USAJOBS 3.0 went up last Wednesday!  Have you checked it out?  Our reviews have found some important updates to USAJOBS that you will want to be aware of. We have certainly heard some complaints about accessing the new site and the advanced search function.  However, the resume builder has clearly been improved with new features and additional space. This change can make a big difference for the savvy federal job search applicant who can adjust their resume to take advantage of these improvements.

Find out what you need to know and what you need to do to improve your resume visibility in USAJOBS 3.0. Join our upcoming webinars to get the details of our review and our recommendations. Our USAJOBS 3.0 webinars are being offered once a month for the next few months.  The first webinar is THIS FRIDAY–don’t miss this opportunity to get ahead of the game! Register now »

Here are some immediate improvements to USAJOBS that we want to make sure you know about:

• USAJOBS will now be searchable by HR recruiters!
• USAJOBS 3.0 allows you to customize your job search.
• Your USAJOBS account is now managed by your email ID.
• USAJOBS 3.0 has a new Profile format with five pages of questions to answer to update your information.
• Work Experience Block space limit has increased from 3,000 characters with spaces to 5,000 characters with spaces.
• Work Experience job listings are now at the top of the Work Experience page. This helps resume writers to quickly see which jobs they have already listed without having to scroll down to the bottom of the page.  The same improvement has been made for the Education section.
• Now there are expand and shrink functions that allow you to see up to 50 lines of type in the Work Experience block, a huge increase from the previous 15 lines, making it easier for resume writers to get the full picture of their writing.
• Training and Publications increased to 5,000 characters with spaces from previous 3,000 characters.
• Final Resume View comes up automatically for you to quickly preview your final product and get a look at how the recruiters will view your resume. Make sure you use this opportunity to proof your resume carefully and make changes to improve the readability of your resume.
• Resume Upload: Now you can upload a Word document version of your resume into USAJOBS to be searchable by recruiters. There is even a sample federal resume that is acceptable, and tips for writing a good federal resume on this page.

Learn how to translate these changes into federal job search success in USAJOBS 3.0.

Here are some of the questions we will answer in our webinars:

• How can you make the most of the additional space for your resume?
• What changes should you make to your resume to make it more searchable in the new system?
• What does it mean that you can customize my job search?
• What is this feature? How can you use it to improve your chances of getting your resume recognized?
• What are the tips you should know for filling out the five-page profile section to make your information more visible to HR recruiters?
• What should you be careful about when managing your account information in the new system?
• How are the hiring eligibility and preferences fields being used by HR?
• What do you do with your Social Security number in USAJOBS 3.0?
• What do you writing the 500 character personal information block?

Overall, the improvements in the Profile, Resume Builder, and Resume Upload are very good. I especially like the restructure of the Work Experience and Education pages, so that the listing of jobs and education is on the top screen. And the 5,000 characters are now great (especially for former CHART resumes), and I like the Expand and Shrink work experience blocks. AND … the final preview of the resume before the FINISH button is really nice.  That is a great finale for a lot of hard work!

Thank you, USAJOBS 3.0 Resume Builder Team. This is a great improvement for thousands of resume builders who would like to land a federal job or internship! Kathryn Troutman, Author, Federal Resume Guidebook, 5^th Ed.

Register Now »

• No new announcements will be posted Oct. 1, 2011 to Oct. 12, 2011.
• No access to USAJOBS will be allowed Oct. 6 to Oct. 12, 2011.

Five billion documents are being reviewed and re-uploaded into a new USAJOBS system in Macon, Georgia by USAStaffing IT specialists. The USAJOBS IT specialists will be downloading, analyzing, and re-uploading over 5 billion documents from jobseekers who have their resumes and documents loaded into USAJOBS 2.0; eliminating your Social Security Numbers; doing something with passwords (you will probably have to reset your password with your same email account after the Oct. 12 reset); and set up parameters for Resume Mining by HR specialists.

There won’t be a totally new look and feel, but there will be some new features that are better for you and for the HR customers who post the positions.

Before the site is down on Oct. 6, you may want to consider downloading and backing up the latest versions of your resumes posted in USAJOBS.

If you are an active federal jobseeker, what can you be doing while USAJOBS is down for six days, and there are no new announcements for almost two weeks?

Below is a list of suggested activities that will keep your federal job search moving forward and prepare you for when USAJOBS becomes available again:

Activity #1: Review and edit your federal resume versions.

Copy out your resumes from the builders and then update and improve the content. Work on new accomplishments that should be featured on pages 1 or 2 of your resume (since KSAs are now in the resume). Review your keywords for each of your occupational series targets. You can look at the OPM Classification Standards for keywords since USAJOBS will be down.

Activity #2: Prepare for a Federal Job Interview.

