn more.

This doesn’t mean you should forget the computer; you need to include the relevant keywords from the job announcement. But if those are the only words you use, you won’t make it very far. When scanning a resume, it’s clear who just copied and pasted keywords and who incorporated them in a way that fits the arc of their skills. Your federal resume needs to tell a story, just like your resume does in any other job application situation.

3. Prove Your Grade

The General Schedule classification and pay system specifies certain levels of education and experience for each grade. All applicants, including veterans or those with prior government service, need to prove they have the requisite experience and education in their federal resume. Know the level of the position you’re applying for and show you have the experience required. Many current GS employees wonder if they’ll need to wait a certain period before applying for a new position at a higher grade. For annual promotions and merit-based increases, there are generally time-in-service requirements. In applying for a new position, however, there is generally no time-in-service requirement. The rules differ within agencies, and some departments, including the National Security Agency, having much greater flexibility on salary ranges and step increases within grade.

Regardless, do your research and make sure your resume fits the criteria. You’re wasting an HR specialist’s time when you don’t meet the most basic jobs requirements.

4. Show Specialized and Similar Experience

This one is for veterans, in particular. You may not meet the minimum education requirements of the position, but if you can show equivalent experience, training or education, you’re still qualified for the job. Also, be sure to list your veteran’s preference or disability rating on your resume. Federal resumes speak the language of KSA—knowledge, skills and accomplishments. For your federal resume, don’t hesitate to include relevant volunteer experience, military awards and certificates, and other topics you might leave off of a more concise nonfederal resume. Make sure these fit under the KSA umbrella—show how the training or experience you received applies to the job description. Sprinkle the relevant keywords across your resume, and across your KSAs.

5. Use Formatting

Many people treat their federal resume as a keyword search tool. Much of the advice around federal resumes focuses on the importance of key words. And key words are vital for every online resume—not just those submitted on USAJobs. But you also must include formatting to make your resume readable to the human who will eventually scan it. It should be visually appealing. You should use headers. You should divide your resume into a readable, visually appealing format. You should include relevant social media and career networking links, if appropriate. You should include an objective statement if it will better organize your resume.

The bottom line is, make your federal resume as easy to read and visually appealing as possible. Yes, it will be significantly longer than the one- to two-page resume you print out for career fairs. But you need to put as much, if not more thought, into the visual appeal and proper formatting of your federal resume.

6. Have a Nonfederal Resume

Many people assume the only way to apply for a federal job is on USAJobs. It is the primary government hiring tool but not the only one. Some federal agencies use their own or third-party application processing systems or job listing sites. If you’re applying through one of these third-party sites, make sure you know the resume requirements. Your more concise, nonfederal resume may be a better fit for these agencies. When in doubt, reach out to the contact on the job announcement. This may be the most critical piece of advice to go along with your federal resume: Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone. Showing your desire to apply for the job—and to do it right—makes a great first impression.

Lindy Kyzer is the editor of   ClearanceJobs.com   and a former Defense Department employee.

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NEXT STORY: Low Productivity? Redesign Your Team So Everyone Is the Leader

Help us tailor content specifically for you:

Your Federal Resume Guide for Getting a Government Job

Do you have a passion for volcanoes? Most likely, a seismic network manager is your dream job. Or have you ever thought about becoming an Antarctic IT expert who uses technology in unique and off-the-wall ways?

Achieve your goals and find a cool federal job that suits your strengths and ambitions!

One of the big benefits of the federal government is that there are positions in every field.  Acting as the largest employer in each state with 2.4 million civilian workers, our government provides job openings, which match almost any set of skills and interests. From technology maven for NASA to secretary, the federal government is looking for a wide variety of talented employees, who dedicated to their job.

Federal Resume Guide will serve you as a starting point for creating or improving your resume for application to stand out from the crowd.

Tools for Job seekers

Resume samples.

See a Federal Resume Samples written in strict accordance with job announcement parameters. You can edit any of these samples to get a quick start and easily create an excellent resume within 10 minutes.

Cover Letters

Check out our federal cover letter examples library to get all the details right. Consider the following advice to put your best foot forward ahead of other job seekers.

Resume Templates

Download OUTLINE FORMAT with keyword headers to make sure both recruiters and online application programs identify that your experience meets the required qualifications.

Resume Builder

The USAJOBS online Federal Resume Builder will guide you through the resume writing process to make certain that you don’t miss out on any detail of your application.

Writing a federal resume requires exceptional attention to details, using the right keywords, and a comprehensive understanding of the application packages grading system, required by the majority of government agencies.

Instead of having one resume that fits every application, it’s crucial to adopt your cv per each federal job, including your relevant experience, education and certifications. Otherwise, you risk losing out to a candidate who applied properly.

Step 1. Finding a federal career

Many people believe applying for a government job is a complicated and long lasting process, but it is actually very achievable. Learn how to get a US federal job , how to create a USAJOBS profile, how to apply and etc.

Step 2. Detailed information about writing a federal resume

Federal resumes are complex and have strict requirements. Be sure to include all relevant experience, job duties and accomplishments. Focus on the following data to find out how to write a federal resume :

  • Resume sections and formatting
  • Federal resume writing mistakes
  • Tips for writing a federal resume

Step 3. Federal cover letter advice and tips

To help you get ready for this job hunt, spend just 15 minutes on how to customize your federal cover letter to the keywords per each government position. 

Step 4. How to Apply for a position on Usajobs

Know more how to create and develop your profile on USAJOBS.gov to include your core competencies and skills. The closer your experience and educational background match the KSAs, the better career prospects will be.

STEP 5. PREPARING FOR A SUCCESSFUL FEDERAL INTERVIEW

Discover   how to succeed in a federal job interview . Read more about:

  • Ways to relieve stress.
  • Interview questions.
  • Government job interview tips. 

6. Negotiating your federal job ofefr

Before to start your new federal job, check out the compensation items and know how to negotiate your federal salary . 

If you have the time and inclination to create an effective government style resume, please use our detailed guide. It may not be easy, but it is the key to the complexity of the federal hiring process. When in doubt what to include on a resume or how to optimize it for easy reading, find a professional writer who knows the pros and cons of the federal resume writing process here .

Check out 5 Best Federal Resume Writing Services.

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Help Center

How to search for resumes and job seekers.

You can search more than one million resumes in ATP to find potential job candidates or new sources of talent and invite them to apply to job announcements or to job fairs and other recruitment events.

You can search resumes to:

  • Create a list of job seekers with special certifications or skill set for hard-to-fill vacancies.
  • Find job seekers in a specific location or desired work location.
  • Identify job seekers who may be eligible for specific hiring authorities such as Schedule A, VEOA or PeaceCorp.
  • Look for federal employees at a specific GS scale.
  • Refine your search to people who have updated their resume within the past 1-18 months.

Use keywords

  • Enter a keyword like a job title, skill, or certification.
  • Use multiple keywords to get more specific.
  • Don't use a series in the keyword box. Instead, enter a series into the series filter. If you search by series you will only see current or former federal employees in your search results.

Use location

  • Use location to search for a job seeker's current location or desired work location.

Use filters

  • Search for how recently a profile or resume has been updated—you can search resumes that have been updated in the last month or within 18 months.
  • Use hiring paths to narrow down your results. Hiring paths may help you find job seekers who might be eligible for certain hiring authorities or preferences, but you will still need to confirm eligibility.
  • Enter a job series or name—your search results will only display current or former federal employees that have entered the series in their USAJOBS profile.
  • Select the highest grade you're looking for—your search results will only display federal employees on the GS scale.

More advanced search techniques

You can get very specific with your key word search by using the following tips.

Search for exact matches

Use quotes around words or a phrase to search for an exact match. For example: “graphic design”.

Search for all keywords

Use the plus sign + between words to search for all keywords. For example: designer + photoshop.

Search for either keyword

Use a comma between each keyword to search for either one. For example: writer, editor

Exclude a word from your search

Use a minus – in front of a word you want to leave out or not search for. For example: designer –photographer, if you want to find designers who are not photographers.

Specify an order to your search

Use parentheses to tell what to search on first. For example: (public affairs, media relations)

Search examples

“public affairs” + (content strategy, writer) + media relations

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Program Manager

This position is located in the Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science Directorate, in the Park Programs and National Heritage Areas Division. The encumberment provides national program leadership, oversight, budget formulation, policy development and implementation and direction for the Park Structures, Cultures and Landscapes Programs of the National Park Service (NPS).

  • Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

09/11/2024 to 09/24/2024

$139,395 - $181,216 per year

Pay scale & grade

1 vacancy in the following location:

  • Washington, DC

Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.

Appointment type

Work schedule.

Competitive

Promotion potential

Job family (series).

  • 0340 Program Management

Supervisory status

Security clearance.

Not Required

Position sensitivity and risk

Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process

  • Credentialing
  • Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure

Bargaining unit status, announcement number.

WO-1614-CRPS24-12530971-IMP

Control number

This job is open to.

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

Current federal employees of this agency.

Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.

Clarification from the agency

Open to current career/career conditional employees of the National Park Service.

  • Program Management-provides national program leadership, oversight, budget formulation, policy development and implementation and professional quality direction for the Park Structures, Cultures and Landscapes Programs of the National Park Service (NPS).
  • Demonstrates an authoritative knowledge of and expertise in cultural resource management as well as in the application of the Secretary's of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation.
  • Communication-ensures a high level of communication and coordination within the NPS at the Washington, regional, and field levels about historic structures, cultures, and landscapes located in and associated with national park management and stewardship.
  • Supervision-supervises a team of permanent and term-appointment employees, contractors, and interns. Assigns duties and provides instruction and training; evaluates performance and establishes performance standards.

Requirements

Conditions of employment.

  • U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males
  • Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
  • Any individual who is currently holding, or has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet time-in-grade requirements (must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent in the Federal service); with few exceptions as outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal civilian employees applying for reinstatement who have had a break in service of less than one year, as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointments. Time-in-grade does not apply to new excepted service appointments and must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
  • If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 2 nights per month. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

Qualifications

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement.

Additional information

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay. A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR §575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.

A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

  • Administration and Management
  • Manages Human Resources
  • Technical Competence
  • Written Communication

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

  • Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week . If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Your resume must clearly show how long your have held each grade in a federal position.
  • Complete All Required Assessments.
  • Federal employees or former federal employees must submit a copy of their latest or last SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action" reflecting career or career-conditional status in the competitive service, shows position title, series, grade and an additional SF-50 showing highest permanent grade ever held, if not reflected on your latest SF-50. Examples of acceptable SF-50s include: Promotion, Within Rate Increases (WRI/WGI), or Appointment SF-50s. Do not submit an Award SF-50. Time in grade will be determined by reviewing your resume and required SF-50s. Your last Federal performance appraisal plan for your last position must reflect a rating of Fully Successful or equivalent. If the SF-50 showing highest permanent grade ever held has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess the one-year time-in-grade, as required by this announcement. In this instance, your resume must clearly show that you held that grade for one-year
  • Veterans Preference Documentation (e.g. DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter as appropriate)
  • Documentation for the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act eligibility, which includes ALL Appointment AND Termination SF-50s for EACH appointment as well as ALL performance evaluations, for each qualifying period of temporary employment claimed.
  • All applicants must submit their most recent performance appraisal showing the official rating of record and signed by a supervisor. If submitting a performance appraisal not dated within the last18 months, a statement as to why it is the most recent must be submitted. If no performance appraisal is available, applicants must submit a statement as to why it is not available (including if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level).
  • Documentation for Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan consideration if you are a displaced Federal employee within the local commuting area. You must include: 1) Proof you are a displaced Federal employee, e.g., RIF Separation Notice, Notice of Proposed Removal, etc; 2) SF-50s (Notifications of Personnel Action) showing career/conditional tenure competitive status, promotion potential and duty location; and 3) your most recent performance appraisal. To exercise selection priority, displaced or surplus Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above 85 on the rating criteria for this position.
  • Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents will result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
  • Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to login or create an account .
  • Click here for USAJobs Help with "How to create an application"
  • To PREVIEW the application questionnaire, select the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12530971
  • Select or add the resume you want to use for this application. Click here on how to build a resume in USAJOBS .
  • Select documents you want included in this application.
  • Review package to acknowledge your documents were reviewed.
  • Select if you want to include your demographic information.
  • After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site."
  • Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application.
  • Upload any missing required documents or optional documents.
  • Review and Submit Application.
  • While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position.
  • To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.
  • Note: When you click Update Application , you will be prompted to re-select your documents from USAJOBS. Documents submitted with the first application will no longer be associated with the applicant record. So it is important that you select all documents you want to use in the re-application.

