Make Your Federal Resume Fed Ready Now Uncle Sam is fussy
about your paperwork
Environmental Career Center
Hampton, Virginia
Want a great job with a good salary, security, nice benefits,
and promotion opportunities in natural resources policy &
management, environmental protection, sustainability planning &
design, or related area? How about helping with the
environmental clean-up of Katrina? Interested in a cool job at
the Flat Tops Wilderness Area in Colorado, Denali National Park
& Preserve in Alaska, or NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science
Center in Woods Hole? If you answered yes to any of these
questions, then a Federal career of protecting our environment
may be right for you.
However, if you expect to email your current r?sum? when
applying to Federal agencies, think again. You need to create a
r?sum? version (or several versions) to meet Uncle Sam's rigid
rules now to be prepared in advance of the right opportunity.
Why? Because some Federal job application procedures require
much more paperwork, have tight deadlines, and can be
intimidating ... though they have simplified the process much
over the past decade.
You may apply for most Federal jobs with a r?sum?, an Optional
Application for Federal Employment (OF 612), or other written
format. If your r?sum? or application does not provide all the
information requested on the OF 612 and in the job vacancy
announcement, you may lose consideration for a job. Obtain the
OF 612 at
"www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of612.pdf">www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill
/of612.pdf .
Information That Is Required In a Federal R?sum?:
If you prepare a r?sum?, be sure you provide all of the
information listed below. This is the same information that is
identified on the OF-612 application form, You don't need to
send both an OF-612 application form and a r?sum?.
Tell the agency what job you are applying for -The vacancy
announcement number, title and grade
Provide all of the following:
-Full name, mailing address and day/evening telephone numbers
-Social Security Number
-Country of Citizenship
-Highest Federal civilian grade held, job series, and dates of
employment in the grade.
Education:
-High School name, city, state and zip code, date of diploma or
GED
-Colleges and/or Universities attended, city, state and zip code
-Major field(s) of study
-Type and year of degree(s) received.
Work experience related to the job for which you are applying.
-Job title
-Duties and accomplishments
-Number of hours per week
-Employers name and address
-Supervisor's name and phone number
-Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
-Salary
-Indicate if your current supervisor may be contacted.
Other Qualifications:
-Job-related training courses (title and year)
-Job-related skills (e.g., other languages, computer
software/hardware, tools, machinery, typing speed, etc.)
-Job-related certificates and licenses
-Job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments (e.g.
publications, memberships in professional or honor societies,
leadership activities, public speaking, performance awards,
etc.) (Do not send copies of documents unless specifically
requested.)
Veterans Preference:
-Indicate if you are claiming 5 points (attach DD 214) or 10
points (attach an Application for 10 Point Veterans' Preference
(SF-15) and proof required as indicated on the SF-15.)
Refine Your R?sum? -- Prove You're the One They Want
Obviously, you may want to have several versions of your Federal
r?sum? for each type of position you desire and for which you
qualify. For example, prepare one Federal r?sum? for an
Environmental Protection Specialist (GS-0028 series) and one
r?sum? for Wildlife Biologist (GS-486 series). You may review
qualifications for each job in the US Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) Handbook of Occupational Groups and Families -
see
www.opm.gov/fedclass/html/gsseries.asp.
Remember to check the Federal job announcement thoroughly for
all the required and desired qualifications and other
information the hiring official specifies. The KSAs are often a
candidate screening tool for Federal agencies - KSAs are
knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required
qualifications for the job. If they are listed, then you need to
prepare a narrative that describes how you meet each KSA. Be
clear, complete, and concise. This is extra work, but at least
Uncle Sam has created a r?sum? writing tool for you.
R?sum? Building Tool
The OPM has a nice r?sum? building tool online that will help
walk you through the process. Go the OPM web site www.opm.gov, and click on the Create a
R?sum? button. You may simply cut and paste from your current
r?sum?, but remember to include in your r?sum? all the
information discussed above.
Prepare your Federal environmental r?sum? now. When you find a
great job opening with short deadline, you'll be way ahead of
competing candidates, and less stressed out. Do it now.
ECC
About the author:
John Esson is the director of the Environmental Career Center
(ECC). ECC is celebrating its 25 year of helping people work for
a better environment. ECC publishes the National
Environmental Employment Report, operates EnvironmentalCareer.com,
conducts careers research and job fairs, and assists
environmental employers find top talent.
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