Their meanings seem evident; yet, many job seekers still can’t set apart a federal resume from a civilian resume. If you, too, are having a hard time deciding which between the two you should write, this blog can help solve your problem. Read on!
Federal Resume vs. Civilian Resume: The Basics
Federal and civilian resumes differ not only in the way we write them. The application process and purpose vary, too. See below a comparison of the two:
| |
Federal Resume |
Civilian Resume |
| Purpose |
- Submitted to any gov’t agencies in the local, state, or national level
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- Submitted to any non-gov’t firm or organization
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| Job Posting |
- Job seekers may find a list of vacant posts at USAJobs.gov.
- They can filter their searches by salary per hour, series and grade, location(s), announcement number, or hiring agency, among a few others.
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- Recruiters use various means in posting job openings. These include online job portals, social media, and old-style schemes, such as fliers and posters.
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How Federal Resume Differs from Civilian Resume
While both resumes have a qualifications section, their format, structure, and writing style differ greatly. In fact, these resume types have contrasting details and technical aspects.
| |
Federal Resume |
Civilian Resume |
| Sections and Details |
- The upper portion of this resume consists of the job announcement number, applicant’s social security number, citizenship, and highest federal grade and post held.
- Sections like Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA), detailed work history, courses, awards, and publications must also be present in a federal application. As regards the KSA, many agencies have been requiring hopefuls to integrate this section (previously a separate file) into the resume since 2010.
- Other required set of info are job title, job code, and job grade.
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- This resume contains all the common sections, such as career tag, profile summary, skills and strengths, professional experience, education, trainings, honors, etc.
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| Length |
- Applicants need to submit at least four pages and follow the instructions provided by the hiring agency.
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- Standard resumes usually consist of 2 to 3 pages.
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| Format |
- Job seekers must follow specific instructions on order of sections, line spacing, margin, fonts, and tables, among others.
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- Job seekers do not need to follow a specific format. They are free to choose what format to use.
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Pieces of Advice
If you are to submit either of the two types, do the following:
- Tailor the copy to your target post.
- Use relevant keywords to make you searchable.
- Include numbers to impress recruiter.
- Be careful with your spelling and grammar.
- Provide much detail but be concise.
If you wish to fill a vacant post in the government, a professionally written federal resume is all you need to win the job. If you’re having a hard time writing your own piece, seek our expert writing service. We also offer other add-on services to boost your chance for the job.
Sources:
linkedin.com
gijobs.com
job-hunt.org
gogovernment.org