Agency contact information

Once the Occupational Questionnaire is received you will receive acknowledgement that your submission was successful. If you are among the most qualified candidates and your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly for a possible interview. You will be notified of the status of your Application Package at the time candidates are referred for consideration, and when the selection process is complete.

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

How to apply, fair & transparent.

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov . For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/808663200 . Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.

Learn more about

National Park Service

The Department of the Interior (DOI) places a high value on diversity of experience and cultural perspectives and encourages applications from all interested eligible candidates. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are fundamental principles that guide the Department and allow us to successfully achieve our mission. Please visit find a park for additional park information.

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at National Park Service, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/index.htm/

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An official website of the United States government

Paralegal Specialist

Office of Chief Counsel, IRS, seeks enthusiastic individuals to serve taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the IRS. Please click "Learn more about this agency" to find out more about Chief Counsel's various offices, to view some of the workplace attributes that Chief Counsel's workforce rates most favorably, and to hear from employees themselves.

  • Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

09/06/2024 to 09/20/2024

$59,966 - $110,803 per year

Pay scale & grade

2 vacancies in the following locations:

  • Laguna Niguel, CA
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • Thousand Oaks, CA
  • Show more locations (11)
  • Hartford, CT
  • Washington, DC
  • Jacksonville, FL
  • Saint Petersburg, FL
  • Chicago, IL
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Greensboro, NC
  • Manhattan Office New York, NY
  • Long Island Office Westbury, NY
  • Dallas Office Farmers Branch, TX
  • Seattle, WA

Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Appointment type, work schedule.

Competitive

Promotion potential

Job family (series).

  • 0950 Paralegal Specialist

Supervisory status

Security clearance.

Not Required

Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process

  • Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure

Bargaining unit status, announcement number.

CCKC-24-12494732-MP

Control number

This job is open to.

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

TEGE Division Counsel employs attorneys nationwide with over 50 attorneys located in Washington DC, Chicago, Denver, Farmers Branch (Dallas), Jacksonville, Westbury (Long Island), Baltimore, Salt Lake City, Thousand Oaks, Laguna Niguel, Seattle, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Hartford, New York City (Manhattan), Greensboro, St Petersburg (future Tampa Office)* and Houston. **It is anticipated the St. Petersburg office will transition to permanent space in Tampa in early FY25. Any selectees for St. Petersburg will be required to report to Tampa once the office is opened. As a Paralegal Specialist, you will:

  • Review legal and administrative files to analyze facts and issues. Determine if jurisdiction is correct.
  • Assist in preparing and filing Administrative Records in docketed declaratory judgment cases, including the redacting of these documents (exhibits) that are to be filed with the U.S. Tax Court.
  • Assist with trial preparation. Conduct legal, IDRS and internet research. Locate witnesses, draft subpoenas, interview witnesses. Assist attorneys in the maintenance of compilation of trial exhibits, stipulation of facts, etc. Monitor trial deadlines.
  • Assist with identifying and hiring expert witnesses and preparation of the expert witness procurement package. Monitor the status of expert witness contracts. Assist with closing cases taking into account the statute of limitations.
  • Provide logistical trial support, such as arranging and preparing out of town facilities, ensuring arrangements are made for shipping records and for ordering of equipment for trial support, and ensuring proper lodging and travel arrangements are made.

