Career Planning

How Long Should I Expect to Spend on My Resume?

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I am often asked how long writing a resume should take. There are several ways to answer this question; the first one depends on whether you are prepared with all of your information before you sit down to write. And whether you are writing a private sector or federal resume—or both!

Here is what you need to have ready to prepare a strong resume before you sit down to write:

• A target job posting. Key words are essential. You’ll need to identify the key words of the postings or kind of job you are pursuing. If you are writing a resume for the private sector, you should assume that your resume will be “read” by Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) which will search for key words. If you are writing a federal resume, you should know that USAJOBS is not an ATS; however, Human Resources (HR) professionals will be reviewing your resume to ensure your experience as outlined in your resume matches the qualifications sought—and the best way to demonstrate that is through the use of key words.

• Your work history for the past 10 or so years. It never ceases to amaze me how many people do not accurately track their titles, employers, and month/year of employment. All employers want to know this and you need this information on hand before you start drafting your resume. Most employers do not need the specific start date (only month and year) but some federal job postings do request actual dates, in addition to month and year.

• Metrics related to your current job (and ideally the ones past too). Metrics give your work context and it is important to use them as often as possible. What is the dollar value of your budget? How many people do you supervise? How long are your projects? Any place you can include a number, you should; this will be a real differentiator in your resume. Again, numbers are something you should track throughout your career—it’s almost impossible to remember them over a long period of time.

• Achievements. It is not enough to include duties in your resume; employers want to know how you have added value / made a difference. Try to track your achievements over the course your career. It’s not enough to list your duties on your resume; you can differentiate yourself by demonstrating that you not only did your duties but that you did them well. Try to have at least 3-5 achievements for your current job (assuming you’ve been in it for a couple of years). Again, having achievements can make you stand out from other candidates who have essentially the same experience.

• Education information, along with professional certifications, awards, professional development, and other details. While all resumes need education (although skip your graduation date if you graduated more than 5 years ago) and professional certifications (CPA, PMP, PE, IT certifications, etc.), in most cases you should only include awards and professional development on a federal resume.

Only after you have gathered all of your relevant information, is it time to start writing. How long should that take? If you are writing a private sector resume, assume it will take you at least 4 to 6 hours (or more); if you are writing a federal resume, assume a minimum of 6 to 8 hours.

These timeframes are minimum and do not include time for editing and revision. Nor are they illustrative of how long it takes to prepare an executive or Senior Executive Service (SES) resume. And I always recommend that you walk away from your draft for at least a day so you can review it with fresh eyes.

Tell me about yourself: 5 Strategies for Creating a Strong Brand

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You may have heard about branding yourself and wondered what it has to do with you; after all, you’re a person, not a product. That’s where you’re wrong!

Whether you’re looking for a new job or seeking a promotion—or even wanting to be well regarded at work, branding yourself is essential. Your brand is what makes you stand out from everyone else. What is branding? Branding is about how others see you and how you see yourself. Obviously, you’ll want to control the narrative as much as possible.

How can you go about establishing your brand? Recognize that branding yourself is about understanding yourself, how you are known to others (basically your reputation), and how want to be known. It needs to be authentic to you. It is both your real self and your online self—and those need to match.

Here’s how to get started on identifying and creating your brand:

1. Think about what makes you unique. Where did you grow up? What are your special talents and skills? What do people say about you? What are you known for? What do you care about? Write these things down. This is part of understanding who you are.

2. What does your current employer want / need? What about prospective employers? When employers are considering you for promotion or hiring, they want to know what you offer—in the context of what they need. Is there a match between who you are and what your current / future employers are looking for?

3. Create your value proposition. Sum up your brand in one sentence. It should be easy to say, understand, and remember. This will be the essence of your resume, your LinkedIn, and your answer to “tell me about yourself.” This will not be identical across all platforms but it should be consistent.

4. Communicate your brand and value. How do you communicate to your current and future employers? The obvious ways include your daily interactions, your resume, and your LinkedIn presence. All of these should be consistent and communicate the same message. Almost all employers (and yes, even government employers) will do an online search of applicants. What is your online presence? Does it match what your resume says about you? How you behave on a daily basis? If not, you have work to do. Your message needs to be consistent across the board.

