TRADITIONAL GOVERNMENT POSITION RESUME TEMPLATE =============================================== [YOUR FULL NAME] [Complete Mailing Address - Street, City, State, ZIP Code] [Phone Number with Area Code] [Professional Email Address] [Citizenship Status - if required by position] PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY -------------------- [Write 2-3 sentences describing your relevant government or public sector experience, security clearances if applicable, and key qualifications for federal/state positions. Example: "Dedicated public servant with 10+ years in federal program management. Active Secret clearance. Proven expertise managing multi-million dollar budgets while ensuring regulatory compliance."] WORK EXPERIENCE --------------- (Note: Government resumes require more detail than corporate resumes) [Job Title] [Agency/Department Name], [City, State] [Start Date: Month/Year] - [End Date: Month/Year or "Present"] Employment Type: [Full-Time, Part-Time, Internship] Hours per Week: [40 hours/week] Supervisor: [Name and contact information if available] Salary: [Optional - include if required by posting] Key Responsibilities and Accomplishments: • [Detailed description of primary duties - be specific about scope and authority] • [Achievement with quantified result showing impact on agency mission] • [Description of programs, systems, or regulations you worked with] • [Another achievement demonstrating required competencies from job announcement] • [Additional responsibility showing level of independence and decision-making authority] • [Result showing contribution to organizational goals or cost savings] [Previous Job Title] [Agency/Department Name], [City, State] [Start Date: Month/Year] - [End Date: Month/Year] Employment Type: [Full-Time, Part-Time] Hours per Week: [XX hours/week] Supervisor: [Name and contact information if available] Key Responsibilities and Accomplishments: • [Detailed responsibility addressing required qualifications] • [Achievement demonstrating competency growth] • [Description of work showing increasing responsibility] • [Result delivered to agency or program] [Earlier Job Title] [Agency/Department Name or Company Name], [City, State] [Start Date: Month/Year] - [End Date: Month/Year] Employment Type: [Full-Time, Part-Time] Hours per Week: [XX hours/week] Key Responsibilities and Accomplishments: • [Relevant responsibility or achievement] • [Another accomplishment supporting qualifications] EDUCATION --------- [Degree Name], [Major/Field of Study] [University Name], [City, State] Graduation Date: [Month/Year] GPA: [X.XX]/4.0 (if 3.5 or higher) Relevant Coursework: [List if applicable to position] Honors/Awards: [List academic achievements] [Additional Degree if applicable] [Degree Name], [Major] [University Name], [City, State] Graduation Date: [Month/Year] CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSES -------------------------- [Certification Name] Issuing Organization: [Organization Name] Date Obtained: [Month/Year] Expiration Date: [Month/Year] or [Does Not Expire] License/Certification Number: [Number if applicable] [Additional Certification] Issuing Organization: [Organization Name] Date Obtained: [Month/Year] SECURITY CLEARANCES ------------------- [Clearance Level - Example: Secret, Top Secret, TS/SCI] Status: [Active/Current/Inactive] Granting Agency: [Agency Name] Date Granted: [Month/Year] Expiration/Last Investigation: [Month/Year] PROFESSIONAL TRAINING --------------------- [Training Program Name], [Sponsoring Organization], [Month/Year] - [XX hours] [Another Training Course], [Organization], [Month/Year] - [XX hours] [Relevant Workshop or Seminar], [Organization], [Month/Year] SKILLS & COMPETENCIES --------------------- Technical Skills: [List relevant software, databases, systems - Example: Microsoft Office Suite, SharePoint, SAP, specific government systems] Specialized Skills: [List skills specific to government work - Example: Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Grant Management, Policy Analysis] Language Skills: [List languages and proficiency levels] PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS ------------------------- [Professional Organization Name] Member Status: [Active Member, Committee Member, etc.] Dates of Membership: [Month/Year] - [Present/Month/Year] [Additional Organization if applicable] VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE & COMMUNITY SERVICE ---------------------------------------- [Organization Name], [Location] [Volunteer Role], [Dates] • [Brief description of volunteer contributions] • [Impact or results of volunteer work] REFERENCES ---------- Available upon request [Note: Some government applications require references to be submitted separately] ===================================== GOVERNMENT RESUME FORMATTING NOTES: LENGTH REQUIREMENTS: - Federal resumes are typically 3-5 pages (longer than corporate) - State/local government: 2-3 pages acceptable - Include ALL relevant information - do not cut for length - Detail matters more than brevity for government positions REQUIRED DETAILS: - Always include month and year for all dates - List hours per week for each position - Include supervisor names when possible - Provide complete contact information - Citizenship status if requested - SSN only if specifically required (rare) ADDRESSING VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS: - Read the entire vacancy announcement carefully - Address each "required qualification" specifically - Use keywords from announcement in your descriptions - Provide examples demonstrating each competency - Include specialized experience exactly as defined WRITING STYLE: - More detailed than corporate resumes - Explain acronyms on first use - Describe scope and impact of work clearly - Show increasing responsibility over time - Quantify results whenever possible WHAT TO INCLUDE: - All relevant work experience (can go back 10+ years) - Detailed duty descriptions - Programs, regulations, or systems used - Budget authority or oversight - Supervisory experience - Training completed - Awards and recognition FORMATTING STANDARDS: - Use Times New Roman or Arial, 11-12 point - 1-inch margins - Single spacing within sections - Clear section headings - Left-align all text - No graphics, tables, or decorative elements USAJOBS APPLICATIONS: - This format works for USAJOBS resume builder - Upload as separate document or paste into builder - Include resume in application package - Ensure all required information is present - Follow specific instructions in vacancy announcement COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID: - Being too brief - government wants details - Omitting dates or making them unclear - Forgetting to list hours per week - Not addressing required qualifications - Using corporate-style brevity - Leaving out relevant older experience - Not explaining impact of your work Save as: FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf or .docx Government applications often accept both formats