Preparation
- Identify three strengths you have and give an example of each.
- Write a bumper sticker about yourself which reflects what you would want an employer to know about you. Identify three skills or characteristics desired in the career field you have chosen. (Students are encouraged to come to the Career Center and use Career Library resources to research these.)
- What are three things you want an employer to know about you? What is the basis for your choices? (I am, I can, I know; Personal Characteristics, Experiences, Training)
- Research the literature from three organizations. What do you like about each one? Why would you be good at a job like this? (Attraction; My Possible Contribution)
Presentation and Appearance
Keep your résumé to one page, two only if you have worked full-time for a few years and have significant accomplishments. Your résumé must be concise, focused and clear in its presentation.
A PROFESSIONAL APPEARANCE IS EXPECTED.
PAPER
Use good quality (at least 20 lb. bond) paper no larger than 81/2 x 11. Color: neutral, white or off-white Use the same color paper for your résumé, cover letter and envelope.
TYPE
Type on a word processor or a modern electric or electronic typewriter to produce clear, sharp type which will reproduce well. Photocopy only on the highest quality copier using 20 lb. bond paper or use offset printing. Use a laser printer if typed on a word processor.
ERRORS: NOT ALLOWED
Avoid errors in spelling or grammar. Present all statements in the same person and voice. Use "I" sparingly or not at all.
HIGHLIGHTING FOR EMPHASIS
Use italics, underlining, "bullets" or bold type selectively to emphasize important points.
DESIGN
The layout should lead the eye to the most powerful parts. Use crisp, clean lines and margins (one-inch margin minimum. Use plenty of white space.
PRESENT MOST IMPORTANT CREDENTIALS FIRST.
PERSONAL DATA
Make sure you have your name, address, city and state, and a telephone number at the top of the page. Include your email address and/or web page if you choose. (Make your telephone voice mail professional and appropriate for prospective employers to hear.) Do Not include social security number, religion, race, salary, age, weight, state of health, height, marital status, references' names and other extraneous data.
JOB OBJECTIVE vs PROFILE or SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Since most positions are not clearly targeted it is generally preferred that you include information about your areas of interest within an organization and provide a profile which will be a brief synopsis of your qualifications. If you are applying for a specific position indicate that in your cover letter and highlight your unique qualifications for the position. Include specific information on your education and work experience that support your job interest. Internships and volunteer work count as experience and should be included if related to the career field.
MENTION AWARDS, COMMUNITY OR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES WHICH SUPPORT
Mention these in ways which reflect your energy, versatility, or other exceptional qualities.
ELIMINATE CONTROVERSIAL ACTIVITIES OR ASSOCIATIONS WHICH MIGHT TEND TO ROUSE PREJUDICED REACTIONS.
USE ACTION VERBS TO BEGIN MOST OF THE SENTENCES.
BE SPECIFIC... ...NOT VAGUE
- Trained three new employees. *Did some training.
- Decreased errors by 15% saving over $4000 in one year. *Helped reduce errors.
- Learned new procedures in a record two weeks. *Was a fast learner.
BE ACTIVE AND DIRECT ...NOT PASSIVE & WORDY
- Completed... *Was in charge of completion of...
- Used resources effectively. *Made utilization of the following resources...
- Was responsible for... *Had the responsibility for...
BE POSITIVE ...NOT NEGATIVE
- Assisted customers with... *Handled complaints from...
- Improved product potential... *Avoided loss of market share...
- Made a career move to... *Was laid off from...
FOCUS ON ACHIEVEMENTS ...NOT TIME & ACTIVITIES
- Was promoted and received two merit increases. *Worked there three years.
- Completed all projects on schedule. *Handled odd jobs.
- Successfully handled supervisory responsibilities. *Filled in for the assistant manager.
"REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST."
This statement can be included but is typically omitted since employers assume you will provide references when requested to do so. You can create a separate list of names, addresses and phone numbers to send employers when they request your references. Remember to include your references professional title. Always ask your references for permission before you list them.
Résumé Dictionary: A Resume Writing Resource
Visit Resume Dictionary, a one-stop reference for resume writing.
In the below pdf files you will find a résumé format and a cover letter format to assist you in your preparation of these documents.
The contents of this page are from "The Student's Federal Career Guide - 10 Steps to Find and Win Tip Government Jobs and Internships" by Kathryn Kraemer Troutman and Emily K. Troutman.
Federal Résumé Samples
Certain information is required for Federal résumés. To view these requirements, please visit federaljobs.net.
