The resume is the most important piece of your effort to secure a job interview. However, in applying for a government job there are numerous items you must be aware of in preparation of your resume. For instance, you must pay close attention to your usage of keywords. This article touches on this tip and other crucial suggestions which helps answer the question, “How do I prepare a resume for a government job?”.

Getting Past the Digital Eyes

The first thing you have to understand is the U.S., European, and Canadian federal governments have moved to a standard format for submitting your resume. This has algorithmic keyword matching written all over it. The government may say that a recruiter is going to scan your resume looking for keywords; however, my guess is that this recruiter is of the digital type.

Computing algorithmic matches can easily be made once a standardized resume format has been agreed upon like the USAJobs Resume Builder or in Canada in the Public Service Resourcing System. Once your resume has been submitted, the keywords of your resume matter more than the precious years of experience you have accumulated. So, you must make the cut with the digital recruiter keyword matching algorithm, and then your resume may actually end up in the hands of a human to do a secondary scan of your resume. This is the human scan that may take no more than 15 seconds.

Resume Keywords are Crucial

Due to the digital matching of keywords in your resume to keywords on the job posting, how you structure your resume with keywords is critical. So if your job posting has the words ’security clearance’ or ‘medical assistant certification’, make sure these words are used together in your resume appropriately and exactly as posted in the job posting. You’ll want to review your resume each time you apply for a position with the government resume-robots.

Keep in mind the standard KSA’s (Knowledge, Skills, and Achievements). These are unique to the U.S. Federal Government Resume Builder. An applicant is required to fill out short essays on each required KSA as outlined in the job requirement. Again, make sure you are clear and concise with how you satisfy the requirement.

Sell Yourself Concisely

Nobody enjoys too much information.  If you have passed the keyword matching process, then you are ready to be evaluated to see if you do not qualify.  You must make the sales pitch as to why you are qualified for the position through your education and work experiences.  Keep things short and to the point, but enough concise detail so a recruiter could match you up as a qualified candidate to the job posting.  The whole point of a resume is to get you an interview.  The interview secures you the job.  Place timeframes with your roles at each employer.  For example, you should say “Staff Nurse  2/1/2005-6/1/2008″ and “Supervising Nurse 6/1/2008-Present”.  This shows your employer valued your contributions and promoted your efforts.  Don’t just write “Registered Nurse 2/1/2005 – Present”. 

Be Careful with Your Online Social Resume Portrait

If your resume makes the cut and lands on the desk of a potential hiring manager, it has become customary practice to quickly type an individual’s name into a Social Networking site like LinkedIn, Facebook, or MySpace, or even Google to learn about the real individual.  Do you have baggage on these sites leftover from your High School, Fraternity/Sorority, or other unrelevant experiences you wouldn’t want your future government employer viewing?  Unfortunately, this online social blueprint has disrupted many potential applicants that looked great on paper, but disappointing online!

Excellent YouTube Video by Kathryn Troutman on Creating a Resume

(Disclaimer: Kathryn Troutman is not affiliated with ApplyForAGovernmentJob.com.)