The big differences
| Federal resume | Private-sector resume |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 pages, every job with dates, hours and grade | 1 to 2 pages, focused on the last 10 to 15 years |
| Mirrors the announcement's Specialized Experience | Mirrors the job posting you're applying to |
| Series, grade, hours per week, supervisor | Leave these out |
| Agency terms and acronyms | Plain business language |
| Duties and responsibilities | Results, with numbers |
Step 1: Pick a target role
Private employers hire for a specific job. Decide what you're aiming for, such as operations manager, program manager, contracts specialist or analyst, and pull up three real postings for it. Those postings tell you which words and skills to lead with.
Step 2: Translate your title and grade
Recruiters outside government don't know what a GS-12 does. Use a title that matches the work and the level: "Senior Program Manager" says more than "Program Analyst, GS-0343-12." Keep it honest. The title should describe what you actually did.
Step 3: Rewrite duties as results
Each bullet should answer "so what?" Here's the same experience, before and after:
| Federal wording | Private-sector wording |
|---|---|
| Served as COR for multiple acquisition actions. | Oversaw 6 vendor contracts worth $2.4M, holding vendors to deadlines and budget. |
| Executed annual appropriated funds in accordance with OMB guidance. | Managed a $4.2M annual budget, finishing within 1% of plan. |
| Responsible for processing customer inquiries. | Answered 50+ customer questions a day and cut repeat questions by about 30%. |
The numbers in these examples are illustrations. Use your own, and estimate carefully when you don't have exact figures ("about," "more than").
Step 4: Cut what private employers don't need
- Grades, series, hours per week, salary and supervisor contact details
- Long training lists and awards that need agency context to understand
- Jobs older than about 15 years, unless they're central to your target role
- Any information that isn't public, including details about sensitive programs
Step 5: Add what they look for
- A two- or three-line summary aimed at your target role
- A short skills section with tools and methods named in the postings
- Certifications employers recognize, such as PMP, Lean Six Sigma or Security+
- A LinkedIn profile that matches your new resume
See a full example
Download a sample federal-to-private resume (fictional client) to see the finished format.
Want it done for you? Carson Resume Co. turns federal resumes into private-sector resumes, written for the role you're targeting.
Carson Resume Co. is not affiliated with OPM or any government agency. Follow your agency's rules about what you can share from your federal work.