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FEDERAL CAREER CORNER,
MARCH 2006
 RESUME
BUILDER SPECIAL
APPLYING FOR
FEDERAL JOBS WITH ON-LINE RESUME BUILDERS
ALIGNING THE
FEDERAL JOB STARS
TO SUCCESSFULLY APPLY FOR A JOB ON-LINE!
You’ve found a great announcement …
you’ve matched your resume content to the announcement
… you’ve written your resume to the correct
character lengths of the resume builder instructions … NOW
you have to submit the resume, answer questions, self-nominate, and
actually get through the "how to apply online" instructions. After all
of this, you DESERVE THE JOB!
This article is written to help you
visualize the resume builders and "how to apply" instructions for the
four Federal Resume Builders/On-Line Applications. Even though it seems
like it should be easy and fast, because the applications are submitted
on-line, you have to take your time and become familiar with the
various on-line job application systems offered by government agencies.
THE TOP 4 FEDERAL
AUTOMATED APPLICATION SYSTEMS AND RESUME BUILDERS
1. USAJOBS AND RECRUITMENT ONE STOP
(ROS)
The Official Jobs Website
of the US Government – www.usajobs.gov
OPM-sponsored; Managed by Monster Government Solutions, providing
Federal job listings for all agencies. This much talked about
Recruitment One-Stop (ROS) is building momentum – more
agencies are coming on board to the ROS system everyday.
Best
feature: You can have more than one
resume in the USAJOBS Resume Builder!
USAJOBS
Resume Builder and
Self-Nomination Instructions
Step 1: Go to www.usajobs.com and find your vacancy
announcement
Step 2: View the Questions on the Qualifications
page of the
announcement (scroll to the bottom)
Step 3: Become a USAJOBS member by creating a new
Career Center account
Step 4: Go to the Resume Builder, called My Resume,
and build your
resume – you can create five different resumes (select which
resume you want to use to apply for a specific position)
Step 5: Answer the Questions
Step 6: Self-nominate for the position
Step 7: Select the correct fax cover sheet for the
right attachments
and fax the documents
Resume
Builder Character Length Instructions for
USAJOBS
Overall Length: 5 pages, excluding the Additional
Data Sheet
Work Experience: 3,000 characters per job
Education (includes relevant coursework, licensures, and
certifications): 2,000 characters to describe coursework
Job-Related Training: 2,000 characters
Professional Publications: 2,000 characters
Additional Information: 22,000 characters - enter
job-related honors,
awards, leadership activities, skills… KSAs may be copied
and pasted into this field, depending on the announcement instructions.
What happens to your applications? Check the USAJOBS
Online Application
History page
Agencies
Using USAJOBS
2. QUICKHIRE/MONSTER GOVERNMENT
SOLUTIONS
More than 100 agencies use the QuickHire
system, also owned and operated by Monster Government
Solutions. Many of these agencies will convert to
the USAJOBS ROS system this year.
Best feature: You
can copy and paste your resume into ONE FIELD! Very Fast!
QUICKHIRE
Resume Builder and Self-Nomination Instructions
Step 1: Go to www.usajobs.com and find
your vacancy announcement
Step 2: Go to the agency’s
webpage to find the agency’s version of the
announcement
Step 3: View the Questions at the bottom
of the first page (scroll to the bottom)
Step 4: Set up an account
Step 5: Answer Profile
Questions
Step 6: Ccopy and paste your resume into
the one field
Step 7: Answer Questions, which may be
“check all that apply”, “yes /
no”, Narratives (like a KSA), or Applicant Assessment Style
(rate your skill level)
Step 8: Self-Nominate and submit for the
position
Step 9: Fax your additional documents
following the directions
Resume
Builder Character Length Instructions for QUICKHIRE
Character Limit: 16,000 characters
Resume Headings and Section: Flexible (all one
field)
Agencies
Using QUICKHIRE
3. AVUE DIGITAL SERVICES
15 Federal Agencies Use AVUE Digital
Services. To apply for jobs at these agencies, submit your resume to
the Resume Builder at www.avuecentral.com
Best
feature: You can submit your resume to one resume builder
and apply to jobs at all AVUE agencies.
Resume
Builder Character Length Instructions for AVUE
Length
Restrictions: none
Work History: 4,000 characters; as many jobs as you
choose
How to follow up on applications: Check
“Jobs I have Applied
For” and “My Site Statistics”
Agencies
Using AVUE Digital Services
4. RESUMIX – DOD AGENCIES
A keyword system owned by HotJobs.com;
HR Specialists search for the most qualified candidates with keywords
and skills that are important for the position. KSAs and
Questions/Answers are usually NOT required in this system. This
application is Resume Only plus a Supplemental Data Sheet (SDS) that
includes basic personnel questions. Each agency’s Resumix
system has a different name.
ARMY RESUMIX:
CPOL RESUME BUILDER
US Army Civilian Jobs
- Civilian Personnel On-line (CPOL) – acpol.army.mil/employment/
CPOL uses the Army Civilian Resume Builder and Applicant
Notification System Web-Enabled
(ANSWER):
cpolst.belvoir.army.mil/public/resumebuilder/builder/index.jsp
Best
feature: The Army’s Resume Builder is good
because you can copy and paste your entire Work Experience section into
one field – just limit the document to 12,000 characters.