This is not an all-inclusive list. If selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform the duties of the position and will receive training to help you grow in the position.

Requirements

Conditions of employment.

  • Refer to "Additional Information"
  • Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See "Required Documents" for a list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • Career Transition Assistance Program
  • Current Chief Counsel Employee

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements detailed below by the closing date of this announcement. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. To qualify for this position of Paralegal Specialist you must meet the qualification requirements listed below by the closing of this announcement: For GS-09: Specialized Experience: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-07 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience is defined as conducting legal research; reviewing facts and evidence; drafting legal documents (such as pleadings, motions, answers, or settlement documents); AND assisting attorneys with preparing cases for trial (such as procuring expert witnesses, preparing witness reimbursement forms, preparing subpoenas, maintaining case reports). This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07). OR Education Substitution: You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: Master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D. in a related field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR Combination of Education and Experience: You may qualify by a combination of experience and education: Options for qualifying based on a combination are identified in the online questions. For GS-11: Specialized Experience: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-09 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience is defined as independently conducting legal research; reviewing facts and evidence; drafting legal documents (such as pleadings, motions, answers, settlement documents, or stipulations of facts); assisting attorneys with preparing cases for trial (such as procuring expert witnesses, preparing witness reimbursement forms, preparing subpoenas, maintaining case reports, or providing e-discovery support); AND providing litigation support during trial (such as running exhibit software, handling travel and space logistics, or arranging for IT support).This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09). OR Education Substitution: You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M. in a related field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR Combination of Education and Experience: You may qualify by a combination of experience and education: Options for qualifying based on a combination are identified in the online questions. NOTE : If qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application package. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume. Time in Grade Requirement for GS-09: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-07). Time in Grade Requirement for GS- 11 : Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-09).

For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page . FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

Additional information

  • We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
  • Relocation expenses are not authorized.
  • This is a bargaining unit position.
  • We offer opportunities for telework.
  • We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.
  • The salary range indicated in this announcement covers multiple locality areas. Your salary will be adjusted based on the post of duty for which you are selected.
  • Subject to a 1-year probationary period (unless already completed).
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
  • Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
  • Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9 . Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
  • Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
  • Undergo an income tax verification.
  • The employment of any candidate, including a current employee or a new hire, selected for this position may be conditional upon classification and/or audit of federal tax returns. This audit may include up to 2 years of returns.
  • This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents:
  • Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights , for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back,
  • FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and
  • SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov) , (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)"

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application includes your resume, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a "not qualified" determination. Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Attention to Detail, Computer Skills, Oral and Written Communication, and Technical Credibility . Your application will be rated and ranked among others, based on your responses to the online questions, regarding your experience, education, training, performance appraisals and awards relevant to the duties of this position. Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site. If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) ), you must receive a score of 80 or better to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority. Bargaining Unit Chief Counsel employees will be given first consideration. To receive first consideration, Bargaining Unit Chief Counsel employees seeking reassignment must be on the Master First Consideration List (MFCL). In regard to this announcement, the MFCL is only for reassignments of employees currently occupying Bargaining Unit positions. If you are applying for a promotion, please apply to the announcement.

