Civilian and Federal Resumes: How Do They Differ?

difference between civilian resume and federal resume

difference between civilian resume and federal resumeTheir meanings seem evident; yet, many job seekers still can’t set apart a federal resume from a civilian resume. If you, too, are having a hard time deciding which between the two you should write, this blog can help solve your problem. Read on!

Federal Resume vs. Civilian Resume: The Basics

Federal and civilian resumes differ not only in the way we write them. The application process and purpose vary, too. See below a comparison of the two:

  Federal Resume Civilian Resume
Purpose
  • Submitted to any gov’t agencies in the local, state, or national level
  • Submitted to any non-gov’t firm or organization
Job Posting
  • Job seekers may find a list of vacant posts at USAJobs.gov.
  • They can filter their searches by salary per hour, series and grade, location(s), announcement number, or hiring agency, among a few others.
  • Recruiters use various means in posting job openings. These include online job portals, social media, and old-style schemes, such as fliers and posters.
How Federal Resume Differs from Civilian Resume

While both resumes have a qualifications section, their format, structure, and writing style differ greatly. In fact, these resume types have contrasting details and technical aspects.

  Federal Resume Civilian Resume
Sections and Details
  • The upper portion of this resume consists of the job announcement number, applicant’s social security number, citizenship, and highest federal grade and post held.
  • Sections like Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA), detailed work history, courses, awards, and publications must also be present in a federal application. As regards the KSA, many agencies have been requiring hopefuls to integrate this section (previously a separate file) into the resume since 2010.
  • Other required set of info are job title, job code, and job grade.
  • This resume contains all the common sections, such as career tag, profile summary, skills and strengths, professional experience, education, trainings, honors, etc.
Length
  • Applicants need to submit at least four pages and follow the instructions provided by the hiring agency.
  • Standard resumes usually consist of 2 to 3 pages.
Format
  • Job seekers must follow specific instructions on order of sections, line spacing, margin, fonts, and tables, among others.
  • Job seekers do not need to follow a specific format. They are free to choose what format to use.
Pieces of Advice

If you are to submit either of the two types, do the following:

  1. Tailor the copy to your target post.
  2. Use relevant keywords to make you searchable.
  3. Include numbers to impress recruiter.
  4. Be careful with your spelling and grammar.
  5. Provide much detail but be concise.

If you wish to fill a vacant post in the government, a professionally written federal resume is all you need to win the job. If you’re having a hard time writing your own piece, seek our expert writing service. We also offer other add-on services to boost your chance for the job.

Sources:
linkedin.com
gijobs.com
job-hunt.org
gogovernment.org

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