USAJobs Tips

Make sure you’re applying to federal jobs that match your skills and experience. Listings on USAJobs include key information like the required skills and who may apply. Keywords you’ll want to use on your resume will also feature on the listing. Pay attention to these so you can start writing a successful federal resume. Every federal job announcement features a similar layout but includes different requirements. It’s easy to develop tunnel vision when you’re applying to multiple positions and forget their different requirements. Print a copy of the job listing for reference as you prepare your portfolio and write your resume — it’ll help you distinguish between multiple announcements.

Use your printed copy to create a checklist of what needs to be submitted with your application. Many applications are discarded because they forget to include requested information or documentation. Reference your checklist as you build your application and then again before you submit your application.

Plan your resume before you begin writing. Use an outline to compile experiences relevant to the job announcement. Arrange your experiences in reverse chronological order by sharing your most recent experiences first and your earlier ones last. Return to this outline throughout your job search to update it with new or previous experiences you now remember.

Federal resumes should be about five pages in length. Use those pages to your full advantage by developing your USAJobs resume in a way that showcases your specialized experience as it relates to the job announcement, as well as key words and core competencies that demonstrate your skills. Your word choice and style should be clear and concise. Pretend you’re writing to someone unfamiliar with your field of work by omitting acronyms and clearly defining your experience and accomplishments.

Hiring managers typically decide within 10 to 15 seconds if they’re going to continue reading a resume or discard it. Hiring Officials within federal agencies cover the scope of your resume. We recommend keeping your employment history within a 10-year time frame. By using our signature Headline Format that addresses the keywords, specialized experience and core competencies, employers can quickly find information that matches their job vacancies.

Use numbers, from percentages to dollar amounts, to highlight your accomplishments. Numbers are persuasive and powerful because they measure your success in a way any reader can understand. They also prove your point that, yes, you did lead a successful fundraising campaign because it raised X number of dollars, for example.

USAJobs allows you to include five references. Set yourself apart from the competition by contacting your references in advance. Discuss your past projects with them or even how those projects relate to your application. Refresh their memory so they can provide accurate and honest information about your skills, character and work ethic.

First drafts always have room for revisions. Print out your resume and read it aloud, noting where to make edits. Share your resume with friends or family for another opportunity to catch and fix mistakes. Applicants often brush this step over, but grammatical or spelling errors often result in immediate disqualification from the hiring pool.

Applicants can miss a federal job announcement deadline because they overlook the time zone listed by the deadline. Job announcements often close at 11:59PM, Eastern Standard Time. If you live in another time zone, convert the time to your zone and set a reminder to guarantee you submit your resume on time. The closing date and time is listed on the first page of the job vacancy.