Federal Resume Guidebook, 8th Ed
Is the Ultimate Introduction to New 2-Page Federal Resume

(August 15, 2025) – On May 29, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management issued a historic memo prohibiting the longform Federal resume, which could be 5, 10, even 20 pages. In a seismic shift, the memo called instead for a 2-page limit. In response, leading Fed jobs expert Kathryn Troutman has revised her best-selling Federal Resume Guidebook as a new essential 8th edition to provide 16 sample resumes in a masterpiece, skills-based, 2-page format and more.

“Editing a longform Federal resume into 2 pages is a very difficult task,” notes the author of this first-ever guide to the 2-page Federal resume. “But with the samples in the book, the Federal employee or Federal job seeker can select their favorite format and begin to write their own draft.”

The resume samples include before and after formats to contrast the longform Federal resumes vs. the more succinct 2-page versions. In the former 5-page outline resumes, the critical skills and keywords were in ALL CAPS. Now they are in Upper and Lower Boldface. Easier to read in fewer pages. The new format features Professional Experience, Keywords, Competencies, Accomplishments, Education, Certifications, Volunteer Experience, Dates and the OPM-required compliance details, all in just two pages.

The biggest chapter in the book is “Maximize Accomplishments in 2 Pages.” In this chapter, there are 30 accomplishment samples, both longform (around 100 words) and short form (about 30 words). “One of the most difficult parts of crafting any format resume is writing accomplishments, special projects, and problems solved,” says Troutman. “Yet accomplishments are critical for success.” Troutman’s firm, Resume Place, offers a very helpful accomplishment writing tool, the CCAR (Context-Challenge-Actions-Results) builder.

Other features of the new 8th Edition include:

o Kathryn’s introduction of AI search for 6-10 keywords / core competencies for each job announcement o 7 cover letter samples (On the Resume Place website, there is also a Cover Letter Builder.)

o Individual chapters on Career Change and Information Technology resumes

The Federal resume has been longer than private industry resumes since its introduction in 1996. Kathryn wrote her 1st edition of the Federal Resume Guidebook that year, creating a format for the resume that became popular. There have been six additional versions of the book since then, with Kathryn fine-tuning the Federal resume format over time.

“The goal of writing a great 2-Page Federal resume is to get best qualified, then referred to a manager, then invited to an interview, and finally selected for your desired position,” says Troutman. “The goal of this book is to help you achieve this success. Our 2-Page, Skills-Based Federal Resume format is also very good for 2-Page Private Industry Resumes.”

Kathryn Troutman is known as the “Federal Resume Guru,” among Federal job seekers, agencies, and military transition offices worldwide. She founded Resume Place, Inc. in 1971. The Certified Federal Job Search Trainer® / Certified Federal Career Coach® was founded by Kathryn in 2002, and it brings the Ten Steps to a Federal Job® curriculum to more than 200 military bases globally.

The author has written over 30 guides on resume writing, including The Stars Are Lined Up for Military Spouses®, now in its new 3rd Edition.