What is a Federal Resume

Article on frequently asked resume question "What is a Federal Resume"

There are so many different formats and types of resumes; it can be hard to keep up with all the information on properly crafting a professional resume for success. One of the more overlooked types of resume-perhaps, you didn’t even know it was a kind of resume-is what is called the federal resume. What is a federal resume and how does it differ from any other kind of resume? In this section, we define exactly what it is, what information should be included, and common mistakes of those applying for jobs without one.

A federal resume is simply a kind of resume that is used by applicants applying to federal government jobs. While a full range of format options for resumes are often accepted for any private sector job position, only federal resume formats are accepted for federal government public sector jobs. This is because working for any government entity in this country carries with it, a huge amount of responsibility and confidentiality-no matter what function-and having the right amount of personal background information on an applicant is therefore required, in the right standardized resume format.

How does a federal resume differ from a standard resume? While the same information that is included in a standard private sector job is necessarily included in a federal government resume; more information is required for federal job applications-as noted previously. So, the sections on education, experience, and special skills and achievements are all a part of the resume; but the order and structure varies, as well as the amount of information and length of the document. First, a federal resume asks for work experience in a chronological format-which is a choice on a private sector job resume; but an obligation on a federal job resume. Second, all details asked for in a private sector job as regards career information-must be as detailed as possible; so contact info for previous employers, start/end dates, and reasons for leaving must be as detailed as possible for background checks. Third, whereas a private sector resume may cover the last three to four years of employment-give or take a few jobs or years; a federal job resume must have the last 10 years of employment listed and detailed. Lastly, the person information that you include on a private sector resume is really up to you-as far as what info you would like to include, and what you may not. In a federal job resume, it is required that the following be included at minimum: social security number, full name, mailing address w/ zip code, day/evening phone, citizenship status, federal civilian grade, and veteran’s preference.