federal job resume template free

How to Write a Federal Resume in 2024 [3 Free Templates]

Creating a federal resume is a lot trickier than a conventional one.

For starters, you need to make it way more comprehensive (3-4 pages instead of the usual 1-2).

You also have to add very specific details, such as your GS rating, clearance, and more.

Want to learn how to create/build a federal resume the easy way?

• What’s a Federal Resume & How Does It Differ From a Conventional One
• How to Write a Federal Resume in 6 Easy Steps
• How to Look for Federal Jobs

So, let’s get started.

What’s a Federal Resume?

A federal resume, as the name implies, is the type of resume you need to make in order to apply for US federal positions.

It is similar to the conventional resume in the way you describe your experiences. You include all the must-have sections in your resume, and describe your skills and past experiences.

There are, however, some differences from a conventional resume that make creating a federal one a bit trickier.

Federal Resume VS Conventional Resume - Key Differences

The differences between the two types of resumes are as follows:

Sounds a bit complicated, right?

Worry not - once you’ve gotten the hang of it, writing a federal resume becomes a child’s play.

And you’re about to learn just how you can do that!

How to Write a Federal Resume [6 Easy Steps]

Step #1. start with a trusted format.

There are 3 typical resumes formats you can pick from:

• Reverse-chronological: this one’s the standard and it lists your experiences from most recent to the oldest one.
• Functional . This one doesn’t include work experiences and focuses solely on your skills.
• Combination , a mix of the other 2 formats.

Since you’re making a federal resume, though, you need to go with a reverse-chronological format .

It’s the most common format in the US and is recognized by every single federal recruiter.

• How Long Should a Federal Resume Be?

While a traditional resume is 1-2 pages max , the federal resume provides you with a LOT more freedom.

As we highlighted above, a federal resume includes a lot more detail than the conventional one. So, if you aim for 1-2 pages, you’ll just come off as lazy (and most likely unable to list all the information you need to land the job).

• Which Format Should You Use ForYour Federal Resume?

Unless the job ad specifically asks for a specific format, we recommend you stick to PDF.

A PDF resume maintains its original formatting and will look just like you intended regardless of which computer you open it with.

The same, however, can’t be said for a Word resume format. 

• Should I Use a Federal Resume Template?

Yep - if you use a resume template, your resume is going to be a lot more noticeable and at the same time, easier to create.

You can pick one of our hand-crafted CV templates and get started with yours in minutes!

Step #2. Include a Detailed Contact Information Section

Once you’ve picked your federal resume format, you should create a contact information section at the top of your resume.

That's where you include the typical information you’d put on a standard resume:

• Phone Number
• Email Address

For a federal resume, also include the following essentials:

• Citizenship.
• Mailing Address.
• Highest GS Score. You can find yours here .
• Veterans’ Preference (0, 5, or 10). Find yours here .
• Disability. Learn more about this here .
• Clearance (if any)
• Desired Location (if relevant)

202-555-0101

[email protected]

Citizenship: United States

Desired Job Type: Security Specialist

Highest Federal Pay Grade: GS-10

Desired Location: US, Massachusetts

Step #3. Create an Attention-Grabbing Resume Summary

Federal or not, a resume summary is essential.

Picture this: you’re a hiring manager and you’ve got 1,000 resumes to go through for a single position.

Are you going to 1) go through them in detail , one by one, and read them cover to cover?

Or 2) glance through them , find the ones that are relevant and give them in-depth attention.

You’d probably pick #2 (and so do hiring managers).

This is exactly where the resume summary comes in.

A resume summary is a short, 2-4 sentence paragraph that goes right on top of your resume (under contact information). As the name implies, it’s used to quickly summarize your work experience and give the hiring manager a snapshot of your application.

If you get the resume summary right, then you can rest assured that the hiring manager is going to read your resume start-to-end.

Federal Resume Summary Example

A well-written federal resume summary contains the following information:

• Your title & objective (i.e. the job you’re applying for)
• 2-3 of your most noteworthy achievements or key responsibilities
• 2-3 of your top skills
• Your areas of expertise

Here is a real-life federal resume summary example:

• Maintenance and Management professional with 10+ years of experience seeking the role of a Production Planning Manager. Past experience includes equipment maintenance and repair, policy enforcement, transportation coordination, and more. Seeking a GS-10 to a GS-11 position.

Step #4. List Your Past Work Experiences in Detail

Your work experience section is going to make or break your federal resume.

At the end of the day, this is what hiring managers really care about, while the rest of your resume is supposed to “support” this section.

Creating a convincing work experience section for a federal resume is a 2-parter:

First, you need to make sure that you include all the relevant work experience information.

Then, you need to present your path responsibilities and achievements in the most convincing way possible.

Let us teach you how to do both: 

What to Include in a Federal Resume Work Experience Section

For each entry in your work experience section, start off with the employment information. This includes:

• Employer name
• City & State
• Hours Worked Per Week
• GS Rating (If Relevant)
• Supervisor’s Name
• Supervisor’s Contact Information
• Whether It’s OK to Contact Supervisor

Supervisory Security Specialist

National Nuclear Security Administration

04/2015 - Present

Washington, DC

Pay Grade: GS12

Average Hours Per Week: 40

Supervisor: Michelle Doe (202-555-0180)

Yes, you may contact the supervisor.

Then, in plain text or in bullet points, describe all your responsibilities and achievements right underneath each work experience.

If you had several roles for the same employer, bold out each role and put the corresponding responsibilities and achievements underneath.

Here, It’s important to note that you want to be as detailed as possible, compared to when compiling a conventional resume.

For the latter, you’d list out 4-6 bullets of your top achievements and responsibilities and call it a day. With a federal resume, you need to include more information.

• Oversaw the Office of Defense Nuclear Security (DMS). Handled HR processes including classification, recruitment, training, workforce management, and more. Responsible for developing NNSA policies and guidance, as well providing guidance to NSSA headquarters, NNSA field organizations, and NSSA contract organizations.
• Exceeded sales KPIs by 20% for 3 months in a row
• Responsible for outbound cold calling, doing up to 100+ calls per day.

How to Write a Convincing Work Experience Section

Now, let’s talk about part 2:

How do you effectively communicate your past achievements and responsibilities?

The key here is to be as achievement-focused as possible.

Most job seekers, when writing about their past work experiences, tend to talk about their former responsibilities.

While this is OK (and will land you a job here and there), it doesn’t help you stand out much.

The hiring manager can probably figure out what your past responsibilities were - they’re hiring for your role, after all.

What they’re really interested to learn about you is how you excel compared to the rest of the job-seekers.

So, instead of saying:

• Managed 3 projects from start to finish over the last year.
• Helped implement a cutting-edge project management solution organization-wide, improving employee output by 20% for the year.

Step #5. Add Your Educational History

Next up in the federal resume is your educational history.

This one’s pretty straightforward - all you need to do is mention the following:

• College name
• Type of degree
• # of years attended (or semesters completed)

If specifically requested, you might also need to include the same information for your high school or GED.

Here’s what your education section would look like on your federal resume:

Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service

Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, United States

08/2014 - 05/2018

• Major: International Relations
• Minor: International Business
• Graduated Magna cum laude

Step #6. Top It Off With Optional Sections

If you have space left on your resume, you can add some of the following common resume sections to help you stand out:

• Awards & Accolades

Certifications

• Professional Associations
• Relevant Training
• Volunteer Experience
• Won first place in the Google Code Jam competition.
• Certification of Professional Achievement in Data Science (2019)
• English - Native
• French - Intermediate

Technical Skills

Federal Job Search Resources

There are a ton of useful internet resources to help you get a job in the federal government. Here are some of our top favorites:

• USA Jobs is the official government portal for federal jobs and careers.
• Learn how, exactly, the US government hires candidates .
• Discover the most in-demand government jobs here .
• If you’re a non-citizen, learn everything there’s to know about government jobs .
• If you’re looking for a job in a specific government agency, you can browse through the options here .
• If you’re a student looking for a government job, go here for entry-level positions .
• If you’ve served in the military, check out FedsHireVets.gov - it contains all the information you need about getting a federal job as a veteran.

And finally, in addition to USA Jobs, you can find federal work on the following websites:

• Careers in Government
• GovtJobs.com
• CareerOneStop
• GovernmentJobs.com

Other Federal Resume & Job Search Tips

At this point, your federal resume should be ready.

But before you go and start your job search, here are some of our top tips to help you succeed in landing your next job!

#1. Tailor Your Federal Resume to the Job

If you’re applying to several different types of jobs, make sure to tailor your resume to each of them.

A very common mistake job seekers make is that they create a single resume for dozens of positions.

This is effective at times, but it very rarely works for the type of job you’d LOVE to have.

So how do you tailor the resume? it’s pretty straightforward. Look up a job you’d like to apply for, and read the responsibilities and skills required in great detail.

Then, cross-reference it with your resume.

In many cases, you’ll see that you DO have a lot of the required experiences , you just didn’t mention them because you didn’t have space, or because you thought other types of experiences were more important.

Now all you have to do is add the relevant information to your resume, and you’re good to go!

#2. Mind the Additional Documents

Federal positions will commonly ask you for additional documents other than your resume.

If you miss one, chances are, you’re going to get disqualified (even if you have the most eye-catching federal resume in the world).

So, carefully read about the job you’re applying for and ensure that you have all the right documents.

Some documents required for federal jobs include:

• Cover letter
• Academic transcripts

#3. Are You Still Struggling? Hire a Federal Resume Expert!

If you’re still struggling with building an effective federal resume, you can always hire an expert to give you a helping hand.

Check out some of the best career coaches in 2024 here.

Federal Resume FAQ

Do you still have some lingering questions on how to build an effective federal resume? We’ll answer them here!

1. What should I include in my federal resume?

In your federal resume, include the following sections:

• Contact information
• Resume summary
• Work experience
• Optional sections like skills, languages, etc.

2. What format should my federal resume follow?

Definitely reverse-chronological.

The other 2 resume formats (functional and combination) are nowhere near as popular and are more likely to ruin your chances to land the job if the hiring manager isn’t familiar with them.

3. Should I include my picture on my federal resume?

No , you should not include a picture in your federal resume .

You should also avoid adding any sensitive personal information (age, date of birth, marital status, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.), as well as links to any websites.

4. How long should my federal resume be?

Your federal resume should be around 4 to 6 pages long, as opposed to the conventional resume which is 1-2 pages.

The reason for this is that federal resumes require a lot more background information about you than the traditional ones.

Key Takeaways

Phew, that was a lot to take in!

Now, let’s recap all the key points we’ve covered about creating a federal resume:

• A federal resume should be 4 to 6 pages long.
• It should be very detailed and include all sorts of essential information, such as GS codes, citizenship, hours worked per week, and more.
• In a federal resume, include the following sections: contact information, resume summary, work experience, education.
• If you have additional space left, you can also add things like volunteering experience, certifications, skills, etc.

Related Resume Examples

• Military Resume
• Paralegal Resume
• Career Change Resume

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Keyword and location

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Tips for Writing a Federal Resume

Creating a federal resume that brings your qualifications to life and shows that you are a perfect fit for the job can be a challenge. Be sure to demonstrate how your skills, experience, training and education match the employer’s needs. Avoid misspelled words and bad grammar. Following are a few ways to make this easier.

Consider what positions you are interested in and review what qualifications or experience they require by reviewing different types of jobs and job opportunity announcements on USAJOBS . Gather information and begin to build out a description of your knowledge, skills and experience to add to your resume. How you present your skills and experience in your resume will help determine whether or not you are invited to interview for a job.

Attend job assistance training prior to departing the service. Contact your Transition Assistance Center as soon as possible and sign up for a Transition Assistance Program Workshop. If you are not near a Military Transition Center, you may use the services at Transition Assistance Offices operated by the other military services. Use your transition counselors. They have the tools and knowledge you need. If available, get their help in creating your first resume or filling out a draft application. Ask them to critique your work and then make the changes they suggest.

One size never fits all. As you apply for jobs, tailor your resume to the position’s requirements. Study the job opportunity announcement and emphasize the parts of your work history that match the qualification requirements listed there. It is important to portray your knowledge and skills as a match to the requirements of the position and demonstrate the ability to do the job. This is easy to do when you include your results, achievements and accomplishments. Minimize the use of technical jargon or specialized terminology (e.g., military abbreviations) in your resume.

Resumes are generally presented in one of three formats: chronological, functional or a combination of both. Which format you choose will depend, in part, on the type of work you have performed and whether or not you are going to continue in the same field.

• Chronological resumes list work experience according to date, with the current job appearing first. Chronological resumes work well if your career has been progressive and you plan to continue in the same line of work.
• Functional resumes are organized by the skills you have used on the job. Functional resumes work well if you are contemplating a new career, do not have a lengthy work history, or have held a number of different positions because they sell your abilities based on the skills you have acquired throughout your career. Be sure to include relevant volunteer experience.
• Combination resumes both describe your work experience and highlight your skills. Combination resumes usually provide the most comprehensive overview of your career.

Unlike resumes used in the private sector, federal resumes require additional information. For each past job, give the standard information found in most resumes. Your federal resume should include the following:

• Job announcement number, job title , and job grade of the job for which you are applying
• Your full name, mailing address , day and evening phone numbers and home e-mail .
• Country of citizenship , if different from U.S.
• Veterans – Ensure that you attach or upload supporting documentation (e.g., DD214 or Statement of Service if still on Active Duty; SF-15, Application for 10-point preference; and Disability Rating Letter of 30% or more from the VA, if applicable).
• Peace Corps / AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteers – If you are a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, you will need to provide your Description of Service (DOS) to claim non-competitive eligibility for federal jobs. AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers
• Persons with Disabilities (Schedule A) – To verify eligibility for employment under the Schedule A hiring authority, you must provide proof of disability issued by a licensed medical professions, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any federal agency, state agency, or an agency of the District of Columbia, or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. Contact the Department’s Selective Placement Coordinators for help with hiring and accommodation requests.
• Veterans – Keep in mind that your military training may count towards qualifications. Use your Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) document (DD Form 2586) to document your training and education.
• Begin with your current position and list all other positions held in chronological order.
• State the job title, starting and ending dates (including month and year), prior employer's name and address (or write "self-employed," if that applies), and major duties and accomplishments. Include any positions temporarily held.
• Show the average number of hours worked per week or simply state "full-time"; salary or wage earned; supervisor's name, address and telephone number; and whether you’re most recent supervisor may be contacted.
• Veterans - Avoid using military job titles or occupational codes. Instead, look at what you did using your Verification of Military Experience and Training (VMET) as a starting point. Employers prefer proven performers, so make sure you know what employers are looking for in comparison to your military work experience.
• Indicate if your current supervisor can be contacted
• Job-related training courses (title and year).
• self-management skills refer to the way you manage yourself on the job (e.g., dependable, resourceful, etc.);
• functional skills are the skills you use on the job or have used in previous jobs (e.g., operate equipment, supervise, analyze, etc.); and
• technical skills relate to specific skills required to perform a described task (e.g., computer programming, accounting, sales, etc.)
• Current job-related certificates and licenses - Make sure you understand the licensure and certification requirements for your job objective.
• Job-related honors, awards, special accomplishments , leadership activities, memberships, or publications.

Once you have spell checked your resume, take a good look at its overall appearance. Is it appealing and easy to read? Is there enough white space? Are the margins appropriate? Have the headings, font and formatting style been used effectively? Keep in mind that your resume is an employer's first impression of you. Make sure it makes the best one possible.

• Review the job announcements carefully for key words
• Use verbs and adjectives (e.g., managed, implemented, created) that match key words identified in the job announcement.
• Eliminate military lingo (use words such as personnel instead of squad or platoon).
• Include your accomplishments; do not be shy, be truthful.
• Focus on the mission of the agency and translate your experiences.
• Your positive attitude and genuine enthusiasm goes a long way.

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Writing a federal government resume

This page provides an overview with examples of how to write a federal government resume, which have content and formatting that differ from most private sector resumes.

How to write a federal resume

Written by , external, Amanda Costello , 18F content designer and gummi bear enthusiast, July 2019. (Revised March 2024)

Writing a US federal resume is hard. When I started writing mine, all I wanted was a solid example. What needs to be included, in what order, and what would it look like with real information. This is that example. ( Law and Order chimes )

It can be helpful to think about a federal resume like an academic CV, an overview of your whole career. Also, these are long documents . This is not the place for a 1-2 page resume. When I applied, my resume was 7 pages long; after 5 years at 18F, it’s close to 15 pages.

Below are excerpts from my federal resume, along with details and notes about how it’s written and formatted. I want more awesome folks from all backgrounds and experiences as colleagues. I don’t want the resume formatting or particulars to be a mystery; it’s already a very challenging piece of writing.

General things to keep in mind:

• Pay particular attention to the Specialized Experience section of a federal job posting. These items must be clearly represented on your resume to show you’ve done the work to be qualified.
• New in 2024! Another tactic that’s been successful for me has been making the job posting’s Specialized Experience the headers for duties and responsibilities. Obviously you can’t do this until you’re looking at a specific job, but it can be a good way to organize your work for readability.
• Throw out your formatting. I used CAPS for headers, italics for mission statements, and bullet points. Expect that the bulk of your formatting will be stripped out. No columns, no fanciness. Just write. Hard.
• Speaking of writing: get your words going, and then get more words. I had to submit two writing samples, and that was where I could show off my content strategy particulars. Remember the job of the resume content: clear, straight lines between the requirements and your experience.

Explicit disclaimer: This resume format is what I chose to use in applying to 18F in the US Federal Government’s General Services Administration. It is not the only acceptable format, but is what worked well for me. I currently work as a content designer at 18F, but put this together on my own time, using no government resources to do so. Using this formatting is not a guarantee of consideration. You still gotta do the work.

Want to chat more about this? Shoot me an email at [email protected]

My comments below will all be in text boxes

Resume formatting

AMANDA COSTELLO 123 Lutefisk Street You Betcha, MN 55555

Mobile: 555-555-5555 Email: [email protected]

Availability: April 1, 2024

Job Type: Permanent, Telework Work Schedule: Full-Time

Desired locations:

United States - MN Remote

WORK EXPERIENCE

Workplace name, Unit name if relevant - City, State, Country

Your job title - MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY - Hours per week: xx

Mission statement(s) of the workplace, or summary of the company’s work on a larger scale.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

A paragraph-long description of what the work was overall. Describe your work using a wide scope, leaving the specific details for later.

SPECIFIC TOPIC (e.g. CONTENT STRATEGY)

• Examples are in a bulleted list, each point describing a project or part of a project, or a piece of work that fits the heading, plus matches up with the qualifications/reqs.
• I chose to start each bullet with a past tense verb (Collaborated, Wrote, Managed, Edited), because that’s how I usually write resumes.
• Some of these bullets reference specific things I wrote, and those were included as writing samples with my application.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Software you know, tools you use, best practices and methods. This can’t just be a list, but has to have context in your work overview of how and why they were used. Also, please throw Microsoft Word on there because I was once rejected from a job in 2007 because I put “Microsoft Office” and the listing said “Microsoft Word.” Word matching! Seriously!

SELECTED WORK:

• Another bulleted list, this time of URLs related to work I did.
• They had quick little blurbs underneath about what they were, and what I did.
• Photos won’t come through on this resume, so no screenshots or anything.

Work experience example from my 2018 resume

University of Minnesota, College of Education and Human Development - Minneapolis, MN

Lead Content Strategist - 07/2012 to Present - Hours per week: 40

The mission of the College of Education and Human Development is to contribute to a just and sustainable future through engagement with the local and global communities to enhance human learning and development at all stages of the life span. The college is part of the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, a land-grant high-level research institution, dedicated to generating and preserving knowledge through research, sharing that knowledge through teaching and learning, and apply that knowledge through outreach and public service.

Developed and led college-wide content strategy combining current and prospective student needs with college goals for recruitment and retention. Worked as a member of a cross-functional team including designers, developers, business analysts, marketers, and well as content strategists across 7 academic departments to promote and deliver effective processes and consistent content strategy.

CONTENT STRATEGY:

• Collaborated with college academic departments, research centers, student support offices, and senior leadership to develop a “bottom up” content strategy, prioritizing student needs based on their relationships with academic programs. Assessed content through the lens of recruitment and retention.
• Wrote “Stakeholder’s Guide To Launch,” a two-page reference for the launch of a new college website. By anticipating the top questions stakeholders might field, this guide gave talking points surrounding new features, along with contacts for further questions.
• Served as strategist, editor, and project manager for regular essay series on college diversity and inclusion work, written by academic leadership. This generated authentic, meaningful content and helped stakeholders better understand the time commitment involved in content production.
• Established user-centered college voice and tone guidelines, using “A, but not B” format. This was informed by close work with students in formal and informal usability testing, and brand sort activities with college leadership and key stakeholders.

USER EXPERIENCE (UX) WRITING:

• Combined findings from user research, new graduate student interviews, faculty and researcher focus groups, higher ed industry trends, and analytics to consolidate more than 600 areas of academic research expertise into 111 categories. Categories were deployed across the college for consistent organization and increased findability of research work.
• Developed strategy and standards to categorize and sort 127 academic programs and 111 areas of research expertise. This was incorporated into two web-based tools developed in-house and allowed students to explore college offerings and expertise independent of department. Wrote and edited descriptions for each area, capped at 25 words to promote ease of reading and top-level understanding.
• Planned, edited, and delivered a “Web Writing Best Practices” guide for college content strategists. Formatted as a “one-pager” for printing and pinning up as a reference, this collected links to and recommendations from external tools and guides (Hemingway, 18F, King County Editorial Guide), internal editorial recommendations from the university and college, and voice and tone particulars. Strategists often felt intimidated and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of recommendations connected to good web content; this guide promoted four starting points to improve content: addressing the user (you/your/yours and we/our/ours), employing structured content, concise writing, and using plain language.

USABILITY TESTING AND USER RESEARCH:

• Led and managed annual process of web usability testing, including project kick-offs, stakeholder workshops, scenario development, task analysis, lab and field-based testing, issues analysis, research and recommendation presentations to project team members, key stakeholders and college senior leadership.
• Helped subject-matter expert teams and stakeholders understand their users through research and usability testing methods, defining problems and crafting effective solutions based on both quantitative and qualitative data.

COLLABORATION ON CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAMS:

• Contributed to responsive redesign of college website by conducting a content audit, editing student-facing content for an overall 75% file reduction, and migrating updated content to custom-built CMS. Collaborated with design and development teams to create comprehensive style guides, pattern library interface copy.
• Convened monthly “coworking days” among all college web professionals, bringing us together as a team of peers for a day of training, collaborative problem solving, idea sharing, and camaraderie. Set programming, mentored colleagues on presentations, and collected feedback to regularly adjust how our central content strategy was best supporting the specific work of the departments.

ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH:

• Advocated for content strategy best practices to over 30 University departments by regularly meeting with peers and presenting to leadership stakeholder groups. Promoted clear, consistent, user-centered writing from all contributors, even those who don’t identify as “web people,” and facilitated collaboration across organizational silos to increase efficiency and support.
• Consulted with faculty and staff in academic departments outside the college that frequently contributed to content strategy. Regular guest lecturer and student mentor in the Writing Studies program.
• Contributed as one of four subject matter experts to the University of Minnesota’s Content Strategy Self-Help Guide, recommending resources and structuring process for the centrally-maintained system to help contributors at all levels improve content writing and strategic thinking for the web.
• Frequently presented at local Twin Cities-based tech meetups, translating content strategy best practices to adjacent fields such as front- and back-end development, UX research, accessibility, interactive design, and marketing.

Provided strategic content design with skills in copywriting, style guides, plain language, comprehension/reading levels. Conducted usability evaluations using card sorting (OptimumSort), tree testing (Treejack), direct observation user research methods. Worked on a cross-functional team that used Asana, Trello, Slack, Hemingway, pattern libraries, Google Drive, MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point), and semantic HTML.

• CEHD Academic Programs, www.cehd.umn.edu/programs Developed content and structure for directory/sorting tool
• CEHD Research & Expertise, www.cehd.umn.edu/topics/ Created new content structure around college research, including categories and descriptions
• UMN Content Strategy Self-Help Guide, , external, z.umn.edu/csmap Subject matter expert for update to university-wide guide

VOLUNTEER WORK

MinneWebCon Annual Conference - Minneapolis, MN - www.minnewebcon.org

Conference Director - 10/2011 - 06/2015

MinneWebCon is a two-day web conference in Minneapolis that encourages inclusive grassroots knowledge-sharing. In addition to keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and half-day workshops, our annual conference is a space for speakers and attendees to collaborate, talk, learn, ask, test, and grow.

• Directed volunteer-run tech conference for 200+ annual attendees, bringing local and national speakers to the Twin Cities web community.
• Oversaw event logistics, speaker recruitment and support, partnerships and sponsorships, promotion, and attendee experience with conference committee support and input.
• Introduced speaker mentoring program, pairing conference speakers with an experienced mentor to review slides, practice presentations, and provide support.
• Expanded conference to two-day event in 2012, adding half-day workshops to meet attendee demand for deeper learning.

SELECTED SPEAKING AND PRESENTATIONS

My resume listed about 15 sessions that I thought were relevant to this job. I also had sections on selected publications and selected podcast guest appearances, because those are cool too! The format I use is:

"Title of the Presentation," what kind of session - MM/YYYY Conference Name - City, State, Country

• “How Silos Learn: Working in the Idea Factory,” closing keynote address - 08/2018 (scheduled) PSEWEB Conference - London, ON, Canada
• “Better Stakeholder Wrangling,” half-day workshop - 10/2018 (scheduled) edUi Conference - Charlottesville, VA
• “Better Stakeholder Wrangling,” half-day workshop - 05/2018 Confab: The Content Strategy Conference - Minneapolis, MN
• “Explain Anything to Your Boss & Grandboss,” closing keynote address - 05/2018 Manage Digital Conference - Minneapolis, MN
• “How Silos Learn,” opening keynote address - 10/2017 Digital Project Management Summit - Las Vegas, NV

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN United States Bachelor's Degree MM/YYYY Major: English Minor: Japanese

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Language: Japanese Spoken Level: Novice Written Level: Novice Reading Level: Novice

Name: Jeff Awesomeboss Employer: University of Minnesota Title: The Best Boss Email: [email protected]

• , external, [email protected]

Handbook.tts.gsa.gov

An official website of the U.S. General Services Administration

An official website of the United States government

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Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Quick Guide to Preparing a Resume For Federal Government Positions

Due to the volume of applications received for any given vacancy announcement within the website, your resume will most likely be processed through an electronic filtering mechanism before being reviewed by a Human Resources Specialist for a qualification determination. Your resume will also be screened according to certain preferences (e.g., Indian Preference, veterans, disability, etc.) and rated based on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training described on the vacancy announcement. It is essential that you tailor the experience listed on your federal resume to the specific position to which you are applying.

Once your application is rated, a quality review will be conducted by Office of Human Capital Management staff and/or a Subject Matter Expert (SME). Resumes are forwarded to the Hiring Manager for interview consideration. Once a hiring decision has been made, applicants will be notified.

Resume Writing

Before you begin, it may be helpful to compile all the information you want to include in your resume. The writing process will be much easier and faster.

It is important to thoroughly review the vacancy announcement for the position you are applying. You should tailor your resume to ensure you include the experience and skills that are required for the position.

What Should be Included in a Federal Resume?

A federal resume calls for some information that is not generally required on a standard resume for private industry positions, and not including the required information may immediately disqualify you from consideration. It is extremely important that you carefully read application instructions and include all required information. Below is an example of a resume for Federal employment:

First and Last Name Address City, State and Zip code Email address Phone Numbers

Special Hiring Authority: (Indian Preference, Veteran’s Preference or Person with Disability - Schedule A ) Federal Experience: ( Yes or No and Indicate Military, Federal or State Gov ) Security Clearance: ( Indicate what level and if it's still active ) OBJECTIVE: To obtain a full-time position in public service with ( Department of the Interior, Indian Affairs as a (Indicate the position including announcement Number if there is one )  

SKILLS SUMMARY: ( Has 3 elements: An introductory paragraph, list of skills directly related to the position, and your skills you have acquired throughout your career, that you want to highlight ) (1st Element: The introductory paragraph - Must be specific and highly detailed for each job series and position you're applying to. You need to outline all the specific skills you have that are directly related to the position you are seeking including Key Words identified in the positions description.) Focused and highly motivated management professional, with 12 + years of extensive experience in Strategic Workforce Planning , EEO , OHR and Diversity Mgt . Utilizing my background in Disability, Accommodations, Business Operations, Project Management, and Statistical Analysis to develop comprehensive programs based on the employment needs and mission of the agency. Deploying metric -based solutions and maximizing our ROI . I'm an innovative and energetic team player, relationship builder, and highly effective communicator. (2nd Element: List of skills directly related to the position and the Key Words you identified - Back up your skill summary with specific examples from you career or education. Identify specific accomplishments, length of time, highlight numerical results and awards derived from those duties and skills. This is the most critical area of the resume. You are relating an activity in your career to that of the position you are applying and showcasing your accomplishments.)

• Develop and create a Strategic Workforce Planning program to ensure were accurately utilizing all available resources. Good Example

• Expert in Equal Employment, Labor and Employee Relations assisting managers and staff in identifying and solving EEO Policy questions on Accommodations, for the past 9 yrs. Better Example

• As Diversity manager I trained a staff of 100+ internal and external personnel on diversity rules and regulations. My efforts resulted in a 70% reduction in violations and improved the overall atmosphere at ABC Co. Best Example (3rd Element: Acquired skills - These are skills you want every employer to know you possess and feel they are what defines you as a model employee. Remember you MUST quantify and qualify every statement you make.)

• Analyze, develop, test and incorporated IT business solutions to enhance business process control and tracking. Good Example

• Supervised, motivated, mentored and lead by example, using experience backed judgment, strong work ethic, and irreproachable integrity, derived from my 12yrs as a Department Manager at ABC Co. Better Example

• Developed and implemented a supply inventory program, which tracked our use of production and office materials. This provided us detailed reports of our available inventory at all times. Allowing us to make more informed purchasing decisions. Resulting in ABC Co. to save 500,000 per year. Best Example

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY Name of Employer Position & Title GS level or Salary and Years of Service From: Mo/Year to Mo/Year; (Indicate if the work was Full Time, Part Time, or Seasonal; provide number of hours for PT or Seasonal work) Write a brief description of your experience/duties, and identify your major roles and responsibilities. Describe in detail each position you held for at least the last 10 years and quantify and qualify each statement). IP: Describe each duty as if you are describing it to someone for the first time. Agencies are not allowed to assume you can or can't do anything. Ex: Cashier: A cashier can perform numerous duties, if you only list cashier we can only interpret that as someone we collected and distributed money). As Diversity Manager I analyze develop and manage programs and projects related to the successful deployment of our department's initiatives. My duties included ensuring we provided an inclusive work environment, free from discrimination and ensuring we met all federal and state regulations. This was accomplished by collecting, analyzing human capital data and statistics from various sources to get an accurate analysis of the programs and work environment we provided our employees.   • Performed labor market Statistical analysis and employment projections locally and nationally to determine our recruitment strategy to ensure we were recruiting from a diverse population. Good Example • Coordinated with the Office of Human Capital and EEO managers to develop programs to improve our diversity in the workplace. Performed detailed analysis of the current workforce, and developed a strategy to ensure we targeted a broader workforce. This had an immediate impact on community relations and a 20% increase in local sales. Better Example

• Diversity manager for the past 7 yrs I was responsible for a staff of 20 employees. I coordinated with our Office of Human Capital to develop and measure recruiting timelines and efficiency, to determine cost per employee hired and accurate return on investment. Identified various key elements related to recruiting and performed a statistical analysis on reducing cost per hire. This lead to a yearly savings of 15% on recruiting expenses. Best Example

ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Identify any areas of your career you feel an employer will get a better understanding of who you are and your additional activities, to included honors received by organizations, exceeding specific goals on projects, etc.)

• 2011 Supervised and managed the Specialty Hiring Programs, including NonCompetitive Direct Hiring Authorities, Military Spouse Employment and Individuals with Disabilities Programs, at the Department of Defense. • 2008 Liaised with union and management on contract negotiations and labor dispute settlements with global manufacturer. Prevented the loss of 200+ jobs and saving the company 1.3 million dollars.

• 2006 The Minority Entrepreneur Network - Assisted 5 minority startup companies in researching, forecasting, and drafting their business plans and applications for small business loans.

• 2005 Restructured vendor contracts for a gross savings resulting in $375K per quarter.

COMPUTER SOFTWARE (List all software and applications you are experienced in and level. Identify formal training and where you received that training)

ADDITIONAL TRAINING (List any formal or informal training including accreditations and number of hours in the specific field)

• I have attended various seminars on EEO compliance and diversity Good Example

• Extensive EEO Compliance Training: Laws & Discrimination, Diversity in the Workplace, Workplace Relationships, EEO Complaints and Resolutions: (80+ hrs of training) Better Example

• Extensive Project Management Training specializing in large scale projects and developing the project plans and schedule. All training was done at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) 2002 thru 2011 (120 hrs) Best Example

HONORS AND AWARDS

(Any formal awards you would like to share)

VOLUNTEER WORK & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

(Depending on the type of work volunteering can count the same as formal on the job experience if related to the position) (2010 - current) I hold Diversity workshops at the ABC community center in Washington DC, 6 times each month. I provide employers with information on developing an inclusive and diverse workforce. Note: volunteer work must include the total # of hours PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AAPD - American Association of Peoples with Disabilities HAVA - Honored American Veterans Afield NRA - National Rehabilitation Association PMI - Project Management Institute Wounded Warriors Project - Warriors to Work REFERENCES (List at least 3 references including their contact information)

indianaffairs.gov

An official website of the U.S. Department of the Interior

Writing a Federal Resume

Is your resume one page? That’s fine for a private sector job. Your government resume, however, will need to have more detail, and it’s likely to grow to about two to five pages.

Key Components of a Federal Resume

The best way to create a federal resume is to use the resume builder on the federal government’s jobs website, USAJOBS. The resume builder will guide you through the whole process. And you don’t have to stick with one. You can create a resume tailored to fit different positions you apply for. You can also create a searchable, master resume, so HR specialists can contact you if there’s an opportunity that fits your skills and experience.

Building a Federal Resume

Candidate Information A federal resume will ask your citizenship status and most, but not all, positions require you to be a U.S. citizen. You’re also asked if you’ve worked for the federal government before and if you qualify for veterans preference —that is, you’ve served on active duty in the Armed Forces.

Work experience Your resume should list all the relevant jobs you’ve held.

Required : Employer, location, title, start and end date, average hours worked per week, responsibilities and accomplishments for each job you list.

Optional : A supervisor(s) as a reference and salary, although not listing salary doesn’t exclude resumes from consideration.

Education Include information on the schools you attended and the relevant coursework you completed. Only list degrees from accredited schools, or programs that meet the Office of Personnel Management’s standards . Provide as much information as possible to support your case that you’re the best person for the job.

Required : Schools attended and degrees obtained.

Optional : Grade-point averages, relevant coursework, academic papers or projects, key presentations, honors received, other important accomplishments.

Optional Information

For the best shot at a position, provide as much pertinent information as possible in optional sections, including:

Job–related training 

This could include classes, seminars, coursework, certifications or training that relates to the skills and experience the position requires.

References 

Consider listing professional or personal references who can vouch for your character, work ethic and dependability—such as colleagues, classmates and mentors.

Language skills 

Include the languages you have experience in, and your level of proficiency.

Affiliations 

Use this to list professional associations, societies, clubs or other organizations you belong to and to highlight leadership roles and volunteer experiences you’ve had that relate to the position description.

Professional publications

If you’ve been published, include the outlets you’ve contributed to, the publication names and the date your submissions were published.

Additional information 

You can add other relevant information, including awards, leadership activities, public speaking engagements or volunteer experience. You can also add your availability, the type of work environment you seek and your desired location. Even if your interests and desires don’t match the position’s needs, your resume will stay in the running.

Your Federal Resume Guide for Getting a Government Job

Do you have a passion for volcanoes? Most likely, a seismic network manager is your dream job. Or have you ever thought about becoming an Antarctic IT expert who uses technology in unique and off-the-wall ways?

Achieve your goals and find a cool federal job that suits your strengths and ambitions!

One of the big benefits of the federal government is that there are positions in every field.  Acting as the largest employer in each state with 2.4 million civilian workers, our government provides job openings, which match almost any set of skills and interests. From technology maven for NASA to secretary, the federal government is looking for a wide variety of talented employees, who dedicated to their job.

Federal Resume Guide will serve you as a starting point for creating or improving your resume for application to stand out from the crowd.

Tools for Job seekers

Resume samples.

See a Federal Resume Samples written in strict accordance with job announcement parameters. You can edit any of these samples to get a quick start and easily create an excellent resume within 10 minutes.

Cover Letters

Check out our federal cover letter examples library to get all the details right. Consider the following advice to put your best foot forward ahead of other job seekers.

Resume Templates

Download OUTLINE FORMAT with keyword headers to make sure both recruiters and online application programs identify that your experience meets the required qualifications.

Resume Builder

The USAJOBS online Federal Resume Builder will guide you through the resume writing process to make certain that you don’t miss out on any detail of your application.

Writing a federal resume requires exceptional attention to details, using the right keywords, and a comprehensive understanding of the application packages grading system, required by the majority of government agencies.

Instead of having one resume that fits every application, it’s crucial to adopt your cv per each federal job, including your relevant experience, education and certifications. Otherwise, you risk losing out to a candidate who applied properly.

Step 1. Finding a federal career

Many people believe applying for a government job is a complicated and long lasting process, but it is actually very achievable. Learn how to get a US federal job , how to create a USAJOBS profile, how to apply and etc.

Step 2. Detailed information about writing a federal resume

Federal resumes are complex and have strict requirements. Be sure to include all relevant experience, job duties and accomplishments. Focus on the following data to find out how to write a federal resume :

• Resume sections and formatting
• Federal resume writing mistakes
• Tips for writing a federal resume

Step 3. Federal cover letter advice and tips

To help you get ready for this job hunt, spend just 15 minutes on how to customize your federal cover letter to the keywords per each government position. 

Step 4. How to Apply for a position on Usajobs

Know more how to create and develop your profile on USAJOBS.gov to include your core competencies and skills. The closer your experience and educational background match the KSAs, the better career prospects will be.

STEP 5. PREPARING FOR A SUCCESSFUL FEDERAL INTERVIEW

Discover   how to succeed in a federal job interview . Read more about:

• Ways to relieve stress.
• Interview questions.
• Government job interview tips. 

6. Negotiating your federal job ofefr

Before to start your new federal job, check out the compensation items and know how to negotiate your federal salary . 

If you have the time and inclination to create an effective government style resume, please use our detailed guide. It may not be easy, but it is the key to the complexity of the federal hiring process. When in doubt what to include on a resume or how to optimize it for easy reading, find a professional writer who knows the pros and cons of the federal resume writing process here .

Check out 5 Best Federal Resume Writing Services.

An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• A–Z Index
• Operating Status

Questions and answers

Where can i get help with writing my resume.

The FedsHireVets.gov website has a Resume Writing guide posted at

Resume Writing Participant Handout PDF .

USAJOBS.gov Help Center: Resume Creation Guide

8 Places To Find Free Resume Templates for Your Job Search

D o you need a resume to apply for a new job but need help figuring out where to start? Keep reading – this post has everything you need to know, including where to find free resume templates.

Writing a resume is one of the most frustrating aspects of searching for a new job. And if you’re short on cash, purchasing a resume template is simply out of the question.

If you’re ready to impress hiring managers but lack the funds to purchase a professional template, here are eight places to find free resume templates online.

What Is a Resume?

A resume is a short (usually 1-2 pages) summary of your professional skills, work experience, and achievements. This document helps recruiters, human resources, and hiring managers find the best candidate for the job they are trying to fill.

While there are different resume formats, the most common elements on a resume are contact info, a professional summary, a work history, a skills list, education, and accomplishments.

The goal of your resume is to convince recruiters you’re the most qualified applicant, landing you a job interview. While you can create a resume from scratch, using a template will save you time. It helps ensure your resume is formatted correctly and you’re not missing any critical details.

Having reviewed my fair share of resumes, job seekers often forget crucial information like their phone number or email address, which means they’ll never get a callback, no matter how qualified. Using a resume template helps solve this issue.

Why Is Your Resume Template Important?

When you submit a resume online, it is initially scanned by ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems). This  software scans your resume  for keywords and phrases in the job description. ATS also has some limitations, such as being unable to read and interpret specific fonts, colors, and design elements.

This is why using an  ATS-friendly resume template  and the right keywords are crucial to landing an interview.

The resumes that best match the job description make it past ATS and into the hands of a hiring manager. Resumes that do not contain the right keywords never make it to a real person.

According to  Jobscan , 99% of Fortune 500 Companies use ATS, so if you’re not using an ATS-friendly resume template and the wrong keywords, you’ll likely have difficulty landing a job interview.

Places To Find Free Resume Templates Online

Now that you understand what a resume is and why using an ATS-compliant template is essential, let’s discuss where to find free templates online.

From my research, there are a lot of companies that advertise free resume templates, but when you go to download your document, they charge a fee.

While selling premium resume templates is fine, many companies only tell you about the charges once you’ve added all your details to the template and are ready to download the document.

Don’t worry; the resume resources below are 100% free for  job seekers .

1. Google Docs Resume Templates

To access Google’s free resume templates, you’ll need to have a Google account (which is free). Once logged into your account, go to  Google Docs  and choose a template. Google has five free editable resume templates with different colors and fonts. There is one template with two columns, which I don’t recommend because it’s unsuitable for getting past ATS.

According to  Easy Resume , the most ATS-friendly fonts are Times New Roman, Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Calibri, Georgia, Cambria, Gill Sans, and Garamond. When you’re modifying your resume, you’ll want to choose a font that is crisp, clear, and easy to read – no scripts or ultra-thin fonts.

A few pops of color on your resume can help it stand out from other applicants, but you’ll want to use it sparingly. It’s best to avoid bright colors as they can be difficult to read and a turn-off to employers. Black, blue, and red are safe bets when picking a color for your resume.

You can choose from six free resume templates on  Indeed  (Clean, Minimalist, Simple, Creative, Executive, and Modern). Of these, the most ATS-friendly are the Minimalist and Executive resume templates.

Instead of being a template you can completely modify, Indeed uses a resume builder, so you’re limited in fonts, colors, and career sections. In terms of ease, it’s very user-friendly, but because your options are limited, it gives you a more cookie-cutter resume, making it difficult to stand out from other job seekers.

JobHero  has six free resume templates you can download using Microsoft Word or Pages if you have a Mac computer. Of the six templates, the Deluxe, the Distinguished, and the Professional are the most ATS-compliant.

With these templates, you’ll get tips for  writing your resume , which can be extremely helpful if you need help deciding what to include. You can also change the fonts and colors and modify them as needed.

The downside with these templates is if you’re using a Mac, the formatting shifts slightly, so you’ll need to adjust the spacing.

Jobscan  offers many free resume templates in varying formats based on your career level (entry-level position, mid-career, management, and senior-level professionals). While these templates don’t have a lot of frills, they are ATS-friendly and compatible with Microsoft Word.

You must supply your name and email address to download their free resume templates.

Each resume template includes tips for filling in each section to showcase your best skills and attributes.

Canva  is a free design tool offering thousands of one-page resume and CV templates, including Simple, Professional, Creative, and Modern. With Canva, you’ll select the template and fill in the experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and skill sections.

Canva will offer many design options, including hundreds of colors, fonts, and design elements. Once you’ve added all the necessary information, you can download your resume as a PDF.

6. Novoresume

Novoresume  is a resume builder with eight free resume templates, including Creative, Basic, Modern, Executive, Simple, Functional, Student, and Professional resume templates. Register for an account and verify your email address to create your resume. From there, you’ll fill in your job title, resume summary, work experience, skills, education, and other professional achievements and attributes.

The Novoresume builder lets you change your resume layout, fonts, colors, and themes. Once you’re finished filling in the information, click the download button and save your resume as a PDF to your computer.

7. Heather Austin

Heather Austin  is a former College Professor turned Career Coach who helps job seekers find and land their dream jobs. Heather offers a wealth of career advice and strategies on her blog and YouTube channel and a free professional resume template and sample.

This basic resume template is Applicant Tracking System compliant and fully customizable. To get the template, you must sign up with your email address, and the template goes directly to your inbox. The template comes in a Word Doc but can be edited in Pages if you have a Mac. If you need a one-page resume template, you can delete the sections that do not apply to your situation.

This excellent resume template will work for various career levels and occupations.

8. Enhancv Resume Builder

Enhancv  is a resume and cover letter builder that is free for seven days. With your free trial, you get two resume and cover letter templates, a maximum of 15 resume sections, and access to all their design tools.

The neat thing about this resume builder is you can start from scratch, upload an existing resume, or pick resumes from popular career categories like Software Engineer, Human Resources, Nursing, and more. This resume builder is extremely user-friendly, offering many different wording suggestions and design options.

The one downside of using the free option is your resume will have its branding at the bottom. You’ll need to upgrade to a paid version to remove the branding, starting at $24.99 monthly.

Choosing a Free Resume Template

When choosing a free resume template, you’ll want to pick a simple one that is well-formatted and easy to read and scan. After all, you only have seconds to grab attention and show hiring managers you’re the best candidate for the job!

Avoid free resume templates with too many design elements, such as icons, headshots, and multiple columns, as Applicant Tracking Systems cannot read these elements. Unless an employer states they want you to submit your resume in a Word or text Doc, you should save your resume as a PDF so your formatting is locked into place.

Regardless of which free resume template you use, remember to include action verbs, quantifiable stats, keywords, a link to your LinkedIn profile, and  soft skills  and hard skills relevant to the potential job. Also, use bullet points and a lot of white space so your resume is easy to scan.

Remember, your resume is a highlight reel of your relevant skills, education, and experience, not a list of every task you did at your previous position. Modify your resume for each listing, and add keywords from the job posting to increase your chances of landing a  job interview !

More From Wealth of Geeks

• Are Creative Resumes a Thing?
• As Job Scams Become Prevalent, Here’s How Job Seekers Can Protect Themselves

50 Fun Jobs for Those Who Refuse to Settle for Ordinary

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Resumes are the first step to selection while applying for a job. Not only should your content be grammatically correct and relevant to the job description, but it should also be visually appealing and highlight your unique personality.

But, are you spending too much time fixing the formatting of your resume on a simple text processor or MS Word?

There are several free resume builders that can help in quickly creating a resume to your liking.

Let us discuss the best resume making tools that require no software installation or any other complicated steps to get started.

What Are Resume Builders?

A resume builder is a software that contains customizable templates, formatting options, and other in-built tools like spell-checking. It helps users share the right information with their potential employers in an appealing manner.

An online website or a mobile resume builder app provides access to the templates and other graphic elements that a job seeker wants. The resume builder service also provides suggestions and expert advice that are industry specific to help you answer convincingly about why you should be hired.

How to Create a Resume Online Free?

You can access a resume creator for free by visiting a resume builder website and following the suggested steps for resume generation. Some of the basic steps for resume creation are:

• Sign up with your credentials to create an account in the free resume builder, if necessary.
• Choose the option to get started with the resume builder online for free.
• You will get option to upload your resume or build a new resume with a customizable template that suits your needs.
• Edit the template to enter content in different sections like skills, work experience, and so on. You can use existing resume samples and industry relevant bullet points if provided by the resume editor online.
• Arrange the sections and choose formatting options like font, color, and more. You may also upload a profile picture if the nature of your job requires it.
• Check your resume for typos and grammatical mistakes. Some CV creators also provide expert reviews and suggestions to improve the chances of getting shortlisted for a job.
• Make the final changes in the resume editor online. You can save, download the resume in different formats, or get a sharing link.

The exact steps may vary depending on your choice of resume builder website. By following these steps, you can quickly create a resume that is easy to share via email, job sites, and other such platforms.

11 Best Tools for Resume Building Online Free

If you want to create your professional resume online for free, here are some of the best CV makers for students, freshers, and professionals.

• Indeed Resume Builder : Best for job seekers who want a combination of free resume builder and job site
• Standard Resume : Best for job seekers who have a well-maintained LinkedIn profile
• Zety : Best for creating resumes in languages like Spanish and French
• My Perfect Resume : Best for step-by-step guidance and suggestions for resume making
• Novoresume Builder : Best for job seekers who are not tech savvy
• Resume Build : Best for job seekers who want inspiration before creating resumes
• Resume Genius : Best for quickly creating an industry specific resume
• Canva Resume Builder : Best for creating a highly customized and unique resume
• Resume Dot Com : Best for creating resumes on the go and easily sharing over email
• Enhancv : Best for maintaining data privacy & security while creating resumes
• LinkedIn Resume Builder : Best for active LinkedIn users

Suggested Read: Best Campaign Management Software for Marketing Campaigns

Best Free Resume Builders for Freshers/Students

Here is the list of best resume builders for freshers that are available for free:

Indeed Resume Builder

Indeed Resume Builder online helps create ATS compatible resumes for positions like business analyst, designer, marketing associate, and more with customizable templates. You can also upload an existing resume in this resume creator for free.

You can instantly share it with recruiters while applying to a job on the Indeed Job site or make your profile public to get noticed.

Indeed Resume Builder Features

• Pre-built templates
• Expert tips and suggestions
• One-click apply to Indeed jobs
• Personalized job alerts

Standard Resume

Standard Resume tool is a CV creator that enables users to choose a template and populate it with data directly from LinkedIn or from scratch. You can choose from simple, modern, professional, or creative templates.

The focus of this free resume builder is more on content, although it supports some basic formatting options like adding logos, icons, colors, and photos to templates.

Standard Resume Features

• 12 resume templates
• Automatic formatting
• Web resume link sharing
• One-click LinkedIn Import
• PDF preview

Zety is an online resume builder for freshers and professionals that allows them to either upload their old resumes or create resumes from scratch. Pre-defined customizable templates have automatic formatting with editing options for spacing, font size and types, etc.

You can even get tips and help from Zety experts while writing content for your resume in this CV maker.

Zety Resume Creator Features

• 20+ resume templates
• Ready to use context and text suggestions
• Download in .txt, .pdf, .docx or print
• Tailored cover letter maker
• Resume checker

My Perfect Resume

My Perfect Resume is one of the best resume builders that allows users to create ATS friendly resumes with expert suggestions. You can select any professional template and edit the already available text in this resume editor online.

You can also upload pre-existing resumes for editing. It has the ‘smart apply’ feature, which lets users visit the job sites from where they can directly apply through the resume.

My Perfect Resume Features

• Pre-formatting in resume
• Matching cover letter
• Pre-written bullet points for different industries
• Download in PDF, doc, and other formats
• Job-description specific resume match score
• Actionable steps for resume optimization

Novoresume Builder

Novoresume Builder online is an ATS compliant tool that offers several customization options and allows job seekers to create resumes based on their experience level. You can easily edit the color scheme, layout, background, font, and the like, even if you are not tech friendly. The premium version allows you to create cover letters and several versions of the resume for applying to different jobs.

Novo Resume Builder Features

• AI content analyzer for resume suggestions
• View real time changes
• Font library
• Color themes
• Save in PDF format

Resume Build

Resume Build is an online CV maker that offers extensive samples of resumes in various categories like logistics, banking, hospitality, sales, insurance, and more. This free CV builder ensures that your resume is ATS friendly and the sections in the resume meet your needs. You can modify the text size, font, header size, and so on.

Resume Build Online Features

• 20+ Resume templates
• Industry-specific job description bullet points
• Download in MS Word or PDF formats
• Real time preview

Best Free Resume Builders for Experienced Professionals

Here are some of the best professional resume builder options for experienced individuals:

Resume Genius

Resume Genius is an AI-powered online CV builder for creating ATS (applicant tracking system) friendly resumes. Once you pick a template and color, you can fill in your details in the template by answering some questions or editing the available bullet points. Further, you can preview the resume and make changes in text, template style, and other features before downloading it.

Resume Genius Features

• Wide range of resume templates
• Matching cover letter templates
• 50,000+ job description bullet points for 220+ industries
• Automatic resume formatting
• Download in Word doc & PDF formats
• Real time free resume critique

Canva Resume Builder

Canva Resume Builder lets users create professional resumes by selecting layouts and styles of their choice. Users can also upload their own assets and create a template in this resume builder online for free.

Canva resume editor offers several formatting options like borders, font style, color scheme, and background. You can format and arrange different elements on the template and even upload a profile image.

Canva Resume Builder Features

• Thousands of customizable templates
• Color palette generator
• 5 GB free cloud storage
• Save as JPG, PDF, PNG, or high-quality prints
• Share viewable link or embed on website

Suggested Read: Best Open Source & Free Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) for Businesses

Resume Dot Com

Resume Dot Com Builder online offers access to templates and editing tools to help users create a professional looking resume. Anyone can easily use this CV builder without having graphic design knowledge. You can even import content directly from LinkedIn. The final resume can be downloaded without creating an account on the site.

Resume.com Features

• Professional templates
• Tailored suggestions with step-by-step guidance
• Automated resume reviewer
• Download in Word, PDF, plain text, RTF, or print
• Sharing on Indeed, social media, email

Enhancv is an ATS-friendly professional resume builder that provides aesthetic layouts for creating resumes. You can edit colors, backgrounds, icons, sections, and more. If you upload a pre-existing resume, you can get an email with actionable steps from the CV builder service. Moreover, you can opt for resume writing and review service available separately if you want.

Enhancv Features

• Customizable templates
• Content Analyzer for feedback
• PDF downloads
• Tailored cover letters

LinkedIn Resume Builder

LinkedIn free resume builder helps job seekers in quickly creating a resume by downloading existing profile data in the form of a resume. To access the CV maker tool on LinkedIn, you simply have to select Build a resume after clicking on more button on your profile. Further, you can upload the final resume to your LinkedIn profile or to job postings on the site.

LinkedIn Resume Builder Features

• Resume editor for content
• Download as PDF
• Upload resumes in Word or PDF formats
• Sharing via InMail messages

Whether you are a professional or a fresher, using the best free resume builder will make it easy for you to get your dream job. Whatever template you may use from any of the above-mentioned CV creators, ensure that they highlight your professional and personal identity in the best manner possible.

Do not go overboard with designs available in any professional resume builder and use the best practices based on the industry you want to work in.

Suggested Read: Free Open Source Exam Software for Online Assessment

What are the best resume builders that are actually free?

Top resume builders that are free include Resume Genius, Resume dot com, Zety, among others.

What are the best free resume builders with photos?

Examples of some of the best free resume builders that let you add photos include Canva, Standard Resume, Enhancv, etc.

How to create CV online?

You can use online CV creator tools like Novoresume, My Perfect Resume, LinkedIn Resume Builder, and more.

Related Categories: HR Software | Payroll Management Software | Applicant Tracking System | Recruitment Management Software | Corporate Learning Management System

Ayushee is currently pursuing MBA Business Analytics from SCMHRD, Pune with a strong background in Electronics and Communication Engineering from IGDTUW. She has 2 plus years of full-time work experience as an SEO content writer and a Technology Journalist with a keen interest the amalgamation of business and... Read more

Related Question and Answers

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• Write Answer

Renderforest, VEED.IO, Movavi Video Editor, Wondershare Filmora, and FlexClip are some of the popularly used video resume maker.

Adobe Express, Canva, Wise, and Zety are some of the free resume builders that help you create a professional resume in PDF format.

Zety, LiveCareer, Resume Genius, MyPerfectResume, and  ResumeLab are some of the best resume makers online with photo.

ResumePro, Adobe Spark, Visme, Hireyy, and ResumeCoach are some of the best resume maker app for laptops.

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