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Make Your Federal Resume Stand Out

Making your Federal resume stand out is of utmost importance if you are hoping to land that Federal position you have your eye on. It is not enough to just turn in a Federal resume in the proper format any more, though that does help. In order for a Federal resume to be useful it must be concise, clear, to the point, and most of all relevant to the position you are applying for.

You have to understand that there will be many, possibly hundreds, of other applicants and without a Federal resume that really pops you probably won’t make it very far in the eyes of the reviewers. Here are some ways that you can really make your Federal resume stand out from the rest that will be on the pile:

o Be Truthful: While you never want to lie on any resume you especially don’t want to lie on a government resume; it is the government for crying out loud. Their resources are vast and your information will be checked so be honest with yourself and if you are not qualified for a position, then don’t apply.

o Be Relevant: You may have all sorts of great information that you can out on your Federal resume, but if it is not relevant to the job posting, then leave it out. It doesn’t matter what information you give, it needs to be relevant as irrelevant information will see your government resume hit the bottom of the trash can fast.

o Be Concise: Yes you certainly want to stand out but if you use too many big words and phrases you may come off as a bit of a show off or know it all. This has a tendency to annoy the reviewers and if you do that your chances of landing your dream Federal job are going to be very slim.

o Mold and Create: A Federal government resume is not like a regular resume in that there is no ‘one size fits all.’ With Federal resumes you have to create and mold the resume to be all about the job posting you are applying for. Instead of thinking of your government resume in a cookie cutter approach, think of it in a custom made approach.

o Mention all Strengths: No matter how much relevance you may think you have included in your resume, try to find some more. You have to look beyond schooling as everyone applying will have similar qualifications in this area. What makes you stand out? Perhaps some relevant volunteer work? Whenever you get the chance to mention a strength that is relevant to the posting you should take full advantage and do so.

o Use Proper Formatting: Remember that this is a Federal resume and is going to require a unique format that will not be the same as your standard resume. Be sure that you are turning in your resume in the proper format so that your resume has a fair chance of being viewed.

Now more than ever, the Federal resume is lending a lot of weight as to who gets a Federal job and who gets left out in the cold. Be sure that your Federal resume is done right and that it really pops in order to give yourself the best possible chance of landing that Federal position that you have always wanted.

How to Make a Resume – 3 Vital Tips to Make Your Resume Stand Out

Whether you’re fresh out of the university or someone who’s hoping for a career change, it’s important that you learn how to make a resume. The resume contains all of your achievements and work experiences. It tells the employer what you have to offer the company.

A lot of people actually don’t know how to make a resume. Most of them just copy it off from a standard format. While this is not exactly a negative thing, it keeps them from understanding the purpose of the resume and does not give them any room for creativity.

It is always in your best interest to know exactly how something works and innovate it to your advantage.

1) The Basics.

If you want to discover how to make a resume that sells, it’s important for you to know about the basics first. The resume should obviously contain your name and your contact details. It should also contain your educational background, your work experiences and your achievements.

All of these details should begin at your most recent; and try to include only those that are actually relevant to the company you’re applying for.

Unless you’re applying for a position in the creative department, stick to the standard fonts (Arial and Times New Roman) and font size (10 or 12).

2) Use The Active Voice.

When trying to make a resume, always use the active voice. Employers like people who are doers and not just watchers. Avoid sounding pompous and arrogant though.

3) List Down Your Other Strengths.

Once you have all the basics down, it’s time to figure out how to make your resume more interesting. If you are fluent in any other languages, it is to your advantage to include them in your resume.

Many companies have sister businesses in other parts of the globe; and if you can speak in other languages, they’ll immediately see that as an asset.

Be mindful of the other strengths you have. Being the top scorer in an online video game should not be included here, unless you’re applying for the position of video game tester. Stick to those that you think might be of use to the company.

Learning how to make a resume is important. While there is a standard format to be followed, there is still room for creativity and other strengths. By simply changing your sentences into the active voice, you already have an advantage over the other applicants

Know The Type Of Job Application Letter And To Stand Out From The Crowd

We try to stand out from the crowd by producing an effective job application letter that no one else would produce. Before producing an effective job application letter, we need to understand which type of application to target.

All letters or applications may be divided into two categories namely:-

(1) Solicited and

(2) Unsolicited

An applicant seeking for a job may use one of both of them.

1. Solicited Application

A solicited letter of an application is one which is generally written to apply for a position that is advertised in any form of media by a prospective employer.

Following are a few examples of advertisements from the employers:

“Accounts Officer, knowledge of EDP and Income-tax an asset, Chartered Accountant preferred. Apply Victor Garments Manufacturing Company, Macalister Road, Singapore.

“Wanted an experienced part-time stenographer” any time between 10a.m. and 5p.m. for two hours. Apply with full particulars, copies of testimonials and minimum salary expected to Box 1688, Orchard Point P.O.Box 168, Singapore.

“Wanted a Japanese-speaking accounts assistant”, preferably a LCCI, with at least five years’ experience. Apply with copies of testimonials, stating minimum expected salary to Box 168, Orchard Point P.O.Box 188, Singapore.

“Large Foreign Shipping Corporation required shipping assistant”. Please apply in confidence giving full details, salary requirements, etc. to Box 1688,’The Free Press Journal’ Hong Kong.

“Wanted Experienced Sales Representatives” to book orders for consumer products. Please apply to Post Box 1800, Bangkok – Thailand.

“Want urgently” for a reputed secondary school part-time/full-time mathematics/science teachers for higher classes. School hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Higher pay according to experience. Phone 16878881. Apply to Box 1788, The Straits Times, Singapore.

The major advantage of a solicited application is that it is confirmed that there is a vacancy available with the hiring company. Besides, the prospective employer normally listed the qualifications, experience, education, job description of the vacancy, such, the applicant can apply for the jobs that close match his/her profile.

There is, however one main disadvantage of such an application and that is that since the vacancy is advertised, there is always a rush of applications with the employers and hence the application of any applicant would be one of many such applications, written in response to the advertisement. The applicant should, therefore, try to present his application in a manner that is better than an average application – rather he should try to make it one of the best applications received by the employer.

2. Unsolicited Application

An unsolicited letter of application refers to a job which has not been announced and published by the prospective employer in any form of media.

This type of application has definitely one big advantage – the application does not stand to that big competition to which an advertised job’s application is open. Besides, the applicant can send parallel applications to a few prospective employers concurrently.

There are, however, two disadvantages also:- (1) It is possible that there may be no post existing with the employer at all; and (2) the applicant must figure out himself the requirement and criteria of the candidate in which the employer will be mostly hiring.

How To Stand Out From Your Competition – Say Thank You

Hectic schedules and busy workdays eat away at our time. They eat away at your prospect’s time, too. When you land a meeting or a phone call, the most important thing you can do is say “thank you for your time.” Here are a few tried and true methods for saying “thank you” that will keep you fresh in your prospect’s mind:

1. Send a quick “thank you” email. The secret is in the system. Save the text of your “thank you” email as a draft so you can quickly copy and paste it into a new email composition. This way, you can quickly send out emails to prospects after phone calls or face to face meetings. You want to sound polite and grateful, and you also want to remind your client about why you’re qualified to do the job. Here’s the email I send out after phone meetings:

Hi {{NAME}},

Pleasure talking with you today; thanks for your time. Keep me in mind if you need informative copy written in an engaging, accessible style. Experience working in the marketing and creative departments of a software promotions firm, as well as my years of experience as a copywriter means I understand audience and have a strong command of language. Please view some samples of my work at: http://www.wonderworkingwords.com.

I look forward to working with you down the line. Best of continued success.

2. Follow your email with a “thank you” card. Pick a card that’s eye-catching and artistic. A lovely card is more likely to hang around your prospect’s desk space or be displayed on a tack board; learn to think of a card that’s not immediately thrown away as free advertising. Handwritten cards are best, as are hand addressed and stamped envelopes. Details like this tell your prospect you care.

3. Follow your “thank you” card with a phone call. Remember, anytime you send your prospects something in the mail, you have a ready made excuse to make yet one more touch and keep you and your product or services fresh in their minds. Did they receive what you sent them? Do they have any questions you can answer? You communicate your availability while creating a positive experience for them to associate with you.

Employing these few tips, you’ll be leaps ahead of your competition…and that much closer to making the sale.