Part of the dismay experienced by federal employees facing the untimely end of a productive career in public service is the realization that a brand-new type of resume is needed.

How do you go about translating federal experience into expertise that private sector employers will value? How do you condense decades of commitment to mission into two or three pages?

The first thing I ask resume clients to do—particularly those transitioning from jobs at upper management and leadership levels, is to think about the times they’ve been asked to supply a short bio for use in introducing them to a group that has assembled to hear them speak.

Think about your new audience and what they’ll want to hear. Consider what would impress them most, in light of the goals of your new presentation. Use this approach to craft a one-third to one-half page career summary at the top of your new resume. In just a few sentences, give the reader an overview of your job history, major leadership level achievements, and expertise.

Since this isn’t a federal audience, don’t use federal jargon.

Don’t say:

“10 years of FITARA-compliant leadership.”

Instead:

Focus on achievements that are more meaningful to your audience, such as “Leveraged data analytics in new ways, driving $10M in program savings while improving service.”

Here’s another example:

Sample Executive Summary

Twenty years of leadership experience managing health care programs, directing major initiatives within the U.S. Office of the Surgeon General. Directed major improvements in health care program delivery within the Veterans Health Administration and VA Hospitals nationwide. Partnered effectively with local community care providers and major university health care systems in ensuring access to high-quality care.

Below your Executive Summary, summarize 6 to 8 areas of expertise and add them as bullet points. If you’ve developed expertise in multiple areas, list them under the Executive Summary.

Next, move on to your employment chronology.

Simplify your job descriptions. For each job block, use just a few lines to describe the scope of your leadership authority, your role with respect to the organization’s resources and your leadership of its people, your programmatic expertise and value, and your high-level relationships.

And then, using bullet points, briefly summarize your key accomplishments, avoiding federal bureaucratic or water-treading language.

Don’t say:

“Consistently met GPRA deadlines” or
“Completed all projects on time and without violating the Anti-Deficiency Act.”

Write this executive summary:

“Ten years of leadership-level experience strengthening the roles and capabilities of IT professionals, enhancing transparency and risk management in technology investments, and promoting cost savings through IT portfolio reviews.”

For roles that concluded more than 10 years ago, describe them in just one or two lines apiece.

List your job title, employer, and dates. If this past job is directly relevant to the job you are applying for, add one or two major accomplishments.

Move on to your education, professional and leadership training, and relevant continuing education and certifications. Don’t list every class and course you took.

Publications? Peer review roles or professional associations? Unless the employer is expecting a formal curriculum vitae, list only the ones most relevant to your reader.

Finally, there is no need to waste space on professional references in the resume. Provide this info only when asked.

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