Tips for applying to the Federal Government
Now that we have the holidays behind us, it’s time to gear up for that all important job search.
Many of you might be considering application to the federal government. It’s a good move for solid employment; however, application to any government agency can be as complicated as doing your yearly tax return.
Here are some tips to remember:
1. You must have a job vacancy announcement to apply. Unlike the private sector, you cannot simply send a resume to every federal agency and hope to be considered. You won’t. You’ll be spinning your wheels. You need to look at job openings at the government’s website (you can do a google search for it). The vacancy announcement must still be open. If it’s closed, you’re out of luck. And, you must meet the requirements for the position. You cannot state that you’re willing to learn. Agencies want individuals with the required skills.
2. You must submit a resume in the format each agency requires. That might be Resumix (plain text unformatted) or by copying/pasting your resume into fields onto an online form. Each agency has their own requirements and you must meet them. If you do not, your resume won’t be considered.
3. Your content must meet the agency’s requirements. Unlike private sector resumes, federal resumes include vast amounts of data such as your supervisors’ names, work addresses, contact numbers, your social security number, high school data, etc. Be prepared to include everything the agency asks for.
4. You may have to answer questions such as KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities), ECQ (Executive Core Qualifications), etc. These are questions that require essay type answers. Not including them with your resume, if they’re asked for, will take you out of the race for the job.
5. Meeting every agency guideline when composing and submitting the resume, KSAs, ECQs, etc. If you do not, you won’t be considered for the position.
Many individuals feel overwhelmed by all that they must do in order to work for the federal government. However, that’s no reason to give up. If you feel you cannot do an adequate job of composing your federal resume and essay questions, then use a professional resume writer who’s trained to know the ins and outs of the federal application process.
Beware the functional format
When you have only one chance to convince a hiring manager to review your resume, and the time given is a mere seven seconds before s/he moves on, then you don’t want to use the wrong format.
Most job seekers will use the popular reverse-chronological format. That is, you list your most recent job first, followed by the next most recent and on and on.
Others might opt for the combo format. It’s a mixture of reverse-chronological and functional. In it, you’ll list your skills in a functional style beneath the opening summary followed by professional experience in a reverse-chronological format. The functional skills are what you do in your job. For example: an accountant might list reconciliations, tax returns, AP/AR, etc.
Both the reverse chronological and combo type resumes give the hiring manager quick, easy access to what you can do.
However, the functional format hides important information from the hiring authority, mainly where you gained your experience. In a functional format, you’d list your skills, knowledge, abilities after an opening summary and then you’d simply list the name of your employers along with dates in the professional experience section. There would be no details as to where you did what.
When a hiring manager sees a functional resume, the first thought is that the candidate is trying to hide something. That might be job hopping, dated work experience, etc. What’s more, it’s impossible for them to know if you dealt with tax authorities (as stated in the functional section) at ABC Firm last year or XYZ Firm twenty years ago, as listed on your resume.
You see the problem. They don’t know you and you’re making it impossible for them to get a clear picture of your relevant and recent talents.
If you have been a job hopper or if your work experience is dated, it’s still better for you to use a combo type resume than a functional one.
One of the few times a functional resume can work is if you’re a contractor (self-employed) and the names of the individuals you work for (professional experience) isn’t as important as what you’ve done for them, especially if you’ve accomplished the same type work for each client.
Remember, you have seven seconds or less to compel a hiring manager to read your resume. Don’t put stumbling blocks in your path to an interview by choosing to use the functional format.
The Best Holiday Gift
What could be a better gift for the end of 2011 and the start of 2012 than the promise of job security?
Unlike the days of GM (once known as Generous Motors) or a time when you could simply list your experience on a piece of paper and expect a job offer, today’s work prospects can be few and far between. The only way to safeguard your future is to be prepared for anything and have an outstanding resume at the ready.
Even if you’re not about to be laid off or don’t want to move from your company to another, a resume will come in handy if you’re seeking a promotion. In many companies, senior staff are being let go because of bloated salaries. If you have the talent, skills and knowledge to step into those roles, prove it with an achievements-focused resume. And, if you’re not looking to climb the corporate ladder, you can use your resume during your annual performance review to remind your supervisor of the stellar work you’ve done during the year.
If you are facing layoffs or downsizing, then you can’t do without a professional resume. In most industries, the newly unemployed will be competing with dozens, if not hundreds, of other equally-qualified candidates. A fraction of those individuals will get an interview and even less will be put on payroll. An impactful resume will give you a fighting chance.
At job fairs and even in your everyday life, having an up-to-date resume may be the difference between protracted unemployment and getting the job of your dreams. You never know who you’ll run into at social functions, church, your children’s afterschool activities. Those acquaintances and friends may be able to get you noticed with the hiring managers at their companies, if you have a resume that clearly showcases your skills and expertise.
Don’t make the mistake many do during this holiday season and tell yourself you’ll wait until New Year’s Day to worry about it. If you can create a stellar resume yourself, then start doing so now. If you can’t write the kind of document hiring managers want to see, then contact a professional resume writing service without delay.
This year, give yourself and your family the greatest gift of all – your job security and a solid financial future.
How do you want your resume to read?
If you truly don’t know or if you have a long list of preferences, either answer isn’t what will get you an invitation to interview.
One of the hardest concepts for job seekers to understand is that resumes aren’t geared towards their preferences. Rather, it’s the hiring manager or recruiter you’re trying to impress.
Which means that first you need to know what makes a great resume:
1. A strong opening summary that paints you as the ideal candidate for the position. It should be rich with keywords and contain one, preferably two, recent/relevant/quantified accomplishments. No objectives, please. Objectives are telling the hiring authority what you want. They don’t care about that. They want to know what you can do for their company.
2. Showcased accomplishments. Not a repetition of what you have in the opening summary but more in depth results of your work. The best place to highlight them is below the opening summary in their own section. Don’t bury them within tasks in the professional experience section. And remember to quantify your results with dollar figures and time periods.
3. Professional experience that focuses on results not simply tasks. Hiring managers and recruiters want to know if the action you took made the company money or saved it money.
4. Post high school education or training. If you don’t have a college degree, be certain to include any relevant job related training.
What a resume shouldn’t necessarily include is your preferences, such as:
1. Template choice: If you’ve chosen a template because you like its flair consider what a hiring manager might think. Is the template more for a creative when you’re in a conservative industry? Is the font hard to read? Does it take up too much space on the page making the resume unnecessarily long? All good points to consider. Remember, it’s not your opinion that matters here. It’s what the hiring authority thinks.
2. Is your resume too long? Although you’re proud of your lengthy list of projects, if they have nothing to do with the job you’re targeting, you’re wasting the hiring authority’s time.
3. Are you including information that has nothing to do with the job search? You may want to boast about awards you received in college; however, if you’re at a professional level your work history should speak for itself.
4. Have you put hobbies, interests and the like on your resume? If so, take them off unless they add to your professional expertise. Stating that you like extreme sports may cause a hiring manager to pause and reconsider whether you’re too much of a risk taker for the position.
When you keep in mind that your resume is written for an audience other than you, you’ll be able to hit on the points hiring managers and recruiters most want to see.