5. Reinforce your brand. It’s not enough to put a brand out there. You have to reinforce it. If you say you’re an expert, prove it. Post articles about your expertise. Comment (appropriately) on others’ posts. Be yourself. And keep it up; you do not want to be static; this is not a “one and done;” you want to manage your brand so that it stays fresh and current.

Creating and maintaining your brand takes time and effort. But taking the time to do it right is time well spent. After all, your brand is yours alone and your career is worth it!

Are You a Program or Project Manager?

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There are thousands of program managers / project managers in the federal government! If you are one of them (or want to be one of them), you should know about the Program Management Improvement Accountability Act (PMIAA). The PMIAA requires, in part, that most federal agencies designate a senior executive as their Program Management Improvement Officer (PMIO); in turn, the PMIO should implement a program for enhancing the role of program managers.

That program includes improved career paths and training.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently issued guidance that identified the key skills and competencies for program managers. The competencies were created based on focus groups that included more than 7,000 employees across government. These competencies are expected to form the frame for training and development of program and project managers going forward.

As an existing or aspirational program / project manager, think about your existing skills and experience in this framework; if you have gaps, and these competencies are relevant to your specific position, you may want to address any gaps through your Individual Development Plan (IDP).

I would also encourage you to think about these competencies as key words to be sure to include in your resume!

General Competencies

• Accountability
• Attention to Detail
• Conflict Management
• Creative Thinking
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• External Awareness
• Flexibility
• Influencing/Negotiating
• Information Management
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Leadership
• Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
• Manages Human Resources
• Manages Resources
• Oral Communication
• Organizational Awareness
• Partnering
• Planning and Evaluating
• Political Savvy
• Problem Solving
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Strategic Thinking
• Teaching Others
• Team Building
• Teamwork
• Technical Competence
• Technical Credibility
• Technology Application
• Writing

Technical Competencies

• Acquisition Strategy
• Business Process Reengineering
• Capital Planning and Investment Assessment
• Change Management
• Compliance
• Contracting/Procurement
• Cost-Benefit Analysis
• Financial Analysis
• Financial Management
• Knowledge Management
• Performance Measurement
• Program Management
• Project Management
• Quality Management
• Requirements Management
• Risk Management
• Schedule Management
• Scope Management
• Stakeholder Management

More information about the program and project management competencies can be found here: https://www.chcoc.gov/sites/default/files/PMIAA%20Competency%20Memorandum%20Attachment%20for%20CXO%20Councils.pdf.

What Can You Do to Be Ready for 2019?

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No matter what your individual politics, I think we can all agree that the shutdown is at best disappointing and at worst, a real threat to individuals, families, and the reputation of government employees, the vast majority of whom are committed to their work, their agencies, and the public. As I traveled during this holiday season, I went out of my way to thank the government employees I saw (TSA Officers, among others) to thank them for working without pay.

Read more

Looking Over 2018 and Making Career Plans for 2019

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2018 has been a busy year for the government; I thought it might be a good time to reflect on some of the career-related matters that have come up; having a larger context for what is going on in the government from a Human Resources (HR) perspective can help you think about the decisions you might want to make for your career next year.

In February, the Administration issued the first-ever Federal Workforce Priorities Report. The report identified six Government-wide priorities and provided what it considered promising practices from agencies.

The priorities were in were grouped around two major initiatives: reshaping the workforce and maximizing employee performance, are as follows:

  • Priority 1: Succession Planning and Knowledge Transfer. Conduct succession planning activities to retain and transfer institutional knowledge, as workforce reshaping efforts are undertaken.
  • Priority 2: Deploying Communication Tools. Adopt tools that allow employees to easily connect, communicate, and collaborate with one another regardless of geographic location.
  • Priority 3: Securing Technological Solutions for Human Capital Analysis. OPM will seek to acquire or develop enterprise technological solutions to assist the Federal human capital community with human capital analysis.
  • Priority 4: Expanding Employee Development Opportunities. Provide employees with ample opportunities for continuous professional growth and skill development.
  • Priority 5: Bolstering Employee Recognition Programs. Administer robust programs to appropriately recognize and reward employees who demonstrate high levels of performance and significantly contribute to achieving organizational goals.
  • Priority 6: Enhancing Productivity through a Focus on Employee Health. Encourage employees to engage in physical fitness activities during time spent commuting and being at work.

