Federal Resume Writing Workshop

Federal Resume Writing Workshop1An overview of steps taken in preparing a federal resume for employment1Workshop ObjectivesAfter completing this course, participants will be able to:

Identify the three basic types of resumes and the benefits

Write clear, brief, and complete descriptions of work experience incorporating the PAR approach--Problem, Action, Result Model

Recognize and use high impact words

Write accomplishment statements in resume highlighting skills and abilities to perform the job

Review vacancy announcement questionnaires and discuss response strategies

Hands-on resume practice

2What is a Federal ResumeA document for starting or advancing your government career

Marketing piece, career summary, and personal presentation

Focused, well-written, and clearly organized

Professionally presented career package3Basic Types of ResumesChronological ResumeFunctional Resume (Skills)Combination Resume (Functional and chronological)TargetedUSAJobs 4Chronological ResumeMost recent experience is listed first, followed by each previous job

AdvantagesSimplest and quickest resume style to writeGood style to use if you have a good work history in jobs similar to those you want now

Disadvantages

May display your weakness

Quickly show an employer things like gaps in employment, frequent job changes, lack of work experience related to your job objective, recent graduation, etc.

5Advantage: Good style to use if you have a good work history in jobs similar to those you want now.Disadvantage: Quickly show an employer things like gaps in employment, frequent job changes, lack of work experience related to your job objective, recent graduation, etc.5Functional ResumeEmphasizes skills that your job requires than a chronological resume

Advantages: Allows you to present accomplishments from all of your life experiencesPresents your strengths and avoids showing your weaknesses

Disadvantages: Hides details that can be used to screen people outSome employers may not like this typeCan be much harder to write6Distribute Sample

6Combination ResumeIncludes elements of both the chronological and the functional formats

Good type of resume to use if you have a reasonably good work history, but want the advantages that are contained in using a functional resume

Emphasize your most important responsibilities

7Distribute Sample7Targeted ResumeAny of the 3 styles Chronological, Functional, Combination

Resume is tailored for a specific agency/company or position8Automatic Format USAJobs Resume builderNameAddressCell Phone, Home Phone, Email Country of CitizenshipVeterans PreferenceContact Current EmployerAvailabilityJob TypeWork ScheduleDesired Locations

Work StatusWork ExperienceEducationJob Related TrainingLanguagesAffiliationsReferencesAdditional Information

9Resume Format Job InformationAnnouncement number, title and grade(s) of job Personal InformationName, mailing address, and telephone numberSocial Security Number (XXX-XX-1234)Reinstatement eligibility (Attach SF-50 to show proof of your career or career conditional status)EducationCollege or university include name, city, state, major, and year of degree(s)Report attendance or degrees from accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of EducationOther QualificationsJob related training courses (list with title and year)Job related skills (languages, computer software/hardware)Job related certificates and licenses (list current relevant information)Job related honors, awards, and special accomplishments

10Resume FormatList Dates But Do Not Send Documents for:Performance Awards, Publications, or Memberships in Professional AssociationsWork Experience include paid and non-paid work experience related to the position during the past 10 yearsJob Title (include job series and grade/level for Federal positions)Employers name and addressSupervisors name and phone numberSalary Capture how your experience/background matches the competencies and/or knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the job. Identify your accomplishments/outcome

11Identify your accomplishments/outcomePivotal words help to show the scope of your responsibilityUsing the PAR model format improves your accomplishment statements

11How to Write a ResumeCustomize your resume to each job

Focus on areas where your experience or education overlap with the experience or education described in the Job Opportunity Announcement

Provide sufficient detail, but use concise language

Avoid information that does not add substance

Clearly focus on a specific job title and address the employers stated requirements for the position

Use headings to guide the reader

Must have information to write a good resume

Information about jobs held in the past

Information to select the most relevant accomplishments, skills and experience for this position

Note: The more you know about the position, the more you can tailor your resume to fit the job

Resume has to sell you in short order

12How to Write a Resume (Continued)Read the vacancy announcement and note the required qualifications and the occupational questionnaire

Remember the resume is evaluated on what is written so describe your duties and accomplishments thoroughly

Use clear, concise statements written in first person that highlight the qualifications you possess relating to the position

Positions held in the past should be described in the past tense

Include special assignments (e.g., details, tasks forces, and committees)

If relevant, include voluntary assignments

If possible, quantify your accomplishments (e.g., decreased overtime usage by 20%, manage budget of $20M)

13How to Write a Resume (Continued)Dont use words from your position description when writing resume and supporting statements

Dont describe work of others or that of the organization

Dont exaggerate

Dont be humble

Dont cross-reference items in your resume or application

Dont just state the kind of award and when it was received, provide a brief description

Dont make it challenging for the reviewer you will not get full credit if it cannot be read

Dont attach unsolicited material such as letters of recommendation, training certificates, copies of awards, or examples of work (unless requested)

14How to Write a Resume (Continued)Include recent education and training that enhance your qualifications

Absolutely no typos or grammatical errors

Use strong action verbs sometime referred to as buzz words to effectively describe your experience in plain language

Avoid the use of agency or industry specific acronyms (when used make sure you explain at least once)

Think in terms of transferable skills, examples include Research and Investigation

Oral and Written

Communication

Human Relations and Interpersonal Skills

Management and Administrative Skills15Identify Transferable SkillsTransferable SkillsExamplesCommunicationWriting, speaking, listening, using communication tools like email appropriatelyCritical thinkingAnalysis, problem-solving, strategic planning, decision-makingSelf-managementGood time manager, organized, motivated, responsible, reliableInterpersonalUnderstanding, diplomatic, discreet, supportive, assertive16An important part of what makes you different and marketableyour brandis your skills. But identifying them is often challenging, because we often take what we do well for granted.Of the various types of skills we have, our transferable skills, skills we can use across different fields and jobs, are often the most difficult to identify. Thats because they often arent as obvious as our more specific job-related skills.

Lets say youre a web designer with exceptional organizational skills. These skills would be important for organizing and retrieving web files. You can use these skills not only in web design jobs but other jobs as well. Lets say you want to become a project manager. In that case, your great organizational skills would be a major selling point.16Transferable Skills Examples (Contd)Occupation: Web designer With exceptional organizational skills. These skills would be important for organizing and retrieving web files. You can use these skills not only in web design jobs but other jobs as well. Occupation: Project ManagerWant to become a project manager. In that case, your great organizational skills would be a major selling point.17Benefits of a Federal ResumeTarget the announcement with your relevant experience, education, and skills

Provides a flexible format (word processing program) to create a resume instead of a form

Looks attractive and is easy to read

Highlights your background

Emphasizes accomplishments and results of your actions

Highlights critical job-related information

18Helps career changers 18Top Resume Strategies

Sell Yourself and Your Brand

Identify Transferable Skills

Highlight Your Accomplishments

Use Keywords Effectively19High Impact Words20Sentence Impact WordsAction Verbs

Pivotal WordsPivotal words expand ideas by including the:MethodResultScope AssociationClarification or purpose/intent

ToEntailingWith ThroughWhich/thatEncompassingAmong InvolvingResultingBased onValued atSpecializing in

Includes (ing)RequiringConsisting ofDealing withIn (response)(..accordance)(..collaboration)(..compliance)ComprisingBy ForAs 21Pivotal Words Example establishing key contacts throughout the Washington market

improved the stores ranking from #56 to #3 in the nation.

three consecutive years.

the #1 marketing manager among 75 others company-wide

22Increased sales 45%by

which

for

asProblem-Action-Results PAR MODEL23This learn to organize your thoughts and your written words

23Using the PAR ApproachAccomplishments and outcome statements should be written using the PAR Approach

Problem-Action-Result

ProblemState the problem that existed in your workplaceActionDescribe what you did about it, and finallyResultPoint out the beneficial results.

24Par ModelExample 1

Dissect the sentence

Transformed a disorganized, inefficient warehouse into a smooth-running operation by totally redesigning the layout. This saved the company thousands of dollars in recovered stock.

Problem -- Transformed a disorganized, inefficient warehouse into a smooth-running operation Action -- by totally redesigning the layout. Result -- This saved the company thousands of dollars in recovered stock.

25Par ModelExample 2

Dissect the sentence

Improved an engineering companys obsolete filing system by developing a simple but sophisticated functional-coding system. This saved time and money by recovering valuable, previously lost, project records.

Problem -- Improved an engineering companys obsolete filing system Action -- by developing a simple but sophisticated functional-coding system. Result -- This saved time and money by recovering valuable, previously lost, project records.

26Par ModelExample 3

Dissect the sentence

Identified significant time lags in the issuance of employee evaluations which led to employee dissatisfaction and managerial frustration. Under my direction, the staff developed an automated electronic system to remind managers of deadlines. As a result of initiating this tracking system, 100% management compliance was achieved in providing timely performance feedback to employees. Problem -- Identified significant time lags in the issuance of employee evaluations which led to employee dissatisfaction and managerial frustration.Action -- Under my direction, the staff developed an automated electronic system to remind managers of deadlines. Result -- As a result of initiating this tracking system, 100% management compliance was achieved in providing timely performance feedback to employees.

27Exercise PAR Model & Impact WordsPrepare a statement to support your level of proficiency for this competency

28Accomplishments29This section will help you learn to organize your thoughts and your written words

29What are Accomplishments?Your accomplishments Are what set you apart from all other candidates

Show the hiring authorities that you are the most qualified applicant for the job

Form the foundation of your skill sets30

What are Accomplishments? (Continued)Headlines of your career experience and the measure of how well your current skills and abilities fit the requirements They are anything you have done or are doing: work, projects you have completed, classes you have finished, or volunteer programs you are involved Note: In short, accomplishments are descriptions of anything you have done and the results of those actions.31of the job you are applying 31What are Accomplishments? (Continued)An activity is an accomplishment if youImproved operations by making things easier or better.

Resolved a problem/situation with little or no increase in time, energy, dollars, people, etc.

Effectively acted as a liaison between departments which helped to make things run more efficiently.

Produced reports/data that enabled management to make more informed decisions.

Note: First identify the results of your work efforts in terms of contributions, impact and skills, rather than position, titles or job descriptions.32Highlighting AccomplishmentsExampleProblem ActionResultBeth was asked to look at the companys online project file system, which was disorganized and hard to use.She analyzed the system and reorganized it so information was more logically arranged and easier to find.She made consultants work easier, which saved them time and allowed them to serve customers more effectively.33Heres an example from our sample resume for Beth Smith, an administrative assistant looking for work as a project coordinator: Think about what you did in past jobs. What problems did you solve? What solutions did you come up with? What benefits did this have for the business, customers. or employees? Heres how Beth expressed the accomplishments from the table above: Led a project to streamline and reorganize the companys SharePoint project file system, making it easier and faster for consultants to find information and serve customers.33Highlighting AccomplishmentsLed a project to streamline and reorganize the companys SharePoint project file system, making it easier and faster for consultants to find information and serve customers.

34Guidelines for Writing Accomplishments1. Be Specific. My proactive and inclusive leadership in this position resulted in an engaged, peak-performing team that worked together to achieve multiple organizational successes. Under my leadership, the teams completed audits within 150 days (115 days less than and far exceeding the department-wide average of 265 days). We also reduced the time required to complete investigations by 50%, and issued high-quality investigation reports within 90 days. These improvements in efficiency and productivity led to a monetary savings of approximately $5.5M, in man-hour dollars, across the future years Agency budget. 35Guidelines for Writing Accomplishments2. Describe your accomplishments in measurable and quantifiable terms whenever possible. SMS UPGRADE: Led the project team tasked to upgrade from SMS 2.0 to SMS 2003 with minimal interruption to the production environment. Developed and executed a detailed project plan and led a 15-person technical team through the configuration, integration, pilot, and rapid deployment stages to upgrade 80 SMS servers providing enterprise management for over 250 servers and 5,000 client workstations (2005).3. Target the vacancy you are applying.36There are three major things to keep in mind when you are writing about your accomplishments:

36Accomplishment Statements Using PAR ModelProblem

Action

ResultOrchestrated a change to a longstanding operational practice that changed the facilities multiple runway operation to a single runway configuration.Prioritized and encouraged two research groups to explore different options of moving the tower forward. Held weekly information sessions to monitor progress and maintain currency with each groups ideas. Ideas were accepted and approved by all officials including receiving headquarter approval to implement ideas. Controller workforce was more respective of the change they help to create and all safety concerns were sufficiently addressed.

37Accomplishment statements using par modelProblem

Action

ResultAt the Tower, overtime and unscheduled leave usage were high with $0 for overtime budget. As the Front Line Manager, I developed a schedule with a combination of 10 hour and 8 hour days rotating days off. After successfully negotiating with the union, they agreed to the schedule. As the Acting Air Traffic Manager, I managed the schedule implementation. Controller unscheduled leave reduced by 40 percent and the schedule saved the Agency $7,550 in overtime from FY09FY10 and $1,922 in first quarter of FY11.

38 Accomplishment StatementsOriginal Accomplishments

Improved AccomplishmentWas outstanding manager.

Coordinated with all department to ensure customer satisfaction.

Received three promotions and ten pay raises in ten years. As supervisor, rate in top 25% for last three years.Coordinated with all departments nationwide to ensure customer satisfaction. Result was an average of six customer commendations per month.

39Accomplishment StatementsOriginal Accomplishments

Improved Accomplishment

As part of team, successfully completed project ahead of schedule and under budget.

Administered labor contract effectively with minimum grievancesAs part of management development team, successfully completed performance appraisal ahead of schedule and $10M under budget.

Administered complex union contracts involving travel, transfer, seniority, wages and benefits. Negotiated settlement of 70% of labor grievances at my level.40Accomplishment StatementsOriginal Accomplishments

Improved Accomplishment

Successfully implemented recognition and tracking procedures for 50 employees.

Proven track record for system sales bringing in high revenue.

Successfully computerized recognition and tracking system for 50 employees. Project involved extensive data changes and resulted in saving $15,000 a year in clerical time.Sold telephone systems and brought in $50,000 revenue each month.

41ExerciseWork individually to write a narrative about a task you performed on the job using the P-A-R behavioral model

You will have 10 minutes to do this!42Occupational Questionnaire43Occupational QuestionnaireAutomated on-line assessment of determining the best qualified applicants for the positionOccupational questionnaires contain statements related to the specific competencies that are required for the positionCompetency is a measureable pattern of knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or other characteristics needed to perform the work in the occupational functions successfully.

44Occupational QuestionnaireUsually applicants are requested to rate themselves on a proficiency scale of 1-5 for each individual question. Example:I have no education, training, or experience in performing this task.

I have some experience performing this task, either in training or on the job under close supervision.

I have performed this task as a regular part of a job, independently and usually without review by a supervisor, manager, or senior employee.

I have extensive experience and demonstrated expertise in performing this task, or I have trained or provided technical guidance to others in performing this task.

I have extensive experience regularly performing this task as part of my job and I am considered as an expert by others in performing this task.

45Occupational QuestionnaireYou may be requested to provide a supporting statement to demonstrate the level of proficiency you have claimed to help the agency determine your qualifications for the position.

Do not state see resume.

Do not provide a resume or job description like response or state please refer to above from previous statements which does not provide adequate support or address the self-rated question.

Each statement response should be tailored to the specific task statement.

Responses should include sufficient detail to clearly describe all relevant aspects of education and/or work experience that support the self rating.

46Occupational QuestionnaireFAA Form 3330-42 Request for Transfer Consideration and AcknowledgementFAA Form 3330-43-1 - Rating of Air Traffic Experience for AT MovementNote: These forms are used for applications for Certified Professional Controllers (CPC) positions onlyMust be submitted to your rating official on or before the vacancy closing date (if applicable) Must be submitted in a stamped envelope, addressed appropriately per the vacancy announcement47Conducting a Job SearchFAA WEBSITE: http://jobs.faa.gov/Allfaajobs.htmUSAJOBS WEBSITE: http://www.usajobs.opm.govUse USAJOBS site to search by series, location, and agency. Create and store your resume at the site to streamline your application process.If youre a first timer visiting USAJOBS, then visit this site that has tutorials and step by step instructions for using USAJOBS. https://my.usajobs.gov/SpotlightsAll/SpotlightDetails?contentID=66

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