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

A complete application includes 1. A resume, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents . Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible). All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view resume tips . Current and Former Federal Employees - Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment - Submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".)- Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade.- Submit a copy of your most recent, signed, completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating. If it is not dated within the last 12 months or if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application. Current Chief Counsel Employees on an Excepted Service Veteran's Recruitment Appointment (VRA) or Schedule A (Employee with Disability) Appointment - If you are eligible in this category, you are required to submit an SF-50 showing current Chief Counsel Excepted Service VRA or Schedule A (Employee with Disability) Appointment (block 24 must be a "1" or "2" AND block 34 must be a"2."). Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) Documentation If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents. EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION : For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected. See "Education" for more details.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process .
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center .

Agency contact information

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/ .

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Criminal history inquiries
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Financial suitability
  • New employee probationary period
  • Privacy Act
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Selective Service
  • Signature and false statements
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

How to apply, fair & transparent.

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov . For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/808350000 . Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.

Learn more about

Internal Revenue Service

1,634 (72%) Chief Counsel employees took the 2023 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey and most rated critical workplace characteristics favorably - view a selection below. If you seek a professional environment where employees rate their supervisors highly, are treated with respect and supported in their efforts to balance work and other life issues, and collaborate with colleagues to produce meaningful work, consider Chief Counsel. Sample of High-scoring 2023 FEVS Questions (percent favorable): My supervisor treats me with respect (93%)- supports my need to balance work and other life issues (93%)- listens to what I have to say (91%) - supports employee development (90%)- I have trust and confidence in my supervisor (88%). Employees in my work unit produce high-quality work (94%)- share job knowledge (92%)- cooperate to get the job done (91%)- support my need to balance my work and personal responsibilities (87%)- respect people's differences (87%)- make me feel I belong (86%)- care about me as a person (85%). My organization is successful at accomplishing its mission (90%)- I am given a real opportunity to improve my skills in my organization (86%)- I recommend my organization as a good place to work (85%)- I can be successful in my organization being myself (83%). To learn more, click the links below: IRS Office of Chief Counsel Careers Site Meet Our People Learn about our Legal Divisions Come Join the Department of the Treasury and Invest in Tomorrow.

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IMAGES

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COMMENTS

  1. 27 Buzzwords for Government Resumes (With Writing Tips)

    In this video, Holl shares the best strategy for your resume skills section to appeal to employers. Using industry-specific buzzwords is a great way to highlight the unique skills on your resume when you're applying for a government position. Buzzwords often include action verbs that specify your contributions to your previous roles.

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    A guide to understanding and writing an effective Federal resume. Your resume is your marketing tool in which to describe why you may be the best candidate for the position for which you are applying. When writing your resume, you should consider your accomplishments, making your resume is results-driven. It is best to break your resume down ...

  3. Federal Resume Writing: KSAs and Keywords

    In addition to keywords, federal resume writing requires the candidate to not only present keywords throughout the document but also to expand upon how the candidate's work history and accomplishments demonstrate the required KSAs. For each job within your work history, you must list each KSA and describe how you demonstrated this proficiency.

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    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.

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    Whether you're a current federal employee or new to the federal government, your resume is the primary way for you to communicate your education, skills and experience. The federal government does not have a standard job application. Your resume is your application. A resume for a federal job is different than one for the private sector.

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    Learn how to extract relevant keywords from federal job announcements and place them into your resume to increase your chances of getting an interview. See a sample announcement and keywords for a Secretary (OA) position with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

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    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. ... Keywords tend to be action verbs and help a recruiter understand your qualifications and ...

  9. Federal Resume: Example, Template & How to Write

    Writing a great federal resume to upload on USAJOBS will get you the job you want faster. Learn how to write yours with our federal resume examples, template, and writing tips. ... Include resume keywords in your descriptions to demonstrate relevant skills. ... The federal government gives hiring preferences to veterans under the Vietnam Era ...

