How To Prepare a Resume

Don't write your resume for a particular position. Instead, concentrate on defining and identifying all meaningful skills you possess for those career fields in which you are interested. Then describe your experience in terms of specific skills rather than general descriptions.

• Carefully read the information and application instructions provided in the job opportunity announcements listed under Jobs, Jobs, Jobs.

• Review the Sample Resume.

• Use our Resume Builder to create your resume. It will automatically format your resume into the Federal resume format and will electronically send it to the applicable Human Resources Service Center. Our Resume Builder is accessible from the bottom of each job opportunity announcement listed on Jobs, Jobs, Jobs.

• If you wish to build and save a Resume Builder resume for future use and not apply to an actual job opportunity announcement, just select and open any of our vacancy announcements. Scroll down to the bottom of the announcement and click on the Resume Builder Button. Create your resume. Then use the Save button, rather than the Preview button.

• Describe your experience with specific words and phrases rather than vague descriptions. For example, rather than using "communicates orally and in writing", it is better to use "writes complex technical documents and reports; prepares policy statements; and develops and presents Power Point briefings to large groups".

• If you use jargons and acronyms specific to your profession, spell them so that all readers can readily understand what you do.

• Describe your interpersonal traits and attitudes. Descriptions could include such traits as time management, dependable, leadership, sense of responsibility, ability to prioritize, etc.

• You can have more than one paragraph for each experience, but keep paragraphs short by entering a carriage return (blank line) after at least every 20 lines. It's easier to read.

• Don't use fancy treatments such as graphics, italics, underline, shadows, and reverses (white letters on black background) or signs and symbols such as % # * ( ) / = and don't type your information in all capital letters.

• Electronic submission of resumes through the use of the Department of the Navy Resume Builder is the preferred method for applying on the Department of the Navy's job announcements. The Resume Builder is accessible at the bottom of each job opportunity announcement listed on Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Resumes may also be submitted by E-mail or hardcopy. If you are planning on E-mailing or mailing a hardcopy resume, review the Directions for E-mail Resumes or Directions for Hardcopy Resumes.

• Once you have a resume on file with a Human Resources Service Center, you may be able to use it to apply for other job opportunity announcements issued by that Center using Application Express. Read the "How to Apply" section of the job opportunity announcement(s) you are interested in applying on to determine whether Application Express may be used.