What constitutes a great resume; How to begin the process; Characteristics of a federal resume;...
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Transcript of What constitutes a great resume; How to begin the process; Characteristics of a federal resume;...
• What constitutes a great resume;• How to begin the process;• Characteristics of a federal resume;• Developing a resume;• The cover letter; and• Some DOs and DON’Ts.
• It catches the attention of the employer;• It highlights your strengths and
accomplishments;• It communicates who you are and what
makes you stand out from other applicants;• It demonstrates how you may be a good
match for the position; and• It communicates how your capabilities and
future potential match the position announced, and, more importantly, gets you the interview.
• Identify and assess the skills, characteristics and qualities that you possess;
• Compile all of your work-related experience (this could include summer work and volunteer work such as athletics, clubs, organizations, and leadership roles);
• Think about the job or field in which you want to work;
• Review the qualifications necessary to succeed in that field;
• Ask yourself what can you contribute to this field; and
• What skills have you demonstrated that are related to the qualifications listed for the position?
• Open a usajobs.gov account.• Be prepared to give the following
information:• Names, phone numbers and addresses of
former employers and supervisors;• Previous job titles;• Records of training;• Records of accomplishments/awards; and• Formal education.
• Addresses specific qualifications listed in the vacancy announcement with relevant levels of experience, education, and skills;
• Highlights accomplishments, results, and critical job-related information of your experience/background; and
• Gives you the opportunity to cite unique experiences gained through volunteer work;
• Highlight your accomplishments;• Don’t just list duties, responsibilities and
activities—show results:• Consider the P-A-R approach: Identify the
PROBLEM; Explain your ACTION; and State the RESULT;
• Describe what you did in each work experience;
• Use Key Words effectively;• Identify your transferable skills; and• Choose the right format style.
• Chronological Format• Functional Format
• The effective cover letter is:• Personalized and created for a specific
purpose;• Designed to draw attention to the applicant’s
career interests as they relate to the agency and the position of interest;
• Opens lines of communication between the applicant and prospective employer;
• Short (no more than three paragraphs); and• Focused on what you have to offer to the
organization rather than what the prospective employer has to offer to you.
DO• Check your package for
misspellings and typographical errors;
• Review your application package to ensure that you have included all of the required information listed in the “How To Apply” section of the vacancy announcement;
• Be specific and use active verbs to describe performance;
• Be concise; and• Use numbers and
data points to demonstrate success.
DON’T• Inflate your
accomplishments or make things up about your level of responsibility or skills;
• Use colored fonts, charts, graphics, italics, underlining, two or three-column formats, parentheses or tabs;
• Use expressions like “duties included” or “responsibilities;” use accomplishment phrases;
• Use the same resume for each position;
• Use acronyms unless you know that everyone knows what the acronym means.