Resumes for Government Careers

Each and every industry and profession presents unique resume writing and design challenges. If you are interested in pursuing a career within the government, be certain to incorporate these important success factors:

Success Factor #1

When writing your resume for a government position, carefully read the job posting to be sure that your resume explicitly answers all the requirements listed. Make sure you comply with the requirements for contact information, which will most likely be different and more detailed than on a private-sector resume.

Success Factor #2

Be thorough and complete in documenting your education. In the private sector, it's not unusual to leave out dates of graduation and other details, but on resumes for government positions, the hiring agency will want to see a comprehensive list of degrees with graduation dates, plus any special training programs. Even if you didn't graduate, show college courses you completed.

Success Factor #3

Make certain that your work history is listed in reverse chronological order, with complete details for the past 10 years. This may need to include employers’ addresses and phone numbers, and the names of supervisors, if requested.

Success Factor #4

If Key Skill Areas (KSAs) are part of the application, make sure to respond with narratives (stories) that clearly demonstrate the skills requested. Use the “CAR” format to describe the Challenge you faced, the Actions you took, and the measurable Results that demonstrate your mastery of the skill in question.