📄 Resume Builder — Template Engine (No AI)

Build a pivot-ready, ATS-optimized resume from a structured form — generated by deterministic templates, never an AI model. Federal resume mode creates the longer, detail-rich format required by USAJobs and all federal agencies.

Choose Your Build Mode

Select how you want to build — and whether you need a standard private-sector resume or a federal resume.

💡 The Quantitative Resume Rule: Every bullet point is stronger with a number. "Managed a team" → "Led a team of 14 analysts across 3 departments, reducing processing time by 37%." Add a number to every bullet you enter in the form below — the builder keeps your metrics exactly as you write them.

Target Role for This Resume

👤 Contact Information

Full Name *

Email *

Phone

City, State

💼 Work Experience

Add each position, most recent first. In Federal mode, hours per week, salary, and supervisor details are required by USAJobs.

🎓 Education & Certifications

Education — one per line (Degree — School — Year)

Certifications / Licenses / Clearances — one per line

✉️ Cover Letter Generator

Paste the job description, select your tone, and the template engine assembles a tailored letter from your plan data and the posting’s own keywords — no AI. For federal positions, select Technical or Professional tone — federal hiring managers respond to results-focused, duty-specific language.

Job Details

The more specific the job description, the more of its exact language the letter can mirror.

Company or Agency Name

Job Title

Hiring Manager (if known)

Target Role from Your Plan

Paste Job Description Here ← highly recommended

Select Your Tone

Match the tone to the culture of your target employer.

💼 Professional

Results-focused, business-forward. Best for corporate, management, sales roles.

⚙️ Technical

Methodology-first, precision-driven. Best for engineering, IT, federal, and healthcare roles.

🎓 Academic

Mission-driven, knowledge-centered. Best for education, research, and non-profit roles.

🌐 General

Warm and versatile. Works across industries — ideal for career changers entering a new field.

📦 Career Pivot Job Packet

Your complete career pivot materials in one ZIP file. Federal and veteran applicants receive an additional federal application checklist file.

📁 What is a ZIP file?

A ZIP file is a compressed folder bundling multiple documents into one download — your career pivot materials in a single digital envelope.

Windows:

1

Find Career_Pivot_Packet.zip in your Downloads folder

2

Right-click → "Extract All…" → click Extract

3

Open each .doc file in Microsoft Word → click "Enable Editing"

Mac:

1

Double-click the ZIP — Mac extracts automatically

2

Open .doc files in Word, Pages, or drag into Google Drive

Phone / Tablet:

1

Tap the ZIP in notifications or Files app to extract

2

Open .doc files in Word or Google Docs app

📋 Your Packet Contents

1

01_Resume.doc — Your Pivot-Ready Resume

ATS-optimized (or Federal format) resume built for your target role.

⬜ Build in Resume Builder tab first

2

02_Cover_Letter.doc — Tailored Cover Letter

Personalized letter matching your target employer's language.

⬜ Generate in Cover Letter tab first

3

03_Target_Roles_BLS.doc — BLS Career Research

All target roles with salary data, BLS outlook, and apply links.

⬜ Generate pivot plan first

4

04_Federal_Application_Guide.doc — Federal & Veteran Checklist

Federal hiring authority guide, USAJobs tips, DD214 checklist, and veteran preference forms.

✅ Always included

5

05_Action_Checklist.doc — Remaining Roadmap Steps

Your remaining pivot steps organized by phase with HEP resource links.

⬜ Complete roadmap steps to populate

6

README.txt — Instructions & HEP Resources

How to use each file plus links to all HEP career tools.

✅ Always included

All files are editable Word documents — customize before sending to employers

🏙️ Cost of Living & Quality of Life Pivot

For federal employees and veterans, note that the GS pay scale includes locality pay adjustments — your GS grade salary is higher in expensive cities like DC, NYC, and San Francisco.

Compare Cities — Official Index Calculator

Enter a cost-of-living index for each city from an official source (100 = U.S. average) — e.g. BEA Regional Price Parities or Numbeo. The calculator is fully deterministic — no third-party API, so it never breaks.

Your Current City

Target City (new role location)

Current City Cost Index (100 = U.S. avg)

Target City Cost Index (100 = U.S. avg)

Your Current Salary ($)

Target Salary / GS Pay at New Role ($)

📚 Cost of Living & Relocation Resources

🏠

HEP Cost of Living Guide

Full state & city comparison

📊

BLS Regional Wage Data

Official salary data by metro

🏛️

OPM Federal Locality Pay

GS locality pay tables by city

🌐

Numbeo Global COL

Compare 10,000+ cities worldwide

🏡

Zillow — Housing Costs

Rent & home price trends

📈

HEP Budget Planner

Plan your financial transition

🏛️ Federal & Veteran Career Pathways

Whether you are a veteran transitioning to civilian life, active duty separating from service, a first responder seeking new opportunities, or a professional targeting a government career at the federal, state, or local level — this section is built for you. Empowering Your Future starts here.

🎖️

Veterans & Active Duty Transitioning

👨‍👩‍👧

Military Spouses & Dependents

🚒

First Responders

🏛️

Government Career Seekers

🎓

Students Seeking Public Service

🌐

International Students (OPT/STEM)

🎖️ Veteran Transition Hub

🎯 Military Skills Translator

Enter your MOS (Army), Rate (Navy), AFSC (Air Force/Space Force), MOS (Marines), or Rating (Coast Guard). The official O*NET military crosswalk translates your code into civilian job titles, transferable skills, and federal job series — government data, no AI.

⭐ Veteran Preference Calculator

Veterans may receive preference in federal hiring. Select your status below to find out your preference type and how to claim it on your application.

5-Point Preference (TP)

Honorable discharge + served on active duty in any war, campaign, or expedition with authorized medal

10-Point — 10% Disabled (CP)

Service-connected disability rating of at least 10% but less than 30%

10-Point — 30%+ Disabled (CPS)

Service-connected disability of 30% or more — strongest preference, non-competitive appointment eligible

10-Point — Other (XP)

Purple Heart recipient, spouse/widow/mother of veteran under specific circumstances

📋 Key Veteran Transition Programs

SkillBridge Program

Active duty members within 180 days of separation can work with approved civilian employers — gaining experience while still receiving military pay and benefits.

skillbridge.osd.mil →

TAP — Transition Assistance Program

DoD's mandatory career transition program covering résumé writing, federal hiring, entrepreneurship, and vocational training tracks. All separating members must attend.

dodtap.mil →

VA Vocational Rehabilitation (VR&E / Ch. 31)

For veterans with service-connected disabilities — VA pays for education, training, tools, and job placement to help you enter or re-enter the workforce.

va.gov/careers/vr-and-e →

Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)

Education benefits covering tuition, housing allowance (BAH), and books/supplies for qualifying schools and programs. Up to 36 months of entitlement.

va.gov/gi-bill →

Hire Heroes USA

Free career coaching, résumé review, and job placement for veterans and military spouses — specializes in private sector transition and federal career guidance.

hireheroesusa.org →

American Corporate Partners (ACP)

Free one-on-one mentorship pairing veterans with senior business professionals at Fortune 500 companies for career coaching over 12 months.

acp-usa.org →

Military Spouse Employment (MyCAA)

Up to $4,000 in education funding for eligible military spouses pursuing portable careers. Covers license/certification programs and associate degrees.

MyCAA Portal →

FedsHireVets.gov

OPM's official resource for veteran hiring in the federal government — covers preference, special hiring authorities, and agency-specific veteran employment programs.

fedshirevets.gov →

🔍 USAJobs Smart Search

🏛️ Search Federal Job Openings

Search USAJobs.gov — the official source for all federal government job postings across all agencies, grades, and locations.

Job Title / Keywords

Location

Agency (optional)

Pay Grade Range (GS Level)

—

💰 Federal GS Pay Scale (2025 — Base Pay)

Base GS pay is increased by locality pay adjustments in high-cost areas. DC area adds ~32%, San Francisco ~44%, NYC ~37%. See full locality tables at OPM.gov →

Grade	Step 1 (Entry)	Step 5 (Mid)	Step 10 (Max)	Typical Qualification	Career Level
GS-5	$34,584	$39,575	$44,970	Associate's or 1 yr experience	Entry level
GS-7	$42,887	$49,088	$55,739	Bachelor's with academic honors	Junior professional
GS-9	$52,527	$60,094	$68,301	Master's or 2 yrs specialized exp	Professional
GS-11	$63,536	$72,697	$82,634	Ph.D. or 3 yrs specialized exp	Senior professional
GS-12	$76,186	$87,168	$99,009	Advanced expertise in specialty	Expert professional
GS-13	$90,669	$103,735	$117,800	Technical authority in field	Senior expert
GS-14	$107,136	$122,527	$139,407	National-level expertise	Senior manager/expert
GS-15	$126,020	$144,141	$163,964	Top expert / SES pipeline	Highest career grade

⭐ Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans

VRA

Veterans Recruitment Appointment

Non-competitive appointment up to GS-11 for vets who served on active duty and received an honorable/general discharge with a service-connected disability, a campaign badge, or an Armed Forces Service Medal.

VEOA

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act

Allows veterans to apply to merit promotion announcements that are otherwise restricted to current/former federal employees — significantly expanding the positions you can compete for.

30% Disabled

30% or More Disabled Veteran

Agencies may non-competitively appoint veterans with a service-connected disability of 30% or more to any position for which they qualify — no competition required with the public.

Pathways

Pathways Programs

Three pathways for students and recent graduates: Internship (current students), Recent Graduates (within 2 years of degree), and Presidential Management Fellows (advanced degree holders with leadership potential).

Schedule A

Schedule A — Persons with Disabilities

Non-competitive appointment for individuals with intellectual, severe physical, or psychiatric disabilities. Requires documentation from a licensed medical professional, VA, or state vocational rehabilitation office.

Outstanding Scholar

Outstanding Scholar Program

For graduates with a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, or who graduated in the top 10% of their class. Allows appointment to GS-5 or GS-7 positions without competition.

🏙️ State & Local Government Job Boards

Federal is not the only government path. State and local government offer extensive career opportunities in health, education, transportation, finance, and public safety — often with strong benefits comparable to federal positions.

🌴 California CalCareers ⭐ Texas Work In Texas 🌊 Florida People First 🗽 New York State Jobs 🔔 Pennsylvania Employment 🏙️ Illinois Work 🌽 Ohio Careers 🚗 Michigan Careers 🌲 North Carolina OSHR 🍑 Georgia GTA Jobs 🏛️ GovernmentJobs.com 🏛️ ICMA Local Govt.

📄 Federal Resume vs. Private Sector Resume

✅ Standard Resume

1 page (sometimes 2)
No personal info beyond name/contact
Concise bullet points
Months/year dates
No salary information
No hours per week
No supervisor names required
No citizenship status
Submitted via company site

🏛️ Federal Resume (USAJobs)

2–5 pages (longer is expected)
Citizenship status required
Detailed duty descriptions (full paragraphs)
Exact month/day/year dates
Salary for each position
Hours per week for each job
Supervisor name & phone number
Veterans preference claim section
Submitted via USAJobs only

💡 Federal Resume Tip: Use the Resume Builder tab above and select "Federal Resume (USAJobs)" mode. the structured form collects every required field — citizenship, exact dates, hours per week, and veteran preference — and builds a complete federal-format resume ready to paste into your USAJobs profile.

USAJobs Resume Guide →

📚 Federal & Veteran Resource Hub

🏛️

USAJobs.gov

Official federal job search

⭐

FedsHireVets.gov

OPM veteran hiring guide

🎯

DoD SkillBridge

Work civilian while on active duty

🏥