How to turn your federal experience into a great resume
If you’ve recently left the federal government job (or are thinking about leaving), you may be thinking about what’s next. One great option is to bring your skills and passion for service to a state or local government role. These jobs are often focused on helping communities directly, and they value people like you who can get things done within complex systems.
Before jumping right in, your resume may need a few updates. Federal resumes can be lengthy and full of jargon that only other federal workers understand. We’re here to walk you through best practices for editing and formatting your resume to ensure it is clear, focused, and ready for the next chapter of your public service journey.
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Keep It Simple and Easy to Read
A good resume doesn’t need to be fancy. In fact, state and local hiring managers often prefer a traditional format that’s easy to scan. Stick to black and white, a clean font (the defaults are fine), and clearly labeled sections.
Your full name and contact information should be right at the top and easy to find. Below that, make sure your professional experience stands out. You can follow this general order:
Basic Information (name, contact info, summary if applicable)
Work Experience
Education
Skills
Certifications and Licenses
Volunteer Experience
Volunteer work is a great way to show that you care about your community.
Match the Job Posting
Every time you apply for a new job, take a close look at the job description. Try to use similar language and include key phrases, especially from the “Qualifications” section. This helps your resume get noticed. You are better off applying for fewer jobs but making the effort to update your resume each time.
You should tailor your resume by listing required skills or licenses near the top and by clearly connecting your past work to what the new job requires.
If your federal role doesn’t clearly match the job you’re applying for, consider adding a short summary section at the top. In just a few sentences, explain your skill set, the kinds of roles you’re interested in, and why your experience is a good fit.
Translate Federal Experience Into Local Impact
If you are transitioning from a role in the Federal government, your resume probably needs an update. Federal resumes are often full of codes, acronyms, and details that may not make sense to non-federal hiring managers. Replace federal terms and jargon with plain language that focuses on your impact.
Instead of saying you “supported OMB A-123 international controls as a GS-13,” say you “reviewed risk controls to help the agency better manage public funds.” Always ask yourself: Would someone from outside my old agency understand this?
Avoid using federal pay grades (like GS-12 or GS-14), and don’t list federal salary levels. Avoid listing your previous salary at all.
Use clear action verbs like managed, created, led, improved, or organized. Focus on what you achieved, not just what you were responsible for.
Focus on Your Impact
Hiring teams want to know that your work was effective. Did you make a government process more efficient? Support a program that serves vulnerable populations? Administer a grant that led to new infrastructure?
When you can, give specific examples with numbers.
Replace: “Managed a grant program that served families”
With: “Managed a $2.5 million grant program that served over 1,200 families and met 100% of reporting deadlines”
Replace: “Led training session for employees to improve service delivery”
With: “Led monthly training sessions for 50 employees across three departments to improve service delivery”
These details show that you care about results, and they help employers picture you doing similar work in their community.
Include the Right Details
Resumes should be to the point and easy to follow. But they still need to include some key information for each role:
Your job title
Employer name and location
Month and year for each job start and end date
Brief description of your responsibilities and achievements.
These details help show your consistency, experience, and fit for the job classification. Employers often value stability and long-term work, so be sure to include all relevant jobs – even if they weren’t in government. But keep it concise – it’s OK to cut things that aren’t relevant. Your is your calling card for this role, not a comprehensive history.
Quick Reminders Before You Hit Send
Use a PDF vs. a Word document – it ensures they won’t have problems opening it.
Proofread carefully
Keep grammar and formatting consistent
Ask a friend or family member to read your resume – if they can understand what you did in your previous jobs from reading your resume, it’s probably ready
ABOUT CIVIC MATCH
Civic Match was launched in November 2024 with the goal of keeping great public servants in public service. Civic Match is an initiative of the nonpartisan nonprofit organization Work for America, whose mission is to make public service a desirable, accessible, and stable career path for American families across all walks of life.
