Forget everything you know about Resume Writing

Resume writing tips that you see on most sites will tell you to keep it short. Unfortunately for government agencies, keeping it short can be detrimental to your chances of getting referred. The best method to writing a resume is to tailor it to each announcement that you see. Now that doesn’t mean you have to change it each time you apply. Just that you have different resumes for each job type you are applying for. For example if you feel that you have the qualifications to be an Administrative Assistant and the qualifications to be a Park Ranger, you wouldn’t use a resume that leans into your Park Ranger qualifications to apply for the Administrative Assistant position or Vice Versa.

Take a look at the Specialized experience.

Take a look at the example qualifications listed above. In a USA Jobs Announcement this would be listed under the Qualifications header and would let the applicant know for which grade this would be the minimum qualifications for. Take a look at what it says underneath.

Your resume must contain sufficient detail to prove you have one year experience performing these duties.

That means that short resumes might not make the cut if all they do is list your positions and years. Listing all relevant experience under each position that applies to the announcement increases your odds of being referred to the Hiring Manager.

Say you’re looking for a change in jobs and you see this announcement. You think to yourself, “Hey, I’m perfect for this position. I should apply!”

You absolutely should but maybe we should take a look at your resume first.

Example Resume

How does this look? It looks nice and streamlined and tidy right? However, in most cases, this resume would not be sufficient in showing sufficient details that support that the applicant meets the specialized experience as stated in the announcement. The resume makes no mention of time and attendance, reviewing financial data, procuring supplies, or responding to customer inquiries. The Staffing Specialist looking at this resume cannot make assumptions based on title. They can only go on what is stated in the resume itself.

So what should you put in a resume that might help you get referred to the hiring manager? Let’s go more into detail with the Work History so that the Staffing Specialist can know exactly what this applicant has done that applies to the position.

Add details to your work history that apply to the specialized experience.

Let’s take a look again at the specialized experience in the USA Jobs Announcement.

Assist with review of financial data to ensure accuracy
- Administrative Assistant – 01/2017-01/2019 – Leveraged accounting software to manage expenses and keep track of finances.
Assist with preparation of time and attendance reports
- Secretary 01/2019-current Served as POC for issues with timesheets
Assist with procurement of supplies
- Administrative Assistant – 01/2017-01/2019 – Restocked supplies and submitted purchase orders to maintain stock levels.
Prepare forms, documents or correspondence
- Secretary 01/2019-current – Responded to emails and other correspondence to facilitate communication and enhance business processes.
Respond to questions from customers
- Administrative Assistant 01/2017-01/2019 – Offered technical support and troubleshot issues to enhance office productivity

Every one of the specialized experience bullet points has been addressed in the resume. As a result, this makes it more likely that the application will be referred on to the Hiring Manager.

In conclusion, the more details you have the better. That doesn’t mean your resume has to be ten pages long but as long as you address the specialized experience your resume is just a little closer to getting referred.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and let me know if you have any ideas for any future posts in the comments. Next time I will be talking about Basic Requirements and education substitutions.

As a disclaimer, this website is not affiliated with any government agency or entity. This simply exists to help you write a better resume with the goal of getting a job in the Federal Government.