NextChapter

Federal resume format: how to write one for USAJOBS

A federal résumé is longer and more detailed than a private-sector one. It needs each job’s title, employer, start and end dates, hours per week, salary and supervisor, plus the specific duties and results that match the announcement. It often runs two to five pages, and the job announcement states any limit. Build it from the announcement, not from a template.

By Last updated

What a federal résumé must include

  • Your contact information and your citizenship, veteran status and highest federal grade held, if the announcement asks.
  • For each job: title, employer, city and state, start and end dates in month and year, hours worked per week, and salary.
  • Your supervisor’s name and phone number, and whether you permit contact.
  • A description of your duties and accomplishments in detail, using the words in the announcement.
  • Education with the school, degree and graduation date, and relevant training and certifications.

Match the announcement

Open the announcement and read “Qualifications” and “Specialized experience.” Reviewers check your résumé against them, line by line, so show each requirement in a job description with a result. If it asks for a year of experience at a specific grade, make sure your résumé shows a year at that level.

Answer the questionnaire honestly. Reviewers compare your answers to what the résumé shows, and a mismatch can disqualify you.

Length and format

  • There is no single page limit. Two to five pages is common; follow the announcement.
  • Use plain text, short paragraphs or bullets, and standard headings. Avoid tables, graphics and special characters.
  • You can build it in the USAJOBS résumé builder or upload your own, as long as it has every element above.

If you were laid off from a federal job

Displaced federal employees get priority consideration for jobs they qualify for. Read our federal RIF guide for the programs and how to register.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a federal resume be?

Often two to five pages. There is no single limit, so follow the job announcement.

What is different about a federal resume?

It needs hours per week, salary, supervisor contact, month and year dates and detailed duties, and it must match the announcement’s qualifications.

Can I use my private-sector resume for USAJOBS?

Rarely as is. It usually lacks required details such as hours and salary. Add them and expand duties to match the announcement.

Does the USAJOBS resume builder help?

Yes. It prompts for the required fields, so you do not leave any out.

Free tools for this

Check your résumé against the posting

Paste a federal announcement and your résumé and see which requirements you have not shown.

Match my résumé to a job