Special Agent Resume Failures

A Reoccurring Failure Point

The federal resume cannot be treated like a private sector resume.  You must follow ALL the required instructions, otherwise you will be *immediately* disqualified from the process.  Unfortunately, most 1811 special agent applicants spend more time posting on crazy forums versus shoring up their resumes to pass muster.

Here are the frequent applicant issues reported by HR dealing with 1811 applicants:

• No Name on Resume
• No Name on Supporting Documents
• Nameless Screenshots of Transcripts
• Uploaded documents NOT properly titled
• Supporting documents NOT uploaded
• "Skinny-Style" Resumes with insufficient detail - MAJOR CAUSE OF DISQUALIFICATION

As you can see from some of the failure points listed above, the Federal HR system is fairly unforgiving in their detailed instructions.  The reality is that HR personnel get so many applicants for every vacancy announcement, they simply do not have the time to contact applicants that "forgot to put their name on resumes."  HR will simply send out "Thanks but No Thanks" notices, leaving many applicants wondering why they can't get an interview even though they are minimally qualified. 

As an example, a recent specialized 5-day HSI vacancy announcement for an 1811 position resulted in 5607 special agent applicants.  Off the top, HR ended up immediately disqualifying approximately 2864 applicants due to resume issues.  After their review, they forwarded 1,171 as best qualified for further processing.  My point is that they simply don't have time remedy applicant mistakes.   

This brings me to the most important point of this post.  The barely two-page resumes will routinely guarantee applicants a pretty rejection letter.   I have provided extensive information in the Hiring Advice Section of this website to assist applicants with their resumes.  Do yourself a favor and thoroughly read this resume advice and drastically improve your chances of becoming a special agent!  The federal 1811 special agent resume *must* be extensively detailed and should be well in excess of two pages.  Job responsibilities, successes and awards should be fully explained. 

For example, it is simply not enough to state that you were a detective for X amount of years at the Y police department.  You should note the estimated number of homicide investigations, interviews, arrests, reports, affidavits and warrants that have been completed during your tenure.  You should also highlight at least one or two of your most successful investigations. 

It is also important to note HR personnel routinely undergo resume audits and if they fail to properly screen an insufficient resume; they are severely penalized!  Consequently, HR personnel will only forward resumes that clearly & convincingly meet the standards for the hiring announcement. 

The reality is that if an applicants resume reflects that he/she is truly qualified and clearly meets the minimum qualifications for a General Vacancy Announcement; HR personnel WILL forward said resume to the next stage of the hiring process.  They are actually required to move the minimally qualified application forward! (Note:  This only applies to General Vacancy Announcements)

In General - Resume "Don'ts"

• Do Not list overly personal information (SSN)
• Do Not use USAJobs Resume Builder to generate PDF resumes.  The final formatting is awkward.
• Do Not repeatedly use the word “I”
• Do Not spend much space on positions older than 10 years
• Do Not exaggerate job titles, accomplishments or anything else; this is illegal for federal applications.
• Spell check and grammar check!
• Do Not overuse acronyms
• Do Not use the same resume for each position or agency*

In General - Resume "Do's"

• Plan on a minimum of 10 hours work
• Resume aligns with the position/agency for which you are applying
• Emphasize relevant and qualified accomplishments
• Include relevant awards and training
• Describe experience and accomplishments in a clear and organized manner
• Examples are clear, easy to follow and well organized
• Your accomplishments are quantified (numbers, percentages, and timelines)
• Use measurable results
• Use action oriented verbs (active voice vs. passive voice)
• Do not use the same verbiage in multiple examples
• Revisit your resume regularly to edit
• Revise your resume as you undertake new initiatives and programs
• Follow all formatting instructions
• For example: adhere to 1 inch margins, 12pt font, 5 page limit
• Include dates and job titles
• Resume is visual pleasing
• White space
• Format is consistent: underlining, bold, spacing
• Name on all pages. Number the pages.
• Maintain punctuation and capitalization standards
• Write in layman’s terms
• Spell out and limit the use of Acronyms
• Proofread – Proofread - Proofread
• Save and submit as a PDF; this has become industry standard.

I will soon write a post about KSAs or Knowledge, Skills & Abilities; which are critical to federal resumes.

Good luck to you!