During 2018, there were several new initiatives that supported those goals; these include new direct hire appointment authorities, the Open Opportunities initiative, upgrades to USAJOBS, and a new emphasis on coaching. We’ll discuss some of these in more detail in additional articles this month.

What are Special Hiring Authorities?

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Here are a few special hiring authorities for non-veterans that may help you better compete for your target job:

• Direct Hire Authority: Some entire occupational series qualify for Direct Hire Authority (DHA). The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides both government-wide and agency-specific direct hiring authority for filling vacancies when there arises a critical hiring need or severe shortage of candidates. Direct hiring authority can be used to fill a variety of types of appointments: permanent, temporary, and limited and term appointments with “not-to-exceed” dates. A few position types eligible for DHA government-wide include: Information Technology Management Specialist (Information Security)—grades 9 and above (job series 2210); diagnostic radiologic technologist (job series 647); medical officer (job series 602); nurse (job series 610); pharmacist (job series 660); and federal acquisitions positions covered under Title 41.

• Digital Services Experts: In mid-2015, OPM authorized excepted service appointments at the GS-11 to GS-15 levels for candidates with expertise in “modern digital product design, software engineering, product management, creating and maintaining flexible infrastructure, and designing and implementing agile governance structures,” as stated by the then OPM Director. If your work falls into this category, you may be eligible for this specialized hiring authority. Twenty-five agencies and a number of programs may use this authority. As you engage in career networking, be sure to mention your eligibility for this appointment; not all HR personnel and hiring managers may know about this.

• CyberCorps®: Scholarship for Service (SFS) is a unique program designed to broaden and strengthen the cadre of federal information assurance professionals that protect the government’s critical information technology infrastructure. SFS scholarships typically fully fund full-time student costs such as tuition and education-related fees, as long as you attend a participating institution. Funded by National Science Foundation grants, students receive stipends of $22,500 for undergraduate work and $34,000 for graduate programs. Visit https://www.sfs.opm.gov/ for more information.

• Former AmeriCorps and Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV): Agencies may appoint former AmeriCorps and PCV non-competitively within 12 months of their separation from volunteer service. The 12-month period can be extended in certain circumstances such as military service, higher education, or other activities at the agency’s discretion.

• Schedule A for People with Disabilities. Qualified individuals with disabilities can be appointed to federal jobs non-competitively through a process known as Schedule A. In order to be eligible for Schedule A, you must meet the qualifications for your target (i.e., have the required competencies and relevant experience to perform the job) and provide “proof of a disability” documentation. “Proof of a disability” is a letter stating that you have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability. This letter is obtained from your doctor, a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any federal, state, or local agency that issues or provides disability benefits.

• Military spouse. This hiring authority is for: a military spouse who is relocating with their service-member spouse as a result of permanent change of station (PCS) orders; a spouse who is 100% disabled due to active duty service; or the spouse of a service member killed while on active duty. This appointment is authorized under Executive Order 13473. Military spouse appointments are non-competitive and may be made to competitive service (status) jobs. Because these are noncompetitive appointments, veterans’ preference is not considered for positions filled under this authority.

• Emergency Hiring Authority to support recovery from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Agencies have been authorized to make Excepted Service hiring appointments on a temporary basis for up to one year, to work on recovery and relief; these appointments can be extended in one-year increments.

The authorities above do not represent the full range of specialized hiring authorities, nor does it include the nuances of these eligibilities. Just being eligible for any of the above hiring authorities does not guarantee you a job. It does, however, provide you with some additional tools to use in your search. If applicable, ensure you include these eligibilities in your resume, mention them during networking, and include them when you complete your USAJOBS profile. Additional information special hiring authorities is located at www.opm.gov.