Are you a current federal employee who is seeking a promotion? Then your USAJOBS Resume is Key
Have you decided you are ready for the next level of your federal career, or want to change agencies, and aren’t sure what to do next? Haven’t created your 2 page USAJOBS resume yet, or feel comfortable that you know how it works, even though you have worked for the federal government for years? Perhaps you’re applying but not getting referred for positions for which you know you’re qualified?
At Solutions for the Workplace, LLC, we can help! With more than 30 years in federal HR, we are experts at writing USAJOBS resumes and understand how to navigate the process. We are Certified Federal Resume Writers and Certified Federal Job Search Trainers. Not only do we know how it works from the applicant viewpoint, we also understand the process from the perspective of HR and hiring managers, so we can create you a USAJOBS resume that will help advance your federal career.
Best resume writer ever! I enjoyed working with you. CW
If you have not applied for federal career advancement in a while, things have changed.
Federal resumes have transitioned from 4-6 page documents to 2 pages. Your USAJOBS resume must be keyword rich, written to a specific announcement or federal job series, and not read like your position description (PD).
Thank you for your assistance with my resume. I am proud to submit what you’ve prepared! TW
How does federal career advancement work now?
Applicants must apply through USAJOBS, and your USAJOBS Profile must be complete and accurate. It is important to use a targeted, USAJOBS resume that includes the keywords from the announcement you’re targeting. Before applying, you should ensure you are eligible for consideration, meet the specialized experience requirements, and provide clear accomplishments that support your qualifications. Plus, your federal resume must be in a USAJOBS-compatible format, including all required information.
What can Solutions for the Workplace, LLC do?
- Help you with your USAJOBS resume so that you receive proper consideration of your application.
- Analyze federal job announcements to ensure you’re eligible and qualified to apply. Just being qualified is not enough; you need to be best qualified to have your application forwarded to the hiring manager.
- Identify keywords from the announcement and questionnaire to include in your USAJOBS resume.
- Write a powerful, on target, federal-style resume that is USAJOBS-compatible.
- Ensure your USAJOBS resume includes all required information and any needed documents for federal applications.
- Provide you with strategic advice on how to apply. Some applicants should apply for the same position multiple ways. Some should apply for multiple grades. We can help!
- Present you with information on getting your federal resume and documents into USAJOBS.
- As a Certified Employment Interview Consultant (CEIC), Nancy Segal will personally coach you to communicate your achievements clearly, concisely, and in OPM’s preferred CCAR framework. Interview coaching is on an hourly basis and is typically contracted for following the delivery of your resume project.
What Else Should I Know?
Agencies are required to use validated assessments such as USA HIRE to determine the best qualified candidates. What is USA HIRE?
Unlike the occupational questionnaires, where applicants self-certify their level of expertise, USA HIRE seeks to target the “whole person” by using occupation series-specific questionnaires, leadership questionnaires, and critical skills questionnaires. These assessments have been developed for 100+ occupations. For example, for supervisory positions, USA HIRE can provide situational judgment questions where candidates are presented with a specific scenario and are asked to identify an appropriate response. There are also mathematical assessments for accounting and other math-focused positions, interpersonal skills, reading skills, reasoning skills, and written skills assessments, where writing is critical.
Candidates who self-report minimal qualifications on the traditional questionnaire are then automatically taken to USA HIRE for additional assessment. USA HIRE then generates a combined score for best qualified determinations.
What can YOU do to maximize your success with USA HIRE?
- First, know that once you complete an application that includes a USA HIRE assessment, you will receive an email with a link to complete the assessment within 24 hours. Pay attention to your email—and don’t forget to check spam or junk folders. The email will come from: assessments@USAHire.opm.gov.
- Don’t blow it off. This is a real part of your application, and your score is good for one year. So if you apply for a similar job that uses USA HIRE within one year of completing a USA HIRE assessment, the same score is used.
- Leave enough time to take the assessment in one sitting. USA HIRE assessments can take as long as 3 hours to complete; you have 48 hours from the closing date of the announcement (or other timeframe specified). Plan accordingly; if you don’t complete the assessment within the required timeframe, you will be rated ineligible for that posting.
- Review practice questions. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has sample questions that can be found at: https://usahire.opm.gov/assess/default/sample/Sample.action.
- Have a problem? Contact the Help Desk: helpdesk@usahire.opm.gov
Not all agencies use USA HIRE; some agencies may use other types of validated assessments to review your candidacy.
You may have also heard about essays required for applicants. These essays are limited to 200 words each and be written in your own words. The essays are:
- How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
- In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
- How would you help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
- How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic, or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.
Contact us to schedule an appointment to discuss working with us to better communicate your candidacy.
Most recently, I was successful in obtaining a position with DHS HQ, in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis. This non-supervisory GS-14 position is in El Paso, Texas, about 45 minutes from my family in Las Cruces, NM, which is exactly where I’ve been trying to get for the last 8 years. So with a little persistence, a lot of patience, and the resume you created for me, I’ve been able to obtain a permanent position and a new and exciting employment opportunity with the federal government in a location in the desert that I’ve coveted for years. Thank you for helping me to reach my goal and my dreams! – JL
“I wanted to thank you for the work you did on A’s resume. He was one of five resumes that was selected to interview. He learned they almost selected him based in his resume. His resume was the best of the group. We practiced some questions at home and 2 of the questions were asked at the interview. They said he was the only one who spoke about his leadership experience and skills. He was selected for his boss’s job last week.”
Solutions for the Workplace also provides professional resume writing services for Senior Executive Service, Executive Core Qualifications, Entry Level Government Jobs, Military to Civilian Transition, and for Private Sector Jobs.