Advice from a Résumé Expert for Exiting Federal Employees

As a seasoned résumé consultant and job search mentor, I specialize in helping military veterans and federal employees transition seamlessly into the corporate sector.

Recently, there's been a surge in former federal workers seeking my expertise to craft effective corporate résumés, especially following widespread layoffs. In just the past month, requests for assistance rose by about 30%.

After completing my service as a Navy intelligence officer, I transitioned to a career as a technical recruiter in defense contracting. During this period, I encountered numerous résumés that needed improvement.

Guided by a desire to assist, I began revamping these résumés, discovering that while many candidates were qualified, their documents were lacking, resulting in hiring rejections. Initially, I offered my services pro bono to military personnel before deciding to turn this passion into a business.

Thus was born Secret Squirrel Consulting—a nod to the classified work I conducted in the military, now translated to helping clients articulate their achievements effectively.

Here are four strategies to ease your transition from federal to corporate employment.

1. Identify and Emphasize Your Abilities

The skill set possessed by ex-federal employees opens doors across diverse sectors, from nonprofits to private enterprises.

I advise clients to conduct a thorough self-assessment to pinpoint which capabilities they wish to leverage moving forward.

While titles may be tempting, I encourage focusing on roles like a program analyst or individual contributor, which still offer lucrative earning potential. Emphasizing job specifics and pertinent skills over titles can make your résumé stand out.

2. Streamline Your Document

Conciseness is key, as lengthy résumés—stretching 15 to 30 pages—are often bypassed.

Federal résumés tend to be exhaustive owing to platforms like USAJobs; however, corporate résumés are intended to be succinct, intriguing summaries that entice hiring managers or recruiters.

Eliminate content such as objective statements, veteran's preferences, and citizenship details—these will be covered in applications. Also, details such as GS or GG levels, salaries, or hours worked should be omitted.

Trim down on educational details—listing your highest degree suffices, and only include past decade's work experience unless the job specifically demands more.

Replace generic objective statements with compelling summaries. Structure the document starting with core skills, then technical proficiencies, education, and certifications.

Add volunteer work only if it's related to your career goal; standalone awards may also require explanations and metrics for relevance.

Cover letters should be drafted only if explicitly requested or if they will address career transitions or résumé inconsistencies.

3. Adopt Corporate Terminology

All clients possess valuable skills but may struggle to express them using business terminology.

Instead of merely listing duties—like supervising people—it's more effective to say you 'guided and developed teams.' This approach elevates your résumé by showing leadership and impact.

Military personnel, adept at assessing group achievements, often need training in personal accolades—using active verbs and detailed accomplishment narratives helps.

4. Quantify Your Achievements

Unlike the federal and military sectors that might overlook metrics, the corporate world prioritizes them as a measure of potential financial benefit.

Articulating impact in monetary terms can be daunting, yet many ex-federal employees have managed valuable assets or budgets without documenting their economic contributions.

Extracting and defining those financial impacts is crucial—ask yourself not just if you managed assets, but what improvements you contributed. This insight can significantly enhance your résumé's effectiveness.