How to Write a Federal Resume That Meets USAJOBS Rules

A federal resume is the document hiring agencies use to decide whether you are qualified for a government job, and it follows different rules than a typical private-sector resume. It needs specific details, such as hours worked per week, that many people leave off, and since September 27, 2025, resumes submitted through USAJOBS must fit on two pages.

This guide explains what the USAJOBS Help Center and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) say a federal resume should include, how to tailor it to a job announcement and which common mistakes to avoid.

The two-page federal resume rule

OPM announced on September 2, 2025, that a two-page limit for resumes submitted through USAJOBS would take effect on September 27, 2025. OPM described it as part of its Merit Hiring Plan and said the goal is to help hiring managers focus on each applicant’s most relevant qualifications.

The USAJOBS resume guidance confirms the rule in practice: resumes must be two pages or less, and USAJOBS will not let you upload or build a longer one. If you have older, longer resumes saved in your profile, update them before applying.

Two pages is a real constraint for experienced workers. The practical answer is to prioritize. USAJOBS suggests putting your most relevant experience first and shortening or removing outdated or unrelated work.

What a federal resume must include

The USAJOBS guidance lists the core content every federal resume should have.

Contact information

Put your full name, email address and phone number at the top. Add any other details the job announcement specifically requests.

Work experience

For each relevant job, include:

• Employer name
• Job title
• Start and end dates, by month and year
• Hours worked per week
• Series and grade (for federal jobs only)
• Short descriptions that show you can perform the tasks at the level the job requires

USAJOBS gives an example of how a federal position line can look: Program Analyst, GS-343-11, January 2009 to present, 40 hours per week. For accomplishments, it suggests a structure along the lines of “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z].”

Relevant volunteer work and roles in community organizations can be included if they help show you meet the qualifications.

Education, certificates and licenses

If the announcement requires position-specific credentials, list them. For education, include the school, completion date, degree type and GPA. You may also need to submit supporting documents such as transcripts, certifications or licenses.

What to leave off your federal resume

USAJOBS specifically tells applicants not to include:

• Classified or government-sensitive information
• Your Social Security number
• Photos of yourself
• Personal information such as age, sex or religious affiliation
• Encrypted or digitally signed documents

Leaving these off protects your privacy and keeps the reviewer focused on your qualifications. It also helps you stay within two pages.

How to tailor a federal resume to the job announcement

A single generic resume rarely works in federal hiring. Agencies rate applicants on how well they meet the qualifications in a specific announcement, so read it closely before you write. Here is a simple process:

1. Confirm you are eligible. Check the “This job is open to” and “Who may apply” sections. The USAJOBS eligibility guide explains that if you are not eligible, the agency will not review your qualifications at all.
2. List the requirements. Read the Duties, Requirements, Qualifications, Specialized experience and Education sections. Note every skill, task and credential mentioned.
3. Check how you will be evaluated. This section may mention a writing sample or a job assessment, and the How to apply section may link to a preview of the assessment questionnaire.
4. Match each requirement to your experience. For every qualification, find a job, project or volunteer role that demonstrates it.
5. Rewrite your bullets. Use concise, results-focused statements with numbers, percentages, dollar amounts or concrete descriptions.
6. Save a tailored copy. USAJOBS lets you store up to five resumes, and the Resume Builder can duplicate one so you can adjust it for each job.

Specialized experience and keywords

OPM explains that your application must show you have the specialized experience, education and other qualifications listed in the job announcement. Agencies then place applicants in categories such as “minimally qualified” or “highest qualified,” and that rating decides whether you move forward.

The specialized experience statement in each announcement describes the kind of work you must already have done. Treat it as a checklist. Your resume should show, in plain words, where and how you did that work.

Use the same terms as the announcement. USAJOBS gives a simple example: if a job asks for experience with MS Project, write “MS Project” on your resume rather than a vague phrase like “project software.” The reviewer will not assume what you meant, so spell out acronyms and avoid internal jargon from past employers.

Formatting tips from USAJOBS

USAJOBS recommends a clean, readable layout:

Element	USAJOBS recommendation
Font	A sans-serif font such as Lato, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noto Sans
Margins	0.5 inch
Type size	About 14-point for titles and 10-point for main text
Page size	Standard 8.5 x 11 inches
File type	PDF is recommended to preserve formatting and page count; PDF portfolios are not accepted

The USAJOBS Resume Builder can create a resume that follows these recommendations and pulls in your profile information. According to the USAJOBS resume upload instructions, you add a resume by signing in, selecting Documents, and choosing Upload a resume or Build a resume. If you paste text from a word processor into the builder, bullets and other formatting may not carry over, so check the result.

Common federal resume mistakes to avoid

Most of these mistakes come down to missing one of the specific points in the USAJOBS guidance:

• Leaving out hours per week or exact dates. USAJOBS lists these among the details every job entry should have, so include month and year for start and end dates and your weekly hours for each job.
• Not addressing every qualification. USAJOBS tells applicants to make sure the resume covers all qualifications listed in the announcement.
• Using one resume for every job. Each announcement has its own requirements and wording.
• Relying on acronyms and jargon. Plain language is easier for a reviewer to match to the requirements.
• Burying your strongest points. USAJOBS suggests placing your top selling points in the top quarter of the first page.
• Going over two pages. USAJOBS will not accept a longer resume.
• Including sensitive personal details. Never list your Social Security number or add a photo.
• Typos. Check spelling and grammar, and ask someone with a good eye for detail to review it.

A final checklist before you click Apply

USAJOBS offers a short self-review list. Before submitting, check that:

1. A reviewer could find your main credentials within 10 to 15 seconds.
2. Key information stands out visually.
3. Your strongest qualifications appear in the top quarter of page one.
4. There are no spelling or grammar errors.
5. Every qualification in the announcement is addressed.
6. Someone else has reviewed it.

Once your resume is ready, our step-by-step guide on how to apply for federal jobs on USAJOBS walks through the rest of the application. Applying is always free, so be cautious of anyone charging to “place” you in a federal job. Learn the warning signs in our guide on how to spot a fake job offer.

Note: This article is general information, not career or legal advice. Federal hiring rules can change, so confirm details in the job announcement, on USAJOBS or with the hiring agency. See our Disclaimer.

Frequently asked questions

How long can a federal resume be?

Resumes submitted through USAJOBS must be two pages or less. OPM set this limit as part of its Merit Hiring Plan, effective September 27, 2025, and USAJOBS will not let you upload or build a longer resume.

Do I need to list hours worked per week?

Yes. USAJOBS guidance says each job entry should include hours worked per week, along with the employer, title and start and end dates by month and year. For federal positions, add the series and grade.

Should I include my Social Security number or a photo?

No. USAJOBS says to leave out your Social Security number, photos and personal details such as age, sex or religious affiliation. Classified or government-sensitive information should also never appear on a resume.

Can I use the same resume for every federal job?

You can, but it is not recommended. USAJOBS advises tailoring your resume to each announcement and showing how you meet every listed qualification. You can store up to five resumes in your profile to keep tailored versions.

Can I include volunteer work?

Yes. USAJOBS says relevant volunteer work and community organization roles can be included if they help show you qualify. Describe them with the same details you would use for paid jobs.

Official sources

• How do I write a resume for a federal job? – USAJOBS Help Center
• How to add a resume to your profile – USAJOBS Help Center
• Eligibility vs. qualifications – USAJOBS Help Center
• Getting started – USAJOBS Help Center
• OPM implements two-page resume standard to streamline federal hiring – U.S. Office of Personnel Management
• How do I know if I’m qualified for a job? – U.S. Office of Personnel Management

Last checked: November 6, 2026. We review this guide when the official rules change.