CPOL
Resume Builder and Self-Nomination Instructions
Step 1: Go to
www.usajobs.com and
find
your vacancy announcement
Step 2: Go to the cpol.army.mil’s webpage
to find the
agency’s version of the announcement
Step 3: Set up an account
Step 4: Answer Profile Questions
Step 5: Copy and paste your resume
Warning: 60-minute time limit for submitting to this
system –
you can save your data to work on later
Step 6: Review the helpful Worksheets for each
section to make sure the
correct information is included
Step 7: Self-Nominate and submit for the position
Step 8: Fax your additional documents following the
directions
Resume
Builder Character Length Instructions for CPOL Resumix
Overall Length:
20,000 characters or 6
pages, excluding the Supplemental Data information.
Work Experience: 12,000 characters
Education: 2,000 characters
Additional Information (training, licenses, certifications,
awards, etc.): 6,000 characters
How to check your application status: You must be registered
and self-nominated for jobs to see your job search status here:
cpolst.belvoir.army.mil/public/resumebuilder/builder/index.jsp
NAVY AND MARINE
RESUMIX: DONHR CHART RESUME BUILDER
US Navy and US Marine Corps Civilian
Jobs – chart.donhr.navy.mil
The US Navy and USMC Civilian Jobs are advertised through CHART
(Civilian Hiring and Recruitment Tool): chart.donhr.navy.mil/myaccount/createaccount.asp
The Navy has seven HRSC Resume Centers
nationwide, and each HRSC Resume Center has its own resume database and
resume builder. You can re-copy your resume into “My Resume
Builders” for each of the centers.
DONHR
Resume Builder and Self-Nomination Instructions
Step 1: Go to
www.usajobs.com and find
your vacancy announcement
Step 2: Go to the DONHR.NAVY.MIL’S webpage
to find the
agency’s version of the announcement
Step 3: Set up an account
Step 4: Create your resume in “My
Resume”
Step 5: Answer Profile Questions
Step 6: Copy and paste your resume
Special Tip: Save frequently to avoid being timed
out – you
can save your data to work on later
Step 7: Self-Nominate and submit for the position
Step 8: Fax your additional documents following the
directions
Resume
Builder Character Length Instructions for DONHR Resumix
Overall Length: 5
pages, excluding the
Additional Data Sheet; no maximum character length
Work Summary: 6 different work experiences; up to
7,500 characters for
each (remember 5-page max). Enter the information beginning with your
most recent paid or volunteer work experience. Please list those
experiences that are relevant to the kinds of positions you wish to be
considered.
Professional Training and Education: 5,000 characters
Professional Licenses and Certificates: 1,500
characters
Performance Ratings, Awards, Honors, and Recognitions:
1,500 characters
Other Information (List any information relevant to your
career
goal(s). Include publications, language proficiencies, memberships in
professional organizations or honor societies, membership in
Acquisition Professional Community (APC), leadership
activities,
etc.): 7,000 characters
Any campaign badges and/or expeditionary medals received:
300
characters
AIR
FORCE
RESUMIX: AFPC AIR FORCE RESUME WRITER
US Air Force Civilian Jobs
–
www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/cp
The Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) uses the Air Force Resume Writer:
www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/resweb
AFPC
Resume Builder and Self-Nomination Instructions
Step 1: Go to
www.usajobs.com
and find
your vacancy announcement
Step 2: Go to the Air Force Civilian Job website to find the
agency’s version of the announcement
Step 3: Set up an account
Step 4: Answer Profile Questions
Step 5: Copy and paste your resume
Warning: 60-minute time limit for submitting to this system –
you can save your data to work on later
Step 6: Self-Nominate and submit for the position
Step 7: Fax your additional documents following the directions
Resume
Builder Character Length Instructions for AFPC Resumix
Overall Length:
12,000
characters or 5
pages, excluding the Supplemental Data information
Summary of Skills: 1,500 including spaces
Job Blocks: 6 Different Positions/Employers (paid or unpaid) - 1,500
characters per job block. This builder gives you the option of listing
your jobs OUT of chronological order. If you want to list the most
relevant job, which is Job 3, first, you can do that with this builder.
Training: 400 characters
Licenses: 300 characters
Awards: 300 characters
Other: 300 characters
RESUME WRITING TIPS: WRITING
FOR A
RESUME BUILDER
- Read
specific instructions for each Resume Builder.
- Be aware that your electronic resume
template may be longer than the Resume Builder character requirements.
- Keep in mind that all Resume Builders
are different, and each agency has a different Resume Builder.
Therefore, due to character lengths and resume field restrictions, you
may end up with multiple resumes (i.e., Air Force, Army, Navy, USAJOBS,
DLA and other electronic resumes).
- Create your resume in a Word document
in order to check for spelling and grammar mistakes.
- Follow the content writing style and
format from the electronic samples in in the Federal Resume
Guidebook, Military to Federal Career Guide, Student's
Federal Career Guide, or Ten Steps to a Federal Job.
- Type your information into each block
as you want it to appear on your resume.
- Use the "copy" and "paste" commands to
import information from another document into the text boxes.
- Count characters in your job blocks
and other categories based on the Resume Builder instructions (Word
Count in Microsoft Word is helpful, or cut and paste it into the actual
Resume Builder to get the most accurate count).
- Periodically save your resume to avoid
losing your information in the event you get timed out.
- Include a Summary of Skills to
highlight the skills you possess for the specific position you are
applying for.
- USAJOBS, AVUE, and QuickHire will
provide questions for you to answer where you will self-certify your
level of skill and/or write narratives.
- Follow all directions closely then
click on SUBMIT button.
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The Federal Career Corner
Newsletter is published by The Resume Place, Inc., 89 Mellor Avenue,
Baltimore, MD 21228 (410) 744 4324
Managing Editor: Jessica
Coffey; jessica@resume-place.com
Publisher: Kathryn Troutman;
Kathryn@resume-place.com
© 2006, K. Troutman,
All Rights Reserved
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