Robin's Resumes® : Federal Resumes

Posts tagged ‘Federal Resumes’

April 24th, 2011

Should You Hire a Resume Writer?

Naturally, I would like you to consider my services if you plan to hire a professional resume writer. But perhaps you are debating whether working with a professional resume writer is the right choice for you. You should consider hiring a resume writer if:

  • You are changing careers, are newly entering the job market or returning after an absence, have multiple job changes over a short time or have any other work situation that seems out of the ordinary.
  • You find it difficult to get started—or to stop. A resume cannot start working for you until it is written and sent. If you cannot begin writing or if you cannot stop editing, you need help.
  • You lack confidence in your abilities. Maybe you have been unemployed for a while; or you were employed by one company for so many years that you have forgotten how to job hunt. As a professional resume writer and consultant, I enjoy the process of re-introducing job seekers to their skills and achievements. A great resume is a real boost to self-esteem.
  • You have had no success so far in attracting interviews. Let me take a look at your resume to see if we can bolster it with keywords and stronger descriptions of your skills and accomplishments.
  • You need an objective, expert champion in your corner. As a Certified Advanced Resume Writer, Certified Federal Resume Writer and Certified Professional Resume Writer, with years of experience writing technical, federal and corporate resumes at all levels, I will give you advice you can trust and a resume to be proud of.

March 6th, 2011

Federal Jobs: How Federal Resumes Differ from Corporate Resumes

When federal jobs are posted, they often require information that you never need to supply for jobs in the private sector. For example, some federal jobs are only open to veterans, military spouses or current federal employees (known as Status Candidates). Positions have grade levels indicating the level of responsibility (for example, GS-9), and you need to meet the criteria for that grade level.

In the private sector, you may be hired if you have the potential to gain the skills a company wants, even if you lack those skills right now. In the government, job requirements are mandatory: you must already have the right background, education and skills before you apply.

Your federal application must also conform to requirements for format and content. You must respond to all questions and provide all the essays requested.

I have prepared hundreds of resumes, Knowledge Skills or Abilities (KSA) statements, Professional and Technical Qualifications (PTQ), Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and other federal forms. If you find a federal job that interests you and believe you have the necessary qualifications, please call me for the help you need in adapting your resume to meet federal standards.

February 6th, 2011

Yes, You Can Repeat Yourself in a Resume

Among the many myths of resume writing, one stands out: You should never repeat yourself.

In truth, there are two circumstances when repeating yourself is your best possible course.

The first circumstance relates to the specific skills that a company asks for. Suppose you were shopping for a used truck and the car salesman kept showing you brand new sports cars. You would walk out of the dealership. By the same token, if a company insists they need someone with 4 years of experience, the ability to speak Spanish and a B.A. in chemistry, you have to meet those requirements and your resume has to show that you meet them. Otherwise, the company will move on to a candidate who clearly does meet their specific qualifications.

One way to highlight important qualifications is by repeating them in more than one location. In the typical resume, you might relate this critical information in the summary and then repeat it later on in the body. You should also make sure it appears in your cover letter or email.

The second circumstance when repetition is essential is in federal resumes. Federal resumes have especially strong rules about the information they require. For example, they might ask for proof of the candidate’s leadership ability and business acumen, with supporting accomplishments. In a corporate resume, the standard practice is to describe a particularly strong accomplishment once, showing both leadership and business acumen. However, in federal resumes, it is far better to repeat the accomplishment, first to highlight leadership and then to highlight business acumen. The result is repetitive but recruiters can easily identify you as the candidate they want.

I help candidates for both business and government positions with resumes that are fierce marketing documents. They tell recruiters what they want to hear, and make sure that they hear it.

December 12th, 2010

KSAs and Federal Resumes

Now that the Federal government job application process no longer requires KSAs to be individually written, there is some confusion on how to respond when KSAs and other questions are stated in either the announcement or as requirements to answer during the application process.

AS WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE: Robin’s Resumes® INCLUDES examples (BEST) and duties showing YOUR experience and expertise to answer ALL of the KSAs and QUESTIONS in the announcement. We also address all of the job responsibilities in the announcement to show how YOU (if you have done so) have added value by doing the exact or similar assignments during your career (or have gained knowledge on how to do so – if the job is a lower level position).

Unlike some other companies specializing in Federal resumes, we have not had to change our resume style to meet the changes in the Federal application requirements, since we ALWAYS believed the resume needed to stand alone and describe all of YOUR experience. Since this always has been our style, we can help you get the Federal job you want.