How to Write a Diplomat or Ambassador Resume

Ruth Altman reports:

"Resumes are a must-have when it comes to the advancement of your career -- even if you’re a diplomat of the United States. There are many kinds of U.S. diplomats, including ambassadors, economists, administrative assistants and translators. Format and action-oriented detail are each important factors to consider when developing your political resume. When it comes to phrasing, clean, tight language conveys the ideal professional tone. Although it is important to stay within professional lines, resumes remain more of a marketing tool than a job application, so you can still maintain stylistic creativity...Start by headlining your resume with your name followed by a title. For example, 'Jenny Smith' should be followed by the title 'Diplomatic Administrator,' centered underneath. Font size should be no larger than 18 point for your name or title and no less than 11 point for the body of the document. Next, cover your political work experience, including any internships or volunteer positions, and follow it with your education. Add bullet points to create visual interest and increase your resume’s readability. End your resume with skills and professional associations or activities related to your position as a diplomat. Be sure to proofread your final document for spelling and grammar...For diplomats with less than 10 years of experience, keep the resume to one page. Additional pages are acceptable when career experience exceeds 10 years. Most employers prefer a chronological resume -- that is, a resume that lists job experience from most recent to past. On the other hand, a functional resume that highlights your skill set is acceptable when applying to jobs that require any expertise learned in a former position. An objective is considered outdated; omit it from your resume entirely. Also, adding a few elements of style to your resume can effectively set it apart. For example, navy blue accents are an acceptable way to add pizazz to your resume while staying within professional lines. When finalizing the look of your resume, check your page margins to be sure they aren’t any less than a half inch in case a recruiter prints your document...Highlight your skills prominently and avoid burying acquired expertise in the body of a large paragraph. Instead, create a section for your skill set and include tangible assets, such as LexisNexis expertise and knowledge of other political tools such as Catalist, Blue State Digital and Aristotle. Listing tangible skills also provides an opportunity to use keywords, increasing the chances that your resume gets noticed. Avoid listing any soft skills such as 'strong team leader' in your skills section. Use soft skills to build the body of a paragraph in your job experience instead...For the most effective resume, highlight your successes. Avoid listing tasks and focus instead on articulating how tasks have led to achievements."