How to ensure your federal resume meets the new USAJOBS requirements
I previously wrote about how new requirements from the Office of Personnel Management will upend the traditionally lengthy federal resume. Starting on September 27, 2025, those changes will take effect. All federal job openings will be removed from USAJOBS. And all federal resumes will be limited to just two pages.
Today, I provide a rundown of the formatting and content requirements you’ll need to follow if you want your federal resume to meet the new USAJOBS requirements.
FORMATTING
Font selection. This guidance really applies to all resumes, not just federal resumes. Use a standard Sans Serif font like Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Lato, or Verdana. These fonts are standard for a reason; almost any computer type and system can open and read them. They appear consistently across platforms. That means your resume will look the same (and break across lines and pages nicely) no matter who opens your file.
Font size. USAJOBS recommends 14-point font size for titles and 10-point font size for the main text of your resume. I use slight variants of these sizes depending on what specific font I choose, but if this is what USAJOBS wants, then that’s what you should do.
Page margins. USAJOBS directs applicants to set the page margins at 0.5 inches. That’s narrower than what I usually use when writing resumes, so enjoy the extra space!
File format. Microsoft Word used to be the best format for USAJOBS applications. Now, USAJOBS advises applicants to upload a PDF version to maintain formatting and pagination. PDF portfolio files are not accepted, so don’t think you can circumvent the two-page limit by getting clever with portfolio files.
File size. Your file must be under 5MB to upload successfully to USAJOBS. This should not be a problem, but if it is, you can try PDF compression to get your PDF file size under 5MB.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
Contact Information. Format your phone number in the traditional (123) 456-7890 format, not with periods or a long single string of numbers. Include your name and email address. You would think this is one element you can’t mess up, but I’ve reviewed resumes where the applicant miswrote their phone number or didn’t provide any contact information at all after their name. Put all of this text in the body of the document, not in the header!
Job experience. The meat of your resume is the Work Experience section. For USAJOBS, you need to include the full name of your employer, your actual job title, the month and year for your tenure, and descriptions of what you did. USAJOBS also recommends that you include the number of hours worked per week, but that’s the first detail I’d cut if you’re tight on space.
Education and certifications. One of the most common ways people get auto-rejected from a USAJOBS posting is because they don’t appear to meet the education requirements. Make sure your resume includes your degrees and certifications if any are required for the job.
Security clearance. Yes, for federal resumes, you do want to mention if you have a security clearance. I recommend including it even if your target job does not require a clearance. Holding a clearance, even an expired one, shows that you’re likely to pass a background check.
Language Skills. If the job requires language skills, make sure you mention them and your level of fluency.
WHAT TO EXCLUDE
Classified information. If you work in the Intelligence Community or another sensitive role, there are still ways to describe your work on your resume without disclosing classified information. I’ve worked with many military and national security professionals to help them write resumes that enable them to transition to the civilian sector without disclosing information they can’t share.
Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information. USAJOBS is instructing applicants to omit their Social Security Number, age, and sex from their resume. That guidance applies not just to federal resumes, but to virtually all resumes.
Photos of yourself. Practices differ in other countries, but in the United States, it’s best practice not to put a photo of yourself on your resume. Photos can reveal your age, sex, and ethnicity. That information can make an employer nervous about being accused of hiring you (or not) based on the characteristics presented in your photo.
Encrypted and digitally signed documents. This point should be obvious, but don’t require a password or digitally sign your resume or cover letter. It can make the files difficult or impossible to open and read.
None of these requirements are particularly surprising. If you’re hoping to secure federal employment in the future, follow these tips and ensure your resume appears as two pages in length in the USAJOBS Preview tool. For instructions on how to preview and confirm your new federal resume’s page length, visit the USAJOBS FAQ. If you have questions about how to best condense your existing federal resume down to two pages, contact me. And remember: if you haven't downloaded your existing resume from USAJOBS yet, now is the time to do it.