Making your federal resume stand out is of the utmost importance if you hope to land that federal position you are targeting. It is no longer enough to submit a federal resume in the proper format, although that helps. For a federal resume to be useful, it must be concise, clear, to the point, and most of all, relevant to the position you are applying for.
You need to understand that there will be many, possibly hundreds, of other applicants and without a federal resume that really stands out, you probably won’t get very far in the eyes of reviewers. Here are some ways you can really make your federal resume stand out from the rest that will be on the pile:
o Be honest: While you never want to lie on any resume, you especially do not want to lie on a government resume; It is the government for shouting out loud. Your resources are vast and your information will be verified, so be honest with yourself and if you are not qualified for a position, please do not apply.
o Be relevant: You may have all kinds of great information that you can put on your federal resume, but if it’s not relevant to the job posting, leave it out. No matter what information you provide, it must be relevant, as irrelevant information will get your government resume to the bottom of the trash quickly.
o Be concise: Yes, you certainly want to stand out, but if you use too many big words and phrases, you can come off as a bit smug or know everything. This tends to upset reviewers, and if you do, your chances of landing your federal dream job will be slim.
o Shape and Create: A federal government resume is not like a normal resume in the sense that there is no one-size-fits-all. With federal resumes, you must create and mold the resume to focus exclusively on the job posting you are applying for. Instead of thinking of your government resume in a cookie cutter approach, think of a tailor made approach.
o List all strengths: No matter how much relevance you think you’ve included on your resume, try to find more. You need to look beyond education as all applicants will have similar qualifications in this area. What makes you stand out? Maybe some relevant volunteer work? Whenever you have the opportunity to mention a strength that is relevant to the post, you should make the most of it and do it.
o Use a suitable format: Remember this is a federal resume and will require a unique format that will not be the same as your standard resume. Make sure to submit your resume in the proper format so that your resume has a fair chance of being seen.
Now more than ever, the federal resume is making a big deal out of who gets a federal job and who is left out. Make sure your federal resume is well done and that you really stand out so that you have the best possible chance of landing the federal position you’ve always wanted.
