Transitioning Your Federal Resume to Private Industry

A Step-by-Step Guide

Kathryn Troutman, Author

PRINT BOOKS ARE HERE! The first-ever book on editing and re-formatting your Federal resume into a 2-page private-industry resume.

8 Steps to Prepare for Your New Career:

  • Find and Update Your Federal Resume
  • Find a Target Job Announcement
  • Write Your Top Three Accomplishments
  • Make a Keyword List with Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT
  • Does your Resume Match the Target Position?
  • Create Your Two-Page or Three-Page Private Industry Resume
  • Write Your One-Page Cover Letter
  • Update Your LinkedIn

7 full case studies with sample Federal and private industry resumes!

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Federal Resume Guidebook, 7th Edition

First-ever Book on Federal Resume Writing Featuring the Outline Format Federal Resume

Kathryn Troutman, Author

No. 1 Federal resume book in America shows you how to write your Federal resume, featuring the highly effective outline format. The Federal Resume Guidebook includes —

  • How to Find and Analyze USAJOBS Announcements and Keywords
  • Writing the Outline Format Federal Resume
  • How to Write Accomplishments
  • Before and After Job Descriptions
  • Best IT Specialist Federal Resume Format
  • FBI Special Agent Federal Resume
  • Student / New Grad Resume
  • Wage Grade Federal Resume

17 Federal resume samples in the outline format, WG-6 to GS-14!

20 keyword sets for the outline format Federal resume

20+ accomplishment stories

Independent Press Award, 2021, Gold Winner

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The Stars Are Lined Up for Military Spouses® 3rd Ed.

Federal Job Search Guide for Military Spouses

Must-have Federal Career Book for Active-Duty Military Spouses. Explains special government hiring programs and the best way to write a Federal resume for Active-Duty spouses. The challenge for military spouses is being relocated every two to four years. Finding permanent, career positions with frequent relocations is difficult. The US Government has positions on every military base. The Stars Are Lined Up for Military Spouses is dedicated to helping military spouses navigate the complex federal job application system. The Stars Are Lined Up for Military Spouses covers four different ways to land four different kinds of positions with the federal government: USAJOBS competitive hiring; Excepted service jobs; Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) jobs; Military Spouse Preference (MSP) jobs. Each of these paths requires different job search techniques and tips. Kathryn Troutman, known as the Federal Resume Guru, shares straightforward strategies based on her 40+ years of expertise with resume writing and career coaching. Military spouses will be encouraged and equipped to take control of their career. This reader-friendly publication includes updates with the latest federal hiring changes and initiatives; before and after resume samples; and clear step-by-step instructions.

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Jobseeker’s Guide, 9th Edition

How to Land Government Jobs for Military and Spouses

Kathryn Troutman, Author

Written for military, veterans and military spouses, The Jobseeker’s Guide will help you transition from military to government service. The ninth edition includes the Ten Steps to a Federal Job®:

  1. Learn About Federal Jobs
  2. Network and Use Competitive Hiring
  3. Search USAJOBS
  4. Find Keywords
  5. Explore Your Core Competencies
  6. Write Your Outline Format Federal Resume
  7. Write Your Accomplishments
  8. Apply for Your Federal Job!
  9. Track Your Application and Follow Up
  10. Interview and Negotiate for Your Federal Job

6 military/spouse to Federal resume samples in the outline format, GS-5 to GS-14!

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The New SES Application

Writing the Senior Executive Service Traditional ECQs and Five-Page SES Resume

Kathryn Troutman and Diane Hudson, Authors

Ready to take your career to the next level? The New SES Application, 3rd Edition, provides step-by-step guidance on preparing your Senior Executive Service application.

  • Overview of the Federal government’s Senior Executive Service
  • Writing Your Top Ten List of Accomplishments
  • Mapping Your Top Ten Accomplishments to the Executive Core Qualifications and Technical Qualifications
  • Three Types of SES Application Formats
  • Writing an Executive Federal Resume and a Five-Page Resume with Integrated ECQs and TQs
  • Preparing for the Structured Interview and the ECQ Grid

2 case studies with sample resumes, ECQs, TQs and cover letters!

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Student’s Federal Career Guide, 4th Ed.

Ten Steps to a Federal Job® or Internship for Students and Recent Grads

Kathryn Troutman, Author

This is a comprehensive guide for students and recent graduates looking to start a Federal government career, using the Ten Steps® method to find and apply for Federal jobs.

  • A 10-step application process starting with accomplishments and ending with negotiating an offer
  • Actual vacancy announcements and how to find and match the keywords
  • How to feature your education at the top of your resume
  • Writing accomplishments using school course titles and descriptions, projects, activities
  • How to handle the mandatory self-assessment questionnaires

13 successful Federal resume samples targeting GS-7 to GS-9!

Independent Book Publishing Association, Ben Franklin Award, Business & Career, Gold Award, 2021

Watch Kathryn’s acceptance speech

Independent Press Awards, Best Career Book, 2021

Independent Press Awards, Best Interior Design Nonfiction, Distinguished Favorite, 2021

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Creating Your First Resume

A Step-by-Step Guide to Write Your First Competitive Resume

Kathryn Troutman, Author

This guide was designed for high school, college and technical school students and new grads, with easy-to-follow and actionable steps for writing a first resume. Helpful for college acceptance, certification programs, internships, technical training, military service and private sector and Federal government jobs.

  • Adding the all-important skills (hard and soft), accomplishments and keywords
  • Selecting the resume sample that best fits your goals
  • Using online resume builders and resume templates
  • Creating a dynamic cover letter
  • Applying for jobs with confidence, including handling applications and interviews
  • How to write standout essays for college, scholarships and internships
  • How to effectively follow up on an interview
  • Negotiating an offer

15 sample resumes to help students of all paths write a first resume!

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ALJ Writing Guide 2nd Edition – eBook

Application Writing and Test Preparation for Federal Administrative Law Judge Candidates

Kathryn Troutman and Nicole Schultheis, JD, Authors

This book was written following the 2013 Administrative Law Judge Application to help individuals prepare for future ALJ recruiting announcements. The samples and judicial narratives are useful for various attorney applications, including immigration judge, attorney-advisor and state’s attorney. The ALJ Writing Guide, 2nd Edition, includes —

  • Sample Resumes for the New ALJ Excepted Service Application
  • Sample Federal Resumes for ALJ Candidates (3 and 4 pages)
  • Sample Federal Resumes that Are Useful for Immigration Judge, Attorney-Advisor and State’s Attorney Applications
  • Case List Sample, Helpful to Identify Specific Cases Based on Specialized Areas of Law
  • Definitions for All 13 Legal Competencies Tested in 2013, Useful to Help Write Legal Federal Resumes
  • Sample Qualifying Administrative Law and Litigation Narratives
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Writing Your NSPS Self-Assessment eBook

– eBook only –

Need help writing your Annual Self-Evaluation?

Table of Contents

Preface Acknowledgements

Introduction NSPS Overview

Step 1: Get Your Organization’s Mission Statement

Step 2: Find Your Position Description or Resume

Step 3: Write Your Job Objectives

Step 4: Select Your Contributing Factors

Step 5: Draft Your Self-Assessment

Step 6: Review Your Performance Indicators and Benchmark Descriptors

Step 7: Add Your Keywords Step 8: Complete the PAA

Step 9: Conversations With Your Supervisor

Step 10: Track Your Accomplishments

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Military to Federal Career Guide eBook

Federal Resume Writing for Veterans

Kathryn Troutman, Author

This step-by-step is designed to help you write a Federal resume that translates your military skills and competencies into the skills, keywords and qualifications for Federal jobs.

  • Writing Your Military to Federal Resume
  • Focusing Your Federal Resume in the Outline Format
  • Understanding Federal Vacancy Announcements, Including Finding the Keywords and Skills
  • Searching for Federal Jobs on USAJOBS.gov
  • Applying for Jobs, Tracking and Following Up on Applications
  • Interviewing for Federal Jobs

5 complete case studies for supply, logistics, administrative, human resources, intelligence and law enforcement, GS-5 to GS-13; additional samples on CD-ROM!

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Book Packages

Kathryn Troutman, Author

This collection includes one each of our six current titles, with Federal Resume books for current Federal employees, military, veterans, military spouses, current government contractors, first-time private sector applicants, Senior Executive Service candidates, students and recent grads, and high school students. Order print or digital versions. Includes the following books —

  • Jobseeker’s Guide, 9th Edition
  • Federal Resume Guidebook, 7th Edition
  • The New SES Application, 2nd Edition
  • The Stars Are Lined Up for Military Spouses, 3rd Edition
  • Student’s Federal Career Guide, 4th Edition
  • Creating Your First Resume
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