The conventional intelligence when applying for a municipal job is to keep your resume short, sweet, and to the point. While you need to outline your experience, you do not need to overwhelm a busy hiring manager with an excessively detailed list of accomplishments.

That rule gets turned on its head somewhat when discussing about applying for municipal jobs. Most municipalities have to adhere to several rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Job candidates often have to have very particular qualifications to be considered for an opening, such as licenses or certifications.

One thing to bear in mind: As with most government jobs, most of the time, internal candidates are given priority consideration for openings within municipalities. This does not mean you should not apply, but do not expect to hear back immediately. Internal candidates get dibs, and even in the best-case scenario, the application process is unlikely to move quickly.

Mention Exact Dates for Municipal Job

The month, date and year of start and end dates aren’t necessary; although, the month and year permit the reviewer to ascertain a more precise time an applicant spent in a position. It’s very likely that a public sector employer is going to check these dates, so be sure they are accurate.

Separate by Position, Not Interviewer

If person has worked in several positions within the same company, each position should be documented separately. This gives a better view of the duties that were performed for each position. Even if the positions are similar, point out the differences; which could include an increase in responsibility or promotion to a new pay grade.

Be Specific in Municipal Job

The experience mentioned in a resume should include detailed statements of duties, like “Created curriculum for training courses; produced handouts, slideshows, and exercises; introduced trainees to the policies and procedures for giving performance evaluations.”

You need to be as clear as possible about exactly how much and what kind of work you did.

Involve Details About Interviewers

By mentioning a description of each past employer on your resume, a future employer can get an idea of the environment in which you performed previous duties.

Some details you will probably need to include are the size of the agency, whether it was private or public sector, and how working there qualified you for the job for which you are applying. Just be certain that if you don’t need your current employer to be contacted that you make it clear in your application.

Include Volunteer & Internship Information

Especially within the public sector, interviewers that are able to count volunteer experience and unpaid internships as qualifying work experience. Even for those who are not able to count unpaid experience as qualifying, it permits them to get an entire picture of an applicant’s acquired knowledge, skills, and abilities.

When detailing volunteer or internship experience, involve the same information you would for a paid position. This gives a deeper picture of what you accomplