The details for the new Merit Hiring Plan are still being fleshed out but there is no reason that you cannot start on your resume re-do today. Image: CL STOCK/Shutterstock.com
By: Nancy SegalThinking about converting your multi-page federal resume to the new 2 page style? The hiring freeze should lift for many agencies this summer; you’ll want to be ready! Many federal employees’ resumes are 4-6+ pages (the longest I’ve seen is 67 pages and it included footnotes!!).
Among provisions of a new Merit Hiring plan is an initiative to have “patriotic Americans” in federal jobs, saying that hiring “too often focuses on elite universities and credentials, instead of merit, practical skill, and commitment to American ideals.” Among other things, that is to include targeting early-career recruitment at state and land-grant universities, religious colleges and universities, homeschooling groups, faith-based groups and 4-H youth programs. In addition, for positions at GS-5 and above, job vacancy announcements are to include essay questions that include an assessment of their commitment to Trump administration policies (see related story).
Getting your resume down to 2 pages will take a strategic approach and some effort. Here are some ideas that might help:
• Focus on the past 10 years; most resumes these days only go back 10 years or so–no need to include what you did in the 1990s.
• Edit your training and awards–and think horizontally, rather than vertically. Rather than listing training, certification, awards, and whatever, one to a line, list them horizontally with a pipe or a bullet in between.
• Be sure to include strong accomplishments (not just duties).
• Use symbols such as $, M, %, rather than spelling out dollar, million, percent; ditto for using numerals rather than spelling out numbers.
• Include key words from the postings you’re targeting.
• Use a .5 margin all around (nothing smaller) and 11-point font (again, nothing smaller) unless the job posting specifies otherwise.
• Include key words from the new essays that will be required for positions at the GS-5 through 15. It is still unclear whether they essays will apply to current federal employees but it doesn’t hurt to include at least some of the key words.
• Include required information such as current grade, job series, title, employer, City, ST, hours per week, and supervisor. Again you want to think horizontal, rather than vertical.
• Recognize that OPM is working on changing USAJOBS (there’s no way to control how many pages your resume is in the current system) so if you’re applying, recommend that you upload your resume rather than use the builder.
These are just some ideas to fit your experience into the new 2 page format. Agencies are supposed to start the transition to the 2 page version at the end of this month with full implementation scheduled for October first (which is closer than it sounds).
The details for the new Merit Hiring Plan are still being fleshed out but there is no reason that you cannot start on your resume re-do today!
Nancy H. Segal is a federal job search expert. Following her own senior-level federal HR career, she founded Solutions for the Workplace LLC to provide a HR management perspective to astute applicants to U.S. government positions.
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