3 Resume Habits Federal Professionals Need to Drop Before Going Corporate
Spoiler: A corporate resume isn’t just shorter—it’s sharper. And it starts by dropping the habits that are holding you back.
If you’ve spent most of your career in government, you’ve probably been trained to follow a certain resume style: long, detailed, formal, and packed with acronyms. That’s fine—for USAJOBS.
But when you’re applying to corporate roles, the rules change.
Private-sector hiring managers don’t want to wade through 10 pages of dense blocks and terminology. They want clear, compelling, results-driven content that tells them exactly why you’re the one to call.
Here are three federal resume habits to leave behind—and what to do instead.
1. The More Pages, the Better
Federal resumes are often 8–10 pages long, loaded with every duty, project, and position you’ve held. In the corporate world? That much detail is overwhelming.
🛑 Drop this habit: Writing a novel.
✅ Do this instead: Target your resume to 2 pages (3 max for executives), with tight, strategic content that shows what you’ve done and why it matters. Focus on results, not everything you were responsible for.
2. Copy-Pasting Your Position Description
Many federal resumes lean heavily on the language posted in published job descriptions—long, yawn-worthy lists of duties and scope. But that language was written for HR compliance, not hiring engagement.
🛑 Drop this habit: Sounding like a job posting.
✅ Do this instead: Rewrite your experience in plain language that shows impact, outcomes, and strategic value. Instead of listing tasks, describe what you changed, led, solved, or improved.
3. Acronym Overload
You know the meaning of GS-15, SES, HSPD-12, and SME. but corporate hiring managers might not. And even if they do—starting with jargon is an easy way to lose attention.
🛑 Drop this habit: Speaking in code.
✅ Do this instead: Start with the story. Then explain the context. Replace or define acronyms and focus on what your work actually achieved. Remember: you’re not dumbing it down—you’re making it land.
Final Word: Clarity isn’t playing small—it’s playing smart.
That’s how you get noticed. So cut the jargon. Trim the fluff. Highlight what matters most.
Ready to make the leap to the private sector?
A resume writer for 20+ years, I have helped thousands of professionals transition to new corporate careers by creating resumes and LinkedIn profiles that tell the right story—and get results.
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