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By: Nancy SegalAs federal employees prepare to transition out of the federal government, I find that many are struggling to communicate their experience and value in language that those outside of the federal government can understand.
Here are 7 tips that can help!
1. Eliminate acronyms. Even acronyms such as the FAR that you think “everyone” knows. They don’t. And unless you’re applying for a position that involves government contracting, the FAR is meaningless. Instead talk about contracting standards or something similar.
2. Do not use citations from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) or specific sections of laws and regulations. These likely mean nothing to readers outside the federal government. Instead talk about what the regulation actually does—and keep it simple.
3. Use an active voice and plain language. Keep your language simple and interesting. Instead of saying, “it has been determined…” say “I decided…” (if you’re speaking) or “Decided…” (for your resume).
4. Focus less on process and more on outcomes. The business (and nonprofit) world are more interested in your results than in how you got there. Instead of, “Executed the Office of Management and Budget memorandum implementing revised procedures for agency adherence to Executive Order 12345,” try, “Created and launched a strategy to implement new requirements governing contracts; efforts resulted in seamless implementation 30 days ahead of schedule.
5. Ensure your language is translatable. For example, the private sector does not use the term “detail;” instead use rotational (or short- term) assignment.
6. Use numbers to provide context to your work. Most readers of your resume will have no sense of the scope of your work; tell them through the use of numbers / metrics.
7. Leverage job posting and industry language to make it easier for readers to connect the dots between your experience and their needs.
Here’s an example for a budget analyst:
- Federal: Developed and executed budget plans for a $500M federal program, conducting complex financial analyses, preparing budget justifications for Congressional review, and monitoring expenditures to ensure fiscal responsibility and compliance with federal budgeting principles, resulting in a 98% obligation rate and zero audit findings for three consecutive fiscal years.
- Private-Sector: Achieved 98% obligation rate and zero audit findings for 3 years, managing a $500M program budget and implementing financial planning strategies.
Using these strategies will help ease your transition and make it easier for potential employers to see you as someone who would be valuable on their team!
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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