  10. PDF Tips for Writing a Federal Resume

    The Federal Government does not have a standard job application ‐ your federal resume is your application. A private sector resume is generally limited to two pages and provides a brief synopsis of your work history. A private sector resume is essentially a marketing tool to help you get an interview with an employer. CONTENT

  11. PDF Federal Resume Guide

    Federal Resume Guide Page 5 Tab 1 - Overview - briefly describes the job and provides basic information regarding salary, who may apply, duty location, open period for acceptance of applications, and job summary. Tab 2 - Duties - cites the major duties and responsibilities of the job. Tab 3 - Qualifications and Evaluations - lists the type of skills/competencies you need

  12. How To Write Federal Resume For Government Job + Tips

    In the Work Experience section of a federal resume, it is important to include several components for each job descriptions or work experience listed: The start and end dates, including the month and year. The level of experience (e.g. manager, supervisor, etc.) and how long the experience was at each level. The average weekly number of hours ...

  13. Federal Resume: Templates, Example, & What to Include

    The federal resume template up top shows how. Tailor your experience section to the job. Look at the job announcement on USAJobs.gov. Describe your job with keywords, then add measurable accomplishments. Add other sections to your federal government resume to show you're the best candidate.

  14. Federal Resumes Guide for USAJobs

    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 ...

  15. PDF Federal Resume Guide

    6) Use an active voice. For example, "Managed office of 20 employees" is better than, "Was responsible for office management.". 7) Remain clear and concise. Wordy or irrelevant information will serve to confuse the reader and clutter your resume. 8) Use action words such as "managed", "coordinated" or "supervised".

  16. How to Write a Federal Resume in 2024 [3 Free Templates]

    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.

  17. PDF FEDERAL RESUMES

    r application.Purpose: The Federal Resume is the most widely accepted document used in the Federal Government appl. cation process. Federal resumes should highlight where, when, and how long the applicant held a position as well as any additional pertinent information or skills that apply to the.

  18. Follow these 4 steps for federal resume success

    Revise, refine, review. After you've tailored your resume with the keywords from the job announcement, take a step back and revise. Look for opportunities to expand or explain your experience with more specific examples. Cut any irrelevant information, whether it's just part of your job duties or the entire job.

  19. Tips for Creating a Federal Resume

    A federal resume is typically several pages long with a high-level of detail and government keywords that demonstrates what knowledge, skills, and abilities you possess that align with the requirements listed in a federal job vacancy announcement. This type of resume is more difficult to create and includes sentence and paragraph structure.

  20. 6 Tips for Writing Federal Resumes

    1. Rules of Brevity Do Not Apply. Your federal resume should be highly readable, but unlike with your typical resume, don't sweat the length. If it's 20 pages, that's a problem. A five-page ...

  21. How To Build a Federal Resume (With Template)

    1. Gather the required information. Additional information is required when writing a federal resume. It also requires particular formatting and should include the sections listed below: Job information: This includes the announcement number, title, series and grade of the job in which you apply. Personal information: This includes your full ...

  22. Your Federal Resume Guide for Getting a Government Job

    Federal resume writing mistakes. Tips for writing a federal resume. Step 3. Federal cover letter advice and tips. To help you get ready for this job hunt, spend just 15 minutes on how to customize your federal cover letter to the keywords per each government position. Step 4. How to Apply for a position on Usajobs.

  23. How to search for resumes and job seekers

    Look for federal employees at a specific GS scale. Refine your search to people who have updated their resume within the past 1-18 months. Use keywords. Enter a keyword like a job title, skill, or certification. Use multiple keywords to get more specific. Don't use a series in the keyword box. Instead, enter a series into the series filter.

  24. USAJOBS

    FMCS mediators are full-time employees of the federal government stationed throughout the United States. They are responsible for delivering the core mediation and conflict management, prevention, and resolution services that enable FMCS to fulfill its statutory mission, including: collective bargaining mediation, labor-management cooperation services, full-spectrum Administrative Dispute ...

  25. USAJOBS

    Resume which includes a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year format, and indicate hours worked per week. If military or civilian, please include your rank and/or grade. Your resume must clearly show how long your have held each grade in a federal position. Complete All Required Assessments.

  26. USAJOBS

    Please view resume tips. Current and Former Federal Employees - Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment- Submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block ...