If you are applying for a job in the government, then there is a certain set of information required on the job resume that must be included to be under consideration for the job.  While an employment cover letter is important, the resume is the most important part of the hiring process and must be stressed for accuracy as much as the interview process is.

Federal Government Resume:

If you are applying for a position with the federal government, you need to be aware of a different way of presenting your resume, which is known as the Federal Resume.

Very seldom does the federal government use keyword software for selecting candidates. Most times your resume will be reviewed by a real person. This allows you the opportunity to impress the reader of your resume with some copywriting tactics as noted in this book. However, you must be sure to include the federal government’s resume criteria in addition to your copywriting techniques.

Here is what a Federal Resume must contain at a minimum:

• Job Information:
  • Open Position announcement number.
  • Open position title.
  • Open position grade.
• Personal Information:
  • Full name.
  • Mailing address and zip code
  • Day and evening phone numbers
  • Social Security Number (NEVER list SSN on a non-Federal Resume)
  • Country of citizenship
  • Veterans’ preference
  • Reinstatement eligibility
  • Highest federal civilian grade held.
• Education:
  • High School: name, address, zip code, and date of diploma or GED
  • College or University: name, address, zip code, majors, types and years of degrees (if no degree, show total credits earned and indicate semester or quarter hours completed)
  • Send a copy of college transcripts ONLY IF THE JOB ANNOUNCEMENT REQUESTS THEM.
• Work Experience (paid and non-paid related to the open position):
  • Job title.
  • Duties and accomplishments.
  • Employer name and address.
  • Supervisor name and phone number.
  • Starting and ending dates (month/year).
  • Hours worked per week.
  • Ending salary.
  • Indicate Yes/No as to whether the supervisor can be contacted.
• Other Qualifications:
  • Job-related training courses (title and year).
  • Job-related skills such as other languages, machinery, computer software, tools, etc.
  • Job-related certificates and licenses
  • Job-related honors, awards, accomplishments such as publications, membership in organizations, etc. and give dates.

Resumes are very important for a government job, so make sure that you meet the information requirements.  Without including them, it would be far more difficult to get a job within the government now or in the future.

Even with an awesome resume and an outstanding employment cover letter, a company may reject you if you are not the best candidate or had a weak interview process.  Even if you are rejected by a company, there still is the potential to be hired after the job search is seemingly over.  Therefore, it is very important to refrain from arguing about a job resume or a resume cover letter while talking to your formerly prospective employer.

If You Get Rejected:

How to handle the call if you don’t get the job: DO NOT be upset, complain, ask, “What can I do differently?” ask, “Why wasn’t I selected?” or any number of other things that will turnoff the caller. Remember, the person who is offered and who even accepts the position may not always start. As such, if the hiring manager had anything but a pleasant conversation with you when he/she had to tell you “no,” he/she may be reluctant to call you if you were the #2 choice.

These types of comments or lines of questioning make the caller very uncomfortable because of the potential legal ramifications that can occur by saying the wrong words. Once again, you want to be perceived as the “easy candidate.”

Hiring managers are not outplacement consultants who are there to give you guidance or interview advice.

So, in a very nice tone of voice and being as gracious as you can be, you can use the following 2 step approach:

- Step #1, you will say, “Well, I’m very disappointed, but I certainly realize that you can only pick one person. I want to thank you for considering me and for your courtesy during my interview. But I would like to ask you a favor. Since you are familiar with my skills and background,” (add here your selection from Step #2)

- Step #2, select an option below or make up your own:

o “Is there someone else in the company that…(is hiring, could use someone with my skills, etc.)?”

o “Are there other divisions or sister companies that might need people like me?”

o “What other companies in your industry should I also consider?”

o “Who do you know in the business community that I might introduce myself to?”

o “Can you refer me to other organizations that I might be able to contact?”

My recommendation is to prepare your own gracious rejection speech and commit it to memory for those times when you pickup the phone and you get the bad news.

While no amount of resume tips and resume services can overcome a poor structured interview that causes this type of rejection call.  The most important thing to remember is to stay positive and not try to burn any bridges because it is impossible to tell if a company may be in need of another employee down the road.