Robins Air Force Base, Ga. Public Affairs –
Writing a resume for federal employment consideration
doesn’t have to be daunting.
In fact, it’s about providing an applicant’s best qualities
when it comes to showcasing workplace responsibilities, education and career
accomplishments.
Keeping a current resume has a purpose and several benefits,
from being able to respond and apply for an immediate job posting, to staying
abreast of job duties and highlighting ongoing significant activities.
“A resume is relevant information to give an employer an
understanding of your duties and experience gained over a number of years,”
said Angelia Solomon, the staffing section chief for the Air Force Personnel
Center’s operating location at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. “It’s very important
that an applicant be clear and precise with information provided on a resume.”
When writing a resume, there are several key pieces of
information that should be included when describing work experience and
education. There’s not a particular desired layout.
Personal information should detail your full name, mailing
address and day and evening telephone numbers with area codes.
Social security numbers aren’t required, however when
completing your total application package, an occupational questionnaire will
ask for it, however, it’s used for verification purposes only.
On work experience, detailed information should include an
employer’s name and address, employment dates (from month and year to month and
year, or month and year to present) and job title.
This area should include thorough descriptions of all paid
and nonpaid positions related to the job for which an applicant is applying as
well as descriptions of all duties performed. Copies of job descriptions should
not be included.
Other information to include: salary, number of hours worked
per week, supervisor’s name and phone number, series and pay plan or grade if
for a federal position and other accomplishments and related skills.
Education information should include the school or program
name and address, type of degree or level attained, completion date with month
and year, major field of study, total credits earned in semester or quarter
hours, honors, relevant coursework, licensures and certifications.
Copies of transcripts will be requested as needed.
Other information: job-related training courses with title
and year; job-related skills such as languages, computer software and hardware
known, tools, machinery, typing speed, etc.; job-related certificates and
licenses; and job honors, awards and special accomplishments, to include
publications, professional memberships, leadership activities and performance
awards.
If applicable, include other languages known, and volunteer
experience. References are optional.
Unlike in the private sector, when writing a resume for a
federal job, there’s no limit to the number of pages you can include.
There’s
also no limit when including work experience.
“There’s no one resume,” Solomon said. “People may think
there’s one generic resume when there’s not. Each job is different with
specialized duties, so you may have to alter your resume just to include what’s
needed.”
All federal positions are posted on http://www.usajobs.gov,
the federal government’s official, web-based job board. You can store up to
five resumes and 10 candidate documents on the site so they’re ready to submit.
It’s free and available to everyone.
There’s also a helpful resume builder to
take you through each step of the process.
One benefit to adding a current resume to the site is that
recruiters can use it to help determine if there are qualified candidates for a
job.
Always double check if a resume has been attached to
specific job packages.
Also, keep it simple and easy to read, and focus on
delivering the most current, best representation of yourself to prospective
employers.
For more information about Air Force personnel programs,
visit https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil/app/login/redirect/home. Individuals who do
not have a myPers account can request one at http://www.retirees.af.mil/mypers/index.asp.