The Federal Resume...

by Amin Huffington for Dreamfedjob.com
August 15, 2011

In its publication, Applying for a Federal Job (OF-510), the United States Office of Personnel Management States that “You may apply for advertised vacancies with a resume, the Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF-612), or any other written format you choose.” If you choose to prepare and submit a resume, you should be aware that while you may design your own format, you must include certain information so that your qualifications may be evaluated to determine if you meet legal requirements for Federal employment. If your resume does not provide all the information requested, you may lose consideration for the job.

The need to provide all of the detailed information that OPM requires means that your Federal Resume may be longer than a typical private-sector resume. If you wish to apply for non-government jobs, you’ll need to develop a different resume to meet that need.

Use the freedom you have been given to create a format that allows the reader easy access to all your strengths. Add as many experience blocks as you need to describe the work experience you have that is pertinent to the job your are applying for.

A resume is not a biography. Be selective, not exhaustive. Focus on experience that is related to the job you are applying for. Arrange the descriptions of your accomplishments in a way that will focus the reader on how well you match the vacancy requirements.

According to the Office of Personnel Management, here is what your Federal resume MUST contain (in addition to specific information requested in the job vacancy announcement):

Job Information:

• Announcement number, and title and grade(s) of the job you are applying for.

Personal Information:

• Full name, mailing address (with ZIP Code) and day and evening phone numbers (with area code)
• Social Security Number
• County of citizenship (Most Federal jobs require United States citizenship.)
• Veterans’ preference (if any)
• Reinstatement eligibility (If requested, attach SF 50 proof of you career or career-conditional status.)
• Highest Federal civilian grade held (Also give job series and dates held)

Education:

• High School - Name, city and State (ZIP code if known) Date of Diploma or GED
• Colleges or universities - Name, city and State (ZIP if known) Majors
• Types and year of any degrees received (If no degree, show total credits earned and indicate whether semester or quarter hours.)
• Send a copy of your college transcript only if the job vacancy announcement requests it.

Work Experience:

Giving the following information for your paid and non-paid work experience related to the job you are applying for. (Do not send job descriptions.)

• Job title (include series and grade if Federal job.)
• Duties and accomplishments
• Employer’s name and address
• Supervisor’s name and phone number
• Starting and ending dates (month and year)
• Hours per week
• Salary

Indicate if they may contact your current supervisor.

Other Qualifications:

•  Job-related training courses (title and year)
•  Job-related skills, for example, other languages, computer software/hardware, tools, machinery, typing speed
•  Job-related certificates and licenses (current only)
• Job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments, for example, publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership activities, public speaking, and performance awards (Give dates but do not send documents unless requested.)

Remember... keep it clean and to the point.