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ATSStrict monochrome, single column, no graphics. Built to pass applicant tracking systems.
Use this templateTemplate guide
The Federal resume template
A government-style resume: no photo, a boxed block of labelled personal details under your name, and clearly separated sections with heavy headings. It is designed for the extra detail federal and public-sector applications ask for.
- Best forUS federal jobs (USAJOBS), state and public-sector roles
- StructureLabelled contact block, single column, boxed headings
- LengthTwo pages maximum on USAJOBS since September 2025
- ATSPlain text in one column, no graphics, no photo
How a federal resume differs
Federal HR specialists check your resume against the qualifications in the job announcement, line by line. If a requirement is not visibly on the page, it does not count, however obvious it is from your job title. So a federal resume is more explicit than a private-sector one.
For each job, include:
Job title, series and grade (if federal) e.g. Program Analyst, GS-0343-11
Employer and city, state
Start and end dates month and year
Hours per week e.g. 40Then describe the duties and results that match the announcement's specialized experience paragraph, using its wording where it is true for you.
Length
Federal resumes used to run four or five pages. Since September 2025, under OPM's Merit Hiring Plan, USAJOBS only accepts resumes of two pages or less, so the detail has to be precise rather than long. Always check the "How to apply" section of the announcement you are applying to, as requirements vary.
What to leave out
No photo, no date of birth, no Social Security number. Salary history is not needed for most announcements. Keep references off the resume unless asked.
State and local government
The same habits help: match the posting's language, give dates and hours, and make every required qualification easy to find.
If this one is not right
Three close alternatives, and every one carries your content across untouched when you switch.
Simple
NewA genuinely simple resume: centred name, hairline rules, one column. Nothing to distract, nothing to break.
Use this template
Chronological
TrendingReverse-chronological layout with a dotted connector on every entry.
Use this templateFAQ
Frequently asked questions
A resume for US government jobs. It includes more detail than a private-sector resume, such as hours per week and month-and-year dates for each job, so HR can confirm you meet the announcement's qualifications.
Two pages. Since September 2025, USAJOBS accepts only resumes of two pages or less for federal job announcements. Check each announcement's 'How to apply' section for anything else it requires.
Yes. Download it as a PDF and upload it to your USAJOBS profile. The text is real and selectable, which the system needs.
Yes, for each job. It is how HR calculates whether you have the required length of specialized experience, and missing hours can make an application ineligible.