February 25, 2026
If you are a former Federal employee looking to transition to the private sector, you may want to consider updating your resume to translate your detailed government job duties and accomplishments into industry terminology, avoiding overly technical jargon or acronyms. Action-oriented statements that highlight relevant skills and achievements, using common industry terminology, and generally shortening the length to fit a standard 1-2 page resume format while still emphasizing key qualifications for the desired civilian role.
Click here to view a sample resume.
Key points to consider when revising your resume from Federal employment:
- Simplify Language: Replace government-specific terms with their private sector equivalents. For example, “program manager” instead of “project officer,” “stakeholder engagement” instead of “interagency coordination.” Remove federal job series, grades (e.g., GS-13), and excessive detail about every duty. Avoid excessive acronyms (or spell them out and explain briefly).
- Focus on Results: Quantify your achievements with numbers and percentages to demonstrate the impact of your work. Focus on achievements and impact rather than task descriptions. Use quantifiable metrics where possible: Instead of “Reviewed policy documents,” say “Streamlined policy review process, reducing approval time by 30%.” Use action verbs like “optimized,” “implemented,” “increased,” “developed,” “led,” etc.
- Streamline the Format: Federal resumes are often lengthy (4–6 pages). Aim for 1–2 pages for the private sector. Use a clean, modern layout with bullet points for readability. Ensure your resume is free from errors and presents a professional image. You can select a standard resume format that’s either a chronological or functional format depending on your career goals.
- Tailor to Each Job: Start by analyzing each job posting to identify the key skills and qualifications they are seeking. Customize your resume for each position by highlighting the most relevant skills and experiences listed in the job description. Highlight experience in improving processes, cost savings, increasing efficiency, or driving innovation.
- Adjust the Summary/Profile Section: Government resumes often start with a long “Professional Summary” or “Objective.” Condense it into a 3–5 sentence professional summary highlighting your most relevant skills and industry experience.
- Condense Details: While federal resumes often require extensive detail, private sector resumes can be more concise, focusing on key accomplishments and responsibilities.
- Remove Unnecessary Information: Eliminate details like agency-specific acronyms, occupational series numbers, and overly technical jargon that may not be familiar to private sector hiring managers.
Example of translating federal government experience to non-government terms:
- Federal Role: “Managed a team of analysts responsible for developing and implementing budget proposals for a large federal agency.”
- The “Transferrable Skill”: “Led a team of financial analysts in crafting and executing strategic budget plans, resulting in $X million in cost savings.”
- Federal Role: “Managed interagency coordination for compliance with federal mandates.”
- The “Transferrable Skill”: “Led cross-functional teams to ensure regulatory compliance.”
Use keywords from the job posting to ensure your resume gets past automated screening systems, optimizing for industry terms. In general, highlighting the following areas is key for resumes in the private sector or non-government employment:
- Technical Skills: Specific software proficiency, data analysis skills, project management tools.
- Leadership Experience: Managing teams, supervising staff, delegating tasks.
- Problem-Solving Abilities: Identifying issues, developing solutions, implementing improvements.
- Communication Skills: Effective written and verbal communication, stakeholder engagement.