Work on your Top Ten List of Accomplishments so that you can be more prepared for the Behavior-Based Interview in October to December of this year. Use the KSA CCAR Builder designed by the author of this article. Tell your story in a compelling way with the Context, Challenge, Action and Result principles. Practice your stories and get ready to land a federal job.

Activity #3: Read the American Jobs Act.

Check over the information to see whether there is something that could affect your job, your payroll taxes, or other jobs-related info. I like the Short Fact Sheet. Some of the ideas are highly useful.

Activity #4: Read new reports on Merit Systems Protection Board website.

Browse excellent Federal Employment-Related Studies that could help the federal jobseeker to gain insight into federal jobs and federal employment “language” include Job Simulations: Trying out for a Federal Job and A Call To Action: Improving First-Level Supervision of Federal Employees.

Activity #5: Read the latest reports from Partnership for Public Service.

The latest publication posted on 9/8/11 is a white paper on Best Places to Launch a Career in the Federal Government Snapshot.

Activity #6: Set up an account and look for jobs on www.avuecentral.com.

This is a separate website for federal jobs for certain agencies. Avuecentral.com will have some federal jobs posted for their client agencies: Peace Corps, Forest Service, US Marshals, Millennium Challenge, Library of Congress, USAID, and a few others. These agencies are “clients” of Avue and post on avuecentral.com. You can apply for Avue positions without touching USAJOBS.gov. You can set up an account here, and search for job titles that could be of interest to you. You will find that at avuecentral.com the position descriptions are listed for the posted job. This is an interesting source for keywords and language for your federal resume.

Activity #7: Say Good-Bye to DONHR’s CHART website.

On Oct. 12, 2011, the Department of the Navy’s Civilian Hiring and Recruitment Tool will no longer be accessible to the general public. The CHART site has been posted since around 2000 and is one of the last Resumix automated recruitment sites. CHART recruited for US Navy and USMC Civilian positions. All of the CHART job posting will be moved to USAJOBS and applicationmanager.gov after Oct. 12, 2011. According to the website, “Applicants are strongly encouraged to save a printed and electronic copy of their CHART resume and transfer this information to an USAJOBS account by 30 September 2011.” See the fact sheet on how to move your resume from CHART to USAJOBS.

Activity #8: Read GovExec for articles on federal hiring topics.

Excellent Government Executive writers will write about federal jobs, federal employment, USAJOBS 3.0, Resuming Mining, Veteran’s Hiring, and many other topics about federal hiring for 2011 and 2012.

Activity #9: Read and join GovLoop.

This is a new government website where federal employees and managers write about federal job topics. You can write about your own background with the popular INTRODUCTION membership feature.

Activity #10: Read FedManager.

This resource contains informative articles on federal employment, security clearances, employment case law, and Tips of the Week by Kathryn Troutman.

Activity #11: Check out your federal retirement benefits.

You can find more information about federal retirement benefits on Scott Thompson’s popular website, www.myfederalretirement.com. You can even calculate your retirement with his handy-dandy retirement calculator.

Leaving a military career after 5, 10, or 20 years is traumatic. The career transition out of military is difficult no matter what your rank. The good news is that the federal government is basically just “the other side of the desk.” You’re going to take the “hands-on” skills and technical training from your military experience and convert it over to the policy, program, support, and administration side of the work you have been doing – maybe. The first federal resume after military is your most important resume and the most complex because you will translate your skills for a new career, mission, and customer.

Veterans are perfect for federal civil service positions because of their dedication to public service, the nation’s security, specialized expertise, knowledge of certain missions, technical skills and training, leadership, dedication, work ethic, attitude and willingness to learn and start-over. What’s more, these skills allow you to add 5 or 10 preference points to your application score.

However, sometimes transitioning veterans rush through the federal application and make several mistakes when applying for public-sector jobs

TOP 10 MISTAKES

1.) I only apply for jobs on USAJOBS (or CPOL or DONHR or WHS).

If you limit your search to just one agency or website, you are truly restricting yourself.

There are at least five major sites where you can create a profile, set up a resume builder, answer questions, and apply for a federal job:

- www.usajobs.gov – The official government jobs website, includes Air Force civilian positions
- www.cpol.army.mil – The website where all Army jobs are posted and where you would apply for an Army position
- military.com/careers – A commercial site that manages resumes and job postings for federal agencies.
- www.donhr.navy.mil – The website for Navy and USMC civilian positions
- www.whs.mil – Department of Defense civilian jobs are posted here as is the resume builder and application.

2.) I only apply for jobs without KSA narratives.

If you limit your search to applications that do not require KSAs, you will cut out many job opportunities with the Departments of HHS, VA, Interior, Commerce, Justice, Labor, Transportation and others. You will need to learn how to write KSA narratives and questionnaire essays for a successful federal job search. KSAs are just examples that demonstrate you have a certain Knowledge, Skill or Ability. You can use the KSA Builder developed by The Resume Place to write your “stories” that will demonstrate that you do have a certain knowledge, skill, or ability.

3.) I have never written a resume and I don’t know how to get started.

It’s time to find the position descriptions, old SF-171s, evaluations, NSPS self-assessments, training documents and build your federal resume. The author of this article has developed a free federal resume builder where you can build your work experience, education, training, accomplishments, certifications, and other information.

4.) Service before self. That’s what we are taught. I’m not used to bragging, so I usually don’t select the highest level in the questionnaires (or go on and on about accomplishments).

When you read the selection of self-assessment answers, be very careful to think about all of the experience you have. An EPA federal human resources specialist said this about the questionnaires and your choices: “Give yourself all of the credit that you can in selecting the answers in a Questionnaire.” The questionnaires are scored like an examination, so your skills at the highest level will be important to get referred for a position.

5.) My job was totally unique and I can’t write about all that I did in the last 5 years, etc.

This is a challenge because there is a unique military language with its own acronyms. However, you can write about the skills that you have, including instruction, planning, leading a team, mentoring, personnel operations, administrative operations, problem-solving, negotiations, advocacy, interpersonal skills, and technical skills. The military-to-federal resume requires a translation of skills to the new agency. Your past mission may not match, but the skills CAN match. And you can prove one year specialized experience, as long as that one year doesn’t require special mission knowledge. In other words, if you change from military to transportation, the transportation announcement may require experience in transportation.

6.) I have used the resume I developed from TAP class and it’s not getting me referred although I’m qualified for these positions.

The private-industry resume is shorter than a typical federal resume. The bullet style, one-line description resume won’t be as effective for a federal resume. The recommended format is the outline format. This features your top skills that are transferable to the new position. You could write your description in five or six small paragraphs with headings such as: trainer / instructor; team leader and supervisor; emergency operations planner; interpersonal skills and liaison; administrative operations. These five skills are the most transferable. After you create the outline of your duties with five or six sentences to describe each, you can add two or three accomplishments that will include your outstanding services in your operation.

7.) I didn’t know I had to tweak and edit my resume for each announcement.

With the Army website, www.cpol.army.mil, you could apply to 10 jobs in one day very easily because this system is a Resume Only application with a Self-Nomination online form. But you really should slow down and read the announcement carefully to find the keywords for your resume because the HR specialist will be looking for these keywords throughout your resume. If you haven’t edited each resume with keywords, your resume may not get referred. You can apply quickly, but why bother if you don’t edit and tweak the resume to make sure the keywords are included?

8.) I have accomplishments embedded in the duties section.

Military personnel will write one huge “block of information” for their duties and include the accomplishments somewhere in the middle of the paragraph. This type of content will be difficult to read and difficult for the busy human resources specialists who want to find the best qualified applicants. There is a difference between a regular duty and an accomplishment. They are both important on the federal resume. But the accomplishments are critical if you are to stand out as the most qualified candidate.

If you have had a job for over two years then you have probably been involved with special projects, problem-solving, new programs, new initiatives, new computer programs to improve efficiency, and staff changes. Accomplishments might include your assignment to a task of managing a special operations, situation or program, implementing new processes, and achieving a result. These accomplishments should be written separately from the duties, so that it is clear you have performed more than your position description and you are worthy of a promotion. Furthermore, you want to let the HR specialist know that you’re a federal employee who can resolve problems, take care of customers very well, and achieve and exceed support to the mission.

9.) I didn’t realize that my 5 or 10 point preference really makes a big difference.

Yes, most military personnel will have 5 point preference for service within the last 3 years. Military personnel with disabilities may have a 10 point preference for their application. Your 5 or 10 point preference can give you an advantage over a candidate that does not have preference points.

10.) I can’t take personal credit for the work of my team, so what should I write?

The “team mentality” of federal employees and supervisors is not going to get you hired. It’s time to take credit for your contributions as a leader. Before you apply, ask yourself the following questions: Would the project have been successful without you? Did you set the agenda? Establish priorities? Assign tasks? Solve the problems as they occurred? Brief senior executives on status? Manage resources throughout? Create reports and analyze progress? Lead the team members to meet deadlines and review the quality of their work? Did you “babysit” the group on occasion? Then you need to take credit for leadership, innovation, new ideas, methodologies, policies, procedures, project management strategies that YOU developed and implemented. You are the leader of the team, program, project or group. Write about your leadership and the outcome of the group you lead.

The government has on average 100,000 jobs everyday posted on the main website: USAJOBS.GOV. Consider these positions seriously. They are worth your time and patience. There are good books on federal resume writing and federal job search strategies. Studying federal resume samples and KSAs can help you master the federal job search process and result in a career that can change your life.

Need help with your veteran federal resume? Ask for a Free Federal Resume Estimate from The Resume Place!

Consider the Military to Federal Career Guide Print Book or eBook … Order Here!

Ms. Troutman is the well-known author of the “Ten Steps to a Federal Job” book series. She has also designed her own five step guide to designing and writing a PPP Resume.

The resume is similar to the USAJOBS resume, but it has distinct differences. Probably the most notable is that it is written and formatted for a human being, not for the USAJOBS Resume Builder. There are other important differences as well, so if you’re using PPP, you need to make sure you know exactly what you are doing.

Ms. Troutman is the Federal Resume Writing Workshop Leader for the BRAC Center in Crystal City, VA. The BRAC Center provides assistance to BRAC-impacted workers in Arlington County, VA. The Resume Place, Inc., gives free estimates for Priority Placement Program Federal Resumes.

The Federal Resume Guidebook, 5th Edition includes a chapter on writing the PPP Federal Resume for your information.

John is a GS-13 with 20 years of experience who is looking for a new position. He says, “I am the jack of all trades with experience in Human Resources, Budget, Finance, Procurement, Facilities, Asset Management, IT Project Management, Program Analysis, Supervision, Capital Planning and Investment Control to name (my specialties) that come to mind. I understand that each job must be tailored, but with the job market like it is, I think I need to leverage all my experience and consider many types of positions.”

It is important to understand that some resume writing strategies are better than others. John has two options. He can write one resume covering all of the different accomplishments and skills he possesses or create at least four or more different resumes that each feature a certain skill set and add accomplishments for each skill set tailored to the specific job he is apply for, while leaving out irrelevant and old experience. Remember, human resources specialists and supervisors will review your last 10 years of experience, so make sure you only analyze, write and present the specialized areas of expertise for these recent positions.

In John’s example, I would recommend four different resumes.

Since John performs budget, finance and procurement duties for more than 50 percent of his day, this should be the first resume. Each of the specialized areas requires a paragraph to describe the scope of work. For a GS-13, this resume requires a description of the financial responsibilities, examples of financial and budget reports, and procurement activities for customers. John should add accomplishments and specific details for all three specializations.

John has been also been working in the facilities, assets, investments and capital planning division of a large department. This position involves facilities oversight and real estate management. This is a very specialized series, thus it is important to make this John’s second resume. It will require accomplishments and detailed descriptions of assets and capital planning projects. The set of skills for this type of a position is specific and there will be fewer jobs available in Facilities and Asset Management at the GS-13 level.

Program Analysis and project management is the most general of the skill sets and could be the most marketable. In this third resume, John needs to demonstrate how he analyzes programs for efficiency and effectiveness; utilizes both quantitative and qualitative methods; writes and presents briefs; consults with program participants; advises on solutions; and gives recommendations. This occupational series is popular and he should be able to find these positions in every agency and every state.

Throughout John’s career, he has managed daily operations, supervised staff, written position descriptions, trained staff, ensured work performance and managed the office budget. Therefore, John’s fourth resume should include his roles as an administrative officer in human resources, supervision and budget. All agencies have administrative officer positions with promotion potential to GS-15.

You don’t go to battle without a plan. If you are seeking to advance or change your career to a new agency or state, you need to first identify your skills sets, then determine the various resume targets and finally begin researching specific new positions. Once you have several resumes drafted, you are primed and ready to launch a solid campaign for your new position.

Kathryn Troutman is the author of The Federal Resume Guidebook. Kathryn is a popular Federal Resume Writing trainer throughout government, teaching the latest KSA in the Resume writing methods. She is founder and president of The Resume Place, Inc., experts in Federal Career Consulting and Federal Resume Writing, a service business located in Baltimore, Maryland.

As we count down to 2011, here are my Top Ten federal job search resolutions to help you get a quick jump start back into your federal job search as soon as the holiday festivities are over.

10. Get inspired! Read a book about an expertise that you have.

Find a book on a topic of interest, such as leadership, management, teamwork or supervision. If the book is inspiring, you might feel more energetic and proud of your past accomplishments – which will translate into a good mood and higher confidence. Looking for a federal job? Here’s a great list of Federal Leadership Books!

Sometimes, job interviewers will ask you what you are reading now. You better get ready for this one. Books on leadership, history, or a topic that supports your non-profit or volunteer work would be perfect for the interview (not political books).

9. Be systematic with your online job search strategies.

Keep a list of your favorite webpages, and check them every day, or, at a minimum, once a week, for positions that could be of interest.

You can waste time at the computer if you don’t have a clear list of sites that you visit regularly and search strategies that work. Limit your time on searching for jobs, so that you can move AWAY from the computer and be productive in other ways.

8. Say “Happy New Year” to your references and people in your network.

This time of year is perfect for reconnecting with people you haven’t touched base with in awhile. Your references and network are your most important allies for your job search. Make a clear list of your best references / network contacts. Write to them, or preferably meet with them in person for lunch or coffee.

Talk to your references, update them on what you are doing, and ask them if they have any leads or ideas about positions. Be positive about your skills, experience, and new or renewed determination for 2011. Review your job search strategies with them.

If you don’t have a Linkedin or other online resume, you could work on that also. You can get testimonials and post your entire resume online for searches.

7. Make a new list of keywords, and check it every time.

Keywords are words that you can find in the recruitment advertisement. Look especially for words that are repeated several times in the job announcements. Make sure these words are included in your Work Experience descriptions. The human resources recruiters read or scan for those keywords in your resume.

Make sure you adapt your resume to include your skills, knowledge, and areas of expertise to each position for which you are applying. One resume won’t work! You have to take that one resume and change it slightly for each job announcement and position.

6. Add a few new “competencies” to your resume.

Competencies are the latest “thing” for human resources – both federal and private industry. Examples of competencies are: flexible, adaptable, customer services, interpersonal skills, excellent at problem-solving.

Do you have good interpersonal skills? If yes, say so in the resume somewhere. Are you great with customer services? Make sure it is in your resume. You might think it is OBVIOUS that you have great communications, negotiation, and problem-solving skills, but don’t be bashful now! Say it in the context of one of your accomplishments. Seriously, the HR specialists and managers love a person who get along great with team members, customers, supervisors, and even complainers! Here’s a Top Ten Managerial Competency List.

5. Stay up on the current events.

Keeping up with the latest happenings can help you get an edge in an interview. Stay on top of the news headlines and get out to local cultural activities, such as museums or galleries, which will have the added benefit of giving you a break from the job search.

4. Add pizzazz to your cover letter.

Cover letters are the hottest new item in federal resumes. Update your cover letter and add a new first sentence or paragraph give it a new 2011 zing.

Samples of positive, energetic starter sentences:

– I’d like to introduce myself to you as a Top Notch Office Administrator for your firm. – Are you looking for a person who can multi-task, solve problems, and who has initiative and energy? I’m available. – I can offer your firm outstanding skills in customer communication, problem-solving and project management. I can prove these skills and strengths by success in growing my company’s sales by 300% in 2009.

3. Take a class or course on something relevant.

Interviewers will want to know what you have done to keep up with your skills. Taking a class in just about anything will give you an interesting angle to talk about in an interview or while networking.

If you can take an online or community college course, here are some suggested courses that are helpful for career development: Technical Writing; Computers Skills; Public Speaking; Ethics (always good for any job); Organizational Development; Leadership; Supervision; Teamwork; Social Media Marketing for Businesses; Budgeting; and Acquisitions and Contracting (for government jobs).

You never know, you might also meet someone in class who knows about job for you.

2. Join a job club.

Go to a job club meeting or job fair once or twice per month. Get out of the house, meet people, listen for ideas, pass around your resume, smile and be friendly. You can be your own BILLBOARD.

I teach federal resume writing at several job clubs in the DC and Virginia area. These FREE meetings are invaluable for job leads, meeting other jobseekers and mentors who review resumes, practice for interviews, and help with job search strategies.

1. Celebrate your accomplishments.

What are you most proud of for 2010 (or the last time you were working)? Make a list and read it out loud. These will be your talking-points for your job interview. Review your list of accomplishments to prepare for an interview and compare them to your resume.

Many resumes that I review do NOT contain accomplishments at all. Or if they do, the accomplishments are one line. Expand on your accomplishments. Add the RESULTS. and even add the CONTEXT or CHALLENGE for what you did. Talk about the problems you overcame and how achieved success. It might seem like bragging, but if you are good at something in your job, you have to write it on paper to get the point across to the hiring official.

Best Wishes for 2011!

Finally, just keep up the good work and remember that perseverance is the key to success in this job market.

From Kathryn Troutman, Author, Ten Steps to a Federal Job

Success Story from First-Time Federal Jobseeker (who was from private industry):

I applied for a position in Reston, VA for a HR Asst. The job announcement closed on Monday (12-20-10) and I rec’d a call yesterday from a Hiring Official yesterday to set up an interview for today (12-22-10). After talking with him for 20 mins; he offered me the position!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you believe that?! I owe a huge THANK YOU to you and Kathryn for making me look GOOD!

Competition is growing for the best jobs in the country! In today’s job market, hundreds and thousands of job seekers are sending resumes for federal positions now.  It’s well publicized in the media that the federal jobs pay better, and benefits and retirement are better than private industry. These federal positions are the best jobs in the entire US.

So now there is a dramatic increase in applications per position. To compete against more competition, your federal resume has to be “super-specialized” for each position.

One federal resume does NOT fit all federal applications

We are finding at The Resume Place, Inc. that many federal job seekers are using one resume to apply for many positions. This approach is not effective. Each federal resume must be super-specialized to get a score of 90 or above and to get Best Qualified and Referred to a Supervisor. We are hearing from frustrated federal job seekers who are submitting 60, 100, even 200 federal resumes and NOT getting Referred, or if they are Referred, they are not selected for an Interview. These job seekers say they are qualified but are having no luck. One reason could be that their federal resume is NOT super-specialized toward an announcement.

Hot Tip: Don’t overlook the One Year Specialized Experience section of the vacancy announcement

What many people don’t see in the long vacancy announcements is that each job announcement will state that a position requires “One Year Specialized Experience”  for all positions. Your resume MUST show that you have this One Year Specialized experience in order to qualify for the position.

Where does an applicant find the Specialized Experience in the vacancy announcement?

Each announcement will state the Specialized Experience needed for the job. The announcement will usually say something like this: “Your resume must demonstrate that you have 52 weeks of specialized experience in this certain field. Your resume should include examples of this and this and this and this.”

Here’s how your federal resume can become a super-specialized federal resume:

Add your KSAs into the resume. Although the KSAs narratives are supposedly eliminated by the Hiring Reform, many applications will ask for your KSAs to be demonstrated in your resume. These KSAs to be added into your resume will be different for each vacancy announcement even if you are applying for generally the same types of jobs. Make your resume super-specialized by adding these KSAs right into the text of your resume in the Work Experience section to get the best score.

Highlight your Specialized Experience. Human resources specialists are overwhelmed with resumes. They have so many resumes to review, and they are looking for quick ways to eliminate you from consideration. You will want the initial Human Resources reviewer to see your specialized experience quickly. They will give you more consideration, because your resume clearly demonstrates your qualifications.  This could result in a better score on your federal resume (best scores are 90+)

Add keywords from the Specialized Experience section. Change at least 10 to 20 keywords and phrases in your federal resume for each announcement, so that the resume clearly hits the Specialized Experience. Find the keywords in the mission, duties, and qualifications sections of the vacancy announcement.

Give examples to PROVE that you have the Specialized Experience. Vacancy announcements will request examples, and you should write them in your federal resume.  These examples are your Accomplishment Record; they prove from your past performance that you will have a certain track record for future performance.

If possible, add your Specialized Experience to the first page of your resume. The most valuable real estate in your federal resume is the first page. If your last job or current job is your most relevant, list this one first.

Readability counts – add the Specialized Experience in the Outline Format Resume. Use ALL CAPS and spacing to help the HR specialist find this important specialized experience. If it’s easy to read by busy HR specialists, that can help you get a better score and get referred.

THE RESUME PLACE, INC. CERTIFIED FEDERAL RESUME WRITERS produce super-specialized federal resumes. Get professional help with your federal resumes and land one of the best jobs in the United States today!

Do you want a FREE Estimate for a super-specialized federal resume? Just complete our registration and federal resume profile. We will write back to you and give a few recommendations for super-specialized writing strategies plus an estimate for our professional services to help you achieve your federal career goals. Professional strategic writing for federal jobs is an investment in your future and career, not just a federal resume writing service.

Good luck with your Super-Specialized federal resume. Get Best Qualified, Referred, Interviewed and Hired with your Super Specialized Federal Resume. Each application is unique, no two are the same! Kathryn Troutman, Author, Ten Steps to a Federal Job™

Baltimore, MD, August 6, 2010

In a speech Aug. 2 to a veterans organization, President Barack Obama announced that our combat mission in Iraq will conclude as promised by August 31st. He also noted that 90,000 military service members will have returned by then. Since the government emphasizes hiring vets, the federal job market is one of the best for vets leaving the military. However, few vets are familiar with writing a federal-style resume, let alone one that stands out. Thus they often apply for government positions with private industry resumes that are too short, too dense, too filled with military jargon, and too lacking in an emphasis on the skills and experience federal HR needs.

“No matter how much the government emphasizes hiring vets, or what job fairs present, or what jobs are open on USAJOBS.GOV, veterans still must have an excellent, targeted federal resume that demonstrates their best qualifications,” notes Kathryn Troutman, author of the Military to Federal Career Guide, 2nd edition (released in June). “That’s why I wrote this book.”

The new 2nd edition of the Military to Federal Career Guide has been streamlined with fewer pages (136 pp. down from 400 pp.), an easy-to-follow step-by-step format, non-complex writing, and a reasonable price ($18.95 paper, $14.95 ebook). Both the books and CD-ROM feature six case studies that provide inspiration and models for proper federal resume writing. (The case studies in the book are based on actual people, with names and some details changed.)

Jeremy D. Dutton’s case study is an excellent example of how a vet’s resume can come across as unimpressive without having sample resumes to study. Dutton had served as a Helicopter Crew Chief in Iraq without a loss of life or aircraft on any of his missions. When he wrote his “before resume,” he had been out of the military for two years, had gone back to school for a degree in Government & Public Policy under the GI bill, and was working as a bartender. Troutman notes that his original resume (which is on the CD-ROM for comparison) left out Jeremy’s new college degree, which he did finish, his 3.7 GPA average, all his honors and awards, his training and certifications in the military, his accomplishments, and crucial details of his work as a Team Leader in the Marine Corps. Troutman says that “his original resume was so generic and typical that he would never have stood out as a good candidate for a management position in government.”

“It can be difficult to find a job while still stationed overseas, especially in a war zone,” notes Resume Place spokesperson Diane Hudson Burns. “Even so, there are things that they can do as they anticipate coming home from Iraq and leaving the service.” For instance, she says that they can start thinking about what types of federal jobs they want to apply for when they return to the United States. They can put an alert on their account at USAJOBS.GOV (the federal government’s official job site) so announcements will be emailed to them related to sought-after job categories. They can study the announcements for keywords and other language to use in their resumes. They can write a list of their “Top 10 Accomplishments” (explained in the book) to integrate into their resumes. And they can start writing their federal resume with the help of the eBook version of the Military to Federal Career Guide. That way, once they get home, they’ll be ready to jump into their job search campaign. (Some military service personnel have friends and family back home send in the resumes ahead of time.)

Last November, the President issued an Executive Order emphasizing the importance of hiring vets in the federal government. So now is a good time for veterans to apply for federal jobs, which pay $67,691 on average according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But as a veteran recently commented to Troutman, the most important element in landing a federal position is taking the necessary action. “He had recently transitioned from military to civilian life and he said, ‘You know, being successful at this is really up to the veteran.’ I agree. What I offer in the book are tools that will make this effort go more smoothly. The veteran needs to supply the time for the job search, perseverance and determination.” For interviews, please contact Diane Hudson Burns at 208.323.9636.

About the Book The Military to Federal Career Guide is one of six books by Troutman on federal careers available at www.resume-place.com. Go to http://www.resume-place.com/books/military-to-federal-career-guide/ for immediate access to the ebook. ($14.95 ebook/$18.95 paper; 136 pp.; accompanying CD-Rom has type-over federal resume and cover letter templates.)

About the Author & Resume Place Kathryn Troutman has over 30 years experience in the federal marketplace. In addition to publishing, her company the Resume Place also offers resume writing and federal job-search coaching services.

Eases the Process of Starting a Career in the Federal Government, July 10, 2010 By JD, USMC This Amazon.com review is from: Military to Federal Career Guide, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

“After 4+ years in the Marines I was ready for a break and ready to take advantage of the experience my military service gave me. Like all Marines (and I suspect other transitioning Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard personnel) I was made to go through a rushed TAP/ TAMP class on how to get out of the military and be successful as a civilian. After I was forced through yet another power point numbing series of classes punctuated by mock interviews and civilian attire inspections, and after I was mentally preparing to EAS; my unit was deployed for 8 months. I got home and left the Corps 2 weeks after returning to CONUS.

I hate long rambling reviews so I’ll try to get to the book. After I worked my way through school with the help of my GI Bill (that didn’t pay nearly all my education expenses) I found myself lacking a real plan. I started looking into careers in the Federal Government and was baffled and frustrated by USAjobs, Army Resume Builder and all the competition from those snot-nose kids whose parents paid their way through college while I was enjoying MRE’s and bottled water in a place whose name they never will care to learn. I got lucky and stumbled across an early run of the second edition of this book after it came out at the NY Book Expo of America last May. I worked through the book and the CD and I found the process much more manageable. What made it easy were the sample resumes from actual military personal.

I could use their resumes as a starting point for mine. Like them, I found actual jobs on USAjobs and worked the language of the posting into my resume and cover letter. Then there are instructions in the book on how to submit your resume and how long you can expect to wait before you hear back. Additionally there are interview tips and pointers on how to follow up on submitted applications. Finally, in summation, I am personally satisfied with my results after putting in the effort and working through this book, hopefully you will be to. If not, that’s OK. Just hope we both don’t go out for the same opening. Cheers.”

Even so, it is still important to demonstrate in your federal job application that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform a job. How do I recommend that you do that? Include the KSAs in your federal resume! In fact, vacancy announcements are already listing KSAs in the qualifications section with the note that the KSAs should be included in the text of the resume.

The best way to make your KSAs stand out in the federal resume is to use our recommended Outline Format Resume for USAJOBS and other online builders. The sample federal resume in this article, which is in USAJOBS format, includes the KSAs found in the vacancy announcement.

Recommend Format for KSAs in the Federal Resume

The Outline Format for your federal resume was first developed in 2000 when Department of Defense agencies introduced the Resumix system. The Resumix system is a keyword system and is still the resume format used today by Army, Navy, and Department of Defense agencies. The Outline Format features keywords that could be the search terms used by the human resources specialists and supervisors.

The KSAs can also be highlighted in the Outline Format by carefully selecting KSA keywords as the paragraph headers, then formatting these headers in ALL CAPS so that the information is very clear to the human resources specialist. The sample federal resume below clearly features the KSAs from Duties; Qualifications; and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities statements listed in the announcement.

Readability is Key to Success for KSAs in the Federal Resume

Federal resumes posted in USAJOBS are read by federal human resources specialists, not a machine or artificial intelligence system. Being able to easily find the KSAs in the federal resume will make it easier to determine that you are Best Qualified for a certain position. Using a limited amount of ALL CAPS in your USAJOBS or builder resume can help HR and the supervisor see your KSAs and specialized experience.

How to Include KSAs or Qualifications in Your Federal Resume

1. Find the KSAs in the announcement in the Qualifications section. 2. Copy them into a Word file. 3. Copy the KSA into your resume. 4. Match your current resume duties and accomplishments to the KSAs. 5. Create the Outline Format, so that the KSAs stand out for the HR specialist. 6. Write a description of your skills in each KSA area and give a short example if you can. It is important to give an example that demonstrates your past performance for each KSA. 7. Write the KSA information within the Work Experience section of your resume. 8. Emphasize the KSA skills within the last 10 years if you can. 9. Emphasize the KSA skills within the most recent one or two positions if you can. 10. Give example for the KSAs if you can. This will improve your chances of being best qualified.

KSAs in the Resume – Sample Outline Format from USAJOBS

The KSAs for this position are the following: – TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM SUPPORT to an analytical workforce. – DATA COLLECTION: Gather, evaluate, and compile variety of data and information to report progress. – REPORT PRODUCTION AND DATABASE ADMINISTRATION – CUSTOMER SERVICES AND OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

SARA JACOBS 4567 Dandelion Way Washington, DC 20009 Mobile: 202-222-2323 Email: smjacobs@verizon.net

WORK EXPERIENCE Federal Bureau of Investigation, Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate 8/2009 – Present Washington, DC US Grade Level: GS-07 Salary: 52,794 USD Per Year Hours per week: 40 Management and Program Assistant, 0344

TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT AND PROGRAM SUPPORT to an analytical workforce. As the sole Management Assistant to 10 Analysts, I support higher-level analysts in research and analysis of weapons of mass destruction. Conduct special research projects as assigned or as a team member. Support analysts with administrative tasks and assist in conducting studies concerning research on weapons of mass destruction.

DATA COLLECTION: Gather, evaluate, and compile variety of data and information to report progress. The analysts depend on me to compile and write drafts of final reports to include editing for obvious omissions or errors, as well as compliance with established format. Produce charts and graphics with content provided by analysts and original research.

REPORT PRODUCTION AND DATABASE ADMINISTRATION: I am the quality-control check and proofread reports and other documents for correct information. Coordinate administrative requirements with other Dept. of Homeland Security offices. I maintain the WMD databases, identify trends/patterns, compile reports, and apply data-gathering methods to collect information.

CUSTOMER SERVICES AND OFFICE ADMINISTRATION: I am the primary point of contact for the Directorate Analysts. I also hold primary responsibility for administrative programs and ensure compliance with all procedural requirements.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

+ Updated the WMD database with more than 2 months of data collected by the analysts. Created a spreadsheet with the updated information to summarize data collected, as well as news summaries from major news outlets. Received recognition from my supervisor for attention to detail.

+ Developed a spreadsheet to maintain project status of the Analysts’ research, which was posted for easy access and 24×7 viewing. This resulted in less repetition in research and immediate information on available date. (Contact Supervisor: Yes, Supervisor’s Name: Joette Zimmerman, Supervisor’s Phone: 202-222-2222)

*Sample from the Federal Resume Guidebook & CD-ROM, 4th, Edition, Publisher: JIST, Inc.; Author: Kathryn Troutman