A lot of people miss the opportunity of being hired in federal jobs. And it’s not even that they don’t qualify.

In fact, most of them are “overqualified.”

So, what’s the problem?

The resume.

Many a time, they search the internet for resume writing tips. On the other hand, most recommendations focus on business resumes.

Perhaps that would get you employed in the private sector. But in a federal position.

The human resource will not even look at such a resume. In other words, you will have already lost the chance.

Don’t worry, though. We have a solution for you.

What You Should Know About Federal Jobs

There are different types of federal jobs.

• Competitive Service – This is the largest federal service. Jobs in this category are generally what we will describe below.
• The Expected Service – Positions in this category as outside the “classic” government jobs. It can include working in intelligence or other official agencies.
• Senior Executive Service – SESs are senior jobs at the executive level. It is the smallest service in number and just under the presidential appointees.

One of the largest employers for jobs outside the federal process is the United States Postal Service. However, it still follows the same guidelines to bring new people on board.

Understanding the federal salaries

Federal salaries play a major role in qualifying for the jobs. To clarify, Federal agencies apply the General Schedule pay system, although there are other systems.

It can be a bit challenging to know where you fit if you don’t know the grades.

When you check the advertisement for these positions, you may notice GS grades from 5 to 15. 5 to 11 are relatively entry-level. 12 to 13 is mid-level. And grades 14 to 15 are senior level.

A good approach would be to focus on the qualification required. In other words, forget the grades for a while.

If you have what the job requires, go ahead and apply. Leave everything else to the HR specialist. But it would be best if you were sure to exhaust all your strong points.

Private sector vs. government jobs

There are several similarities and differences between these two employment bodies.

For the similarities, there is:

• A requirement for the right experience
• Highlighting an applicant’s achievements and accomplishments.
• Metrics or numbers to provide context for qualifying your accomplishment.

Differences come in terms of:

• Information details about the candidate
• Occupational questionnaires used
• Veteran preference

The federal resume. Most federal jobs are posted on the official website; USAJOBS.gov. Meanwhile, you can find them under “job announcement” or” vacancy under the federal space.

Designing Your Federal Job Winning Resume

One difference between a regular resume and a federal resume is the length. However, it’s not uncommon to meet a 4 to 6-page federal resume.

For this reason, you need to ditch most of the resume-writing tips you read that focus on the private sector.

Critically analyze the federal vacancy, highlight