Below you will find three résumé samples in pdf format for Student Federal Applicants. You will find that the content is more detailed for federal than for private industry résumés. The below examples can be used for your federal résumé. Again, it is one basic résumé, but formatted differently, depending on the agency's submission requirements and announcement instructions.
- Electronic Résumé #1
- Electronic Résumé #2
- Flexible Electronic Résumé #1
- Flexible Electronic Résumé #2
- Paper Résumé #1
- Paper Résumé #2
Cover Letter Samples
Cover letters should be limited to one page, and should be well-written and gracious, and express your appreciation for a review of your résumé. Covers letters for Federal applications are not substantially different from those for private sector applications. Just as in a private-industry job search, the purpose of a cover letter is to get the employer's attention. Highlight your most outstanding qualifications in your cover letter to make it clear as to why you are the best fit for the job. Below you will find four cover letter samples to assist you.
The contents of this page are from "The Student's Federal Career Guide - 10 Steps to Find and Win Tip Government Jobs and Internships" by Kathryn Kraemer Troutman and Emily K. Troutman.
What is a KSA?
KSA is an acronym for "Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities." Federal agencies often assess job applicants by referring to KSAs, narrative statements written by the applicant that reflect successful performance in their background. When required, you will prepare written statements demonstrating how your training and experience equipped you with the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities to do your job. In general, KSA responses are a key component to your application package as the agency develops the "short list" of candidates who are sent to the selecting manager. Federal internship announcements usually do not require KSAs, but you most likely will have to write KSA narratives if applying for jobs through standard vacancy announcements.
KSAs are referred to in several ways:
- Essays
- Examples
- Key Elements
- Narrative Statements
- Narratives
- Placement Factors
- Quality Ranking Factors
- Statements of Qualifications
- Supplemental Statements
KSA Writing Tips:
- Most KSAs are 2/3 to 1 page in length; do not exceed 1 page per answer
- Put each KSA on its own page
- Include the question at the top of the page (correct any grammatical errors)
- Use the CARC format whenever possible (Context, Action, Results, Challenge)
- Include keywords from the question and announcement
- Write in the first person; emphasize your personal contributions even when using a team activity as an example, "I did this..."
- Be sure your Federal résumé supports all statements made in KSAs
- Spell out all acronyms
- Don't pad your answer, but never leave a KSA blank
- Put your name and SSN number on the top of each page of your KSAs
KSAs are designed to solicit detailed information about your training and experience to aid HR professionals in making qualitative distinctions among eligible applicants. They are used to "weed out" the less qualified applicants, and to move the better qualified ones closer to the interview stage. Completing KSA statements also prepares you for an interview. When combined with the "duties and responsibilities" portion of the vacancy announcement, writing KSAs better prepares you for job-related questions that the Federal manager may ask.
There is no mandated limit on the number of KSAs that an agency can request for an announcement, but a practical limit would be around seven. The number is likely to be greater as the grade of the vacancy (measuring duties and responsibilities) increases. For jobs at the GS-5, 7, or 9 level, three to five KSAs is typical.
KSA topics vary according to the requirements of the position. "Communication" is an important skill for most jobs; therefore, KSAs involving communication are common. Here are some examples of communication KSAs, ranging from simple to complex:
- Skill in oral communications.
- Skill in written communications.
- Skill in written and oral communications.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate technical results in a variety of formats (including oral presentations and publications) for both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to communicate complex information effectively, orally and in writing as evidenced by: a) experience with a wide array of reporting formats and instructional activities presented to both scientific and non-technical audiences; and b) ability to create a collaborative work environment in order to facilitate constructive teamwork among participants with different, and sometimes hostile, perspectives.
The preceding five KSAs are complex for both you as an applicant as well as the Human Resources staff, who are required to rate or grade your answers. Be very clear with what you write so that they understand your answer for each element of the KSA.
Job-specific knowledge is another common KSA topic. Here's a sample:
- Basic knowledge of concepts, principles, and practices in the electrical engineering field.
- Professional knowledge of and skill in applying accounting concepts, principles, and methods.
- Knowledge of laws, regulations and procedures governing employment (staffing, pay, and employee benefits).
- Knowledge of health care systems and the role of Medicare, Medicaid, and other CMS programs in providing health care services to the nation's beneficiaries.
- Knowledge of major statistical computer packages and languages, including SAS, to be used to produce final results from data using appropriate statistical theory.
How to Answer KSAs
Here's a tip on how to better understand a KSA subject. Use your imagination to re-think the KSA as a question, as if you were being interviewed (for draft purposes only).
KSA Example 1:
1. Basic knowledge of concepts, principles, and practices in the electrical engineering field.
Think: Can you give me 2 or 3 examples of how you utilized your basic knowledge of the concepts, principles, and practices in the field of electrical engineering?
KSA Example 2:
2. Skill in written and oral communications.
Think: Can you describe 2 or 3 examples of how you demonstrated your skills in written and oral communications?
Notice the rephrased statements include action verbs like "demonstrate" and "utilize." Even when the KSA does not include an action verb, you can assume the agency wants one or more examples of how you applied your knowledge, skills, and abilities in your background experiences.
An interview is your chance to make your résumé come to life. KSAs offer the same opportunity. If an interviewer says, "Tell me about a time when you demonstrated your skills in written communications" you would probably not want to respond simply by saying, "Well, I have a bachelor's degree in English."
KSAs should focus on illustrative examples and always be as specific as possible. This includes using keywords from the question itself in your answer. You should also try to work in key words from the announcement. For example, if the job announcement says they are looking for someone "self-motivated," but "self-motivation" is not specifically in the KSAs, you should try to mention it somewhere-if it is one of your strengths.
One the other hand, be careful not to waste space elaborating on things not asked in the question. Let's say one KSA addresses written communications skills. (Remember, you are thinking, "Can you give me 2 or 3 examples of how you demonstrated your skills in written communications.") That question should never be answered by waxing eloquently about the time you made a brilliant oral presentation in your World Lit class. Oral communications was not the topic.
Include one to three (two is best) examples per KSA. Each example must be unique-do not reuse examples for multiple answers. However, you can subdivide a large project or situation into smaller, specific examples. For example, you can describe your research skills for the background material for a project, analysis you did on a computer, and written reports or oral presentations you made about the project. While these subunits are all part of a larger project, each example highlights a different skill set. Collectively, they could address three or four different KSAs.
Using the CARC formula to write your KSAs
Rest assured, this is not some gimmicky acronym we invented to teach you about KSAs. CARC stands for Context, Action, Result, and Challenge, a proven formula for writing an effective KSA. Federal HR professionals look for these elements in each of your KSAs. This formula works well because it allows your responses to remain focused and to include specific examples.
If your background includes a fair amount of non-academic work experience, you may want to begin your KSA with an introductory paragraph. This paragraph tells the reader how extensive your experience is and quickly goes over how you gained that experience. In other words, it is a quick overview of a specific aspect of your experience. If you lack non-academic experience, you can use this introductory paragraph to quickly summarize how your academic background helped provide you the specific knowledge, skill, or ability you are addressing.
Typically, two paragraphs follow the introductory paragraph. Use each paragraph to give a unique example of applying the specific Knowledge, Skill, and Ability using the CARC formula.
Context: In what job/situation did the example occur? What were the circumstances surrounding the project/problem/opportunity? Were there time/budget/staffing limits?
Action: What did you actually do? Be specific and thorough.
Results: So what happened? If you can, quantify the results with numbers, i.e. savings in dollars, increased productivity, etc. Were there qualitative results like good grades, commendations, or adoption of your procedures? Include positive feedback from superiors, and professors.
Challenge: What was the specific thing you had to do? What made it difficult or challenging? Was there pressure to produce? Did a lot ride on the outcome?
You can use the words "Context, Action, Result, and Challenge" in the text of your KSAs, like an outline. It may seem cheesy, but hiring agents are looking for CARC; they will appreciate your attempt to make your application clear and easy-to-read, and their job easier as a result.
CONSIDER USING LISTS
Economy is important. One way to quickly convey experience is to use lists. This works best for KSAs which request an overview of your experience with a category of items. For example: regulations, legislation, computer programs, or statistical tests. You cannot use lists alone to answer a question but can use them to augment a paragraph. For example: "To complete the census project, I utlized the computer programs Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and SPSS."
Pull examples from your life if necessary. You know that saying, "Life is what happens while you're making other plan"? You don't have to always draw from work experience! Remember that inspiring speech you gave to a community group? Maybe you used your organizational skills in a volunteer position. Perhaps you gained your automotive repair skills in your own driveway. As long as it's an example that demonstrates the knowledge, skill, or ability being assessed, it's fair game.
Students gain their knowledge, skills, and abilities from many sources. Here are some examples:
- Class papers
- Exams with essays or take-home exams
- Work Study
- Summer jobs
- Clubs
- Hobbies
- Family life
- Presentations
- Special projects
- Internships
- Volunteer positions
- Student Government
- Religious experience
Below you will find four sample KSAs: