Be Yourself, Then Sell Yourself!

One of the hardest things for applicants to do is to simply relax, and be themselves!  I guess this is understandable, since a job application and interview can be pretty stressful.  After all, during this process you're basically asking an employer for a way to feed your family!

I can understand the cause for concern, and I bet that any hiring manager remembers how stressful it can be to sit on the other side of the desk.  After all, it wasn’t too long ago when they were in that same position!  But the thing you need to remember is that you have some competition for the job you want, and that’s pretty fierce in the current economic climate.  Unless a certain job requires a specialized set of skills, most positions with the federal government are going to have far more applicants than they have actual positions available.  Your challenge then, if you choose to accept it, is to make yourself stand out from the crowd!

There are several different strategies to accomplish this in the private sector, such as creative resumes or branding yourself differently, but these are extremely hard to pull off with the federal government since we’re limited to applying through USAJOBS.  With that in mind, it’s important for you to relax a little.  Since everyone is limited to online applications and formatted resumes, every other applicant is (basically) on the same playing field.  What will make you stand out is how well you can sell yourself, even within these limitations.

Fortunately, the formatting of USAJOBS allows prospective federal employees a lot more leeway when building resumes.   You’re allowed so much more space when inputting past experience and technical certifications, so make full use of it!  While you might have heard about the private sector rule that resumes must be less than one page, this thinking just doesn’t apply in the federal world.  Think 4-5 pages at least, and I’ve even heard of some resumes stretching out for up to 10 pages!  This is your chance to insert some of the keywords from the job description as well, so take your time to show that your past experience has prepared you for the job you want!

Also, don’t be afraid to use the word “I” during your resume, and especially during any kind of interview.  While every manager appreciates a team player, keep in mind that no one’s met you before, so they’re interested in hearing as much as possible about you as an individual.  My general rule of thumb is that if you feel like you’re talking about yourself a little too much, then you’re actually doing just right.

For more information, I recommend checking out Kathryn Troutman’s “Federal Resume Guidebook", which should help you craft your USAJOBS profile in a way that gets you noticed and added to the hiring certificate.  But remember, once you get that interview with your future boss, it’s up to you to close the sale!