The Federal Resume

When you are searching a job, your application and resume need to match the particular type of job you’re looking for. If it’s a federal government job, you’re going to need a federal resume. While you might think you can prepare your resume yourself, it is sometimes better to leave the resume writing task to professionals. Here are some important do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when writing a federal resume.

DO:

·    Inform yourself. You need to know what information the government agency wants from you, as well what’s the best way to present it.
·    Be detailed in your descriptions and objectives, which will be appealing to hiring managers.
·    Be clear and coherent, which will prove that you are serious about the job you’re applying to.
·    Hire a professional resume writer to write your Federal resume for you. Although you could do it alone, you’ll get better results by having it professionally done.
·    Provide relevant information. No one cares about your skills unless they are relevant to the job you’re applying for.

DON’T:

·    Be vague. Agencies will see the generic style of your resume as a lack of commitment and effort on your part to give them what they need.
·    Try to write your own Federal resume unless you’ve had training or experience as government resumes must follow strict guidelines.
·    Give unnecessary information. Government vacancy annoucements list exactly the type of information they need.
·    Underestimate things that are not directly related to the job but might be relevant. Any little skill, certification, class, volunteer work or ability you have that relates to the job you’re applying for should be listed on your federal resume.
·    Hire a professional federal resume writer that doesn’t have experience, certification, testimonials and doesn’t provide any guarantee.

While you might think that all you need to do is provide personal information to a federal resume writer and they’ll do the rest, this isn’t always the case. In addition, you need to be sure that their services can create for you a federal resume that makes you stand out from the crowd, otherwise your money will be wasted. Your resume must not only showcase your skills but also reflect your high profesionalism . No hiring manager wants to see a federal resume that looks like a cheap resume software template.

To summarize, either do your homework if you want to write your resume yourself or use a professional Federal resume service, which will guarantee you get a great resume fast.

Engineering Resume Writing

Engineering resume writing is not like writing a standard resume. Engineers are subject to higher standards and must provide more professional, relevant resumes to prospective employers. There are a few main differences between an Engineering resume and a regular resume and once you know these differences, Engineering resume writing becomes pretty easy.

1. An engineering resume should include a technical qualification section or a technical summary. This will allow the employer to see what technical skills you posses and make you a right fit for the position. The technical section or summary should be placed at the top of your resume, right below your contact information, where the objective is usually located.

2. You should focus on what’s relevant. If you have skills that make you more qualified, these skills should be listed in your resume. Use bullet points and bold fonts to emphasize particular qualifications such as: technical certifications, familiarity with software, operating systems, networks, programming, web applications and databases.

3. Use a Career Summary before listing your complete working history which will allow you to emphasize other relevant skills. It will also allow employers to see quickly if you are qualified and what your qualifications are. Anything that can quickly catch the attention of the employer should be a great advantage when it comes to engineering resume writing.

4. Use keywords from the job announcement. Including these buzzwords in your resume will be another way to catch the attention of the recruiters. In addition, it will allow your resume to get selected easily if they use resume scanning software.

5. Engineering resume writing shouldn’t follow a chronological order, unless this is the best to showcase your accomlishments. Generally, engineering resume writing follows a functional format, which means that you list the most relevant skills and accomplishments first and then put less important information. While a chronological format might work, it is recommended to go for a functional resume format when it comes to writing an egineering resume. Ultimately, your resume needs to be written in a way that will best convey your qualifications to the employer.

Engineering resume writing shouldn’t be difficult. It might take more time than writing a standard resume, but as long as you keep these things in mind, it should be pretty easy. Also, there are plenty of sample resumes available for free on the internet, if you’re looking for an example of what works and what doesn’t. If you have tried to write your resume yourself without success, you might want to consider hiring a professional engineering resume writing service.

How should your working history go back in your resume

As mentioned in previous resume writing tips, it is recommended to only focus on jobs that are related to the positions you are currently applying to, which usually are your latest years. If you were instead working these jobs 20 years ago, you might have to find a way to summarize what you did in the meantime to avoid any gap. If you’re preparing a chronological resume and need to list your experience in chronological order, 10 to 15 years of experience should be enough.

When to hire a resume writing service

While hiring professional writers to prepare your resume is usually the best way to have a great resume, you should consider several options before making a decision.

Unless you have no clue on how to write a resume, you should at least try to write your resume yourself and test it by sending it to a few openings. This will not only allow you to get a better idea about your career path but also help you assess if what you think are your best strengths are what employers are looking for. If you’re just out of college and are looking for entry level jobs, writing your resume yourself is also the most affordable option, considering that you resume won’t have enough information to justify hundreds of $ in writing fees.

However if you’re going for mid to upper level positions, it is highly recommended to let a professional resume writing service prepare your resume for you as you will need a flawless resume. Not only do they know the latest resume writing rules about your industry but they will be able to write your resume from the employers’ point of view, which will make you stand out.

As to choosing a resume service, make sure they are certified, affordable and most of all, check out their guarantee. While most services only offer rewrites as a guarantee, it is recommended to select a professional resume writing service that offers a money back guarantee to be sure you are in good hands.

Myth #3: what’s isn’t related to the job doesn’t matter

Wrong. Even though working history and education are the core of your resume, you can include elements that are not directly related to your previous jobs and education as long as they’re relevant. For example, if you’ve been volunteering for the Red Cross and have been managing other volunteers, you should include it in your resume, most particularly if you’re looking for a supervising position. As a rule, you can include anything that is relevant to the job in your resume; you’re not limited to your experience and education. Great resume writing is about showing that you are highly qualified for the job, using qualifications and skills wherever they come from, as long as everything sounds ethical and professional.

Myth #2: you can write a great resume with a resume software

While resume writing software or resume builders might sound like an easy way to make a resume, the truth is that these wizards are usually outdated and are mostly suited for entry-level resumes anyway. In today’s competitive job market, you need a great resume to stand out and because they’ve seen hundreds of these prefab resumes, employers will recognize them, which will be far from impressing them. Also, depending on your field, you resume might need to follow a specific format, which is unique to your industry and isn’t available within those resume builders. You shouldn’t risk your career because you want to save a few bucks: either prepare it yourself or get professional writers to write it for you.

Resume Writing Myths

With years of experience working in the employment and resume industry, I am still amazed about all the misconceptions about resume writing so I wanted to clarify a few things:

Myth #1: A resume should be presented in a chronological order.

Not considering specialized fields (for example, a Federal resume or a military resume), there are 3 types of resume formats: chronological, functional and combined. The format of your resume should be based on your industry and the type of job you’re applying to. If you’re in a conservative industry, a chronological format might be better. If you’re in a technical, management or result-oriented field, a functional format, which focuses on your skills and accomplishments, might be a better solution. Before you start writing your resume, make sure you know what are the standards in your field. And, if you have the choice, read carefully the job description, which should give you an idea about what format to pick.

Why you must show confidence when writing your resume

Another aspect of great resume writing to consider is confidence. Employers and recruiters look for people who have confidence they will do great on the job, so it is essential to use sentences and words that showcase your confidence in your resume writing. However, while confidence is a plus, you should make sure you don’t sound arrogant, so don’t be too foregoing about showing how great you are. For example, say “I am confident in my ability to bring value to your company because of my experience and education instead of saying that you’re the best and better than anybody else.

Why you resume must be coherent

Coherence is another important element of good resume writing. When you are applying to a job opening, your resume should be relevant and coherent. For example, if you’re applying to an executive position, the employer won’t care if you worked at McDonald’s for 10 months when you were 16 or if you took some painting classes. Most of the time, your high school education and any working history that isn’t relevant to your current career experience shouldn’t even be included in your resume. What’s important in the eyes of the recruiters is only the education, experience and objective that are relevant to the job you’re applying to.

Why Your Resume must be Clear

When you’re starting with resume writing, you need to make sure you are clear, right from the beginning. Your objective must be firmly stated, go straight to the point, without being too phony or clichéd. In addition, your education and employment history should accurate and concise, so that the recruiter doesn’t have to decode your resume and make guesses regarding your skills. The easier your resume to understand and the better it flows, the more likely you are to be invited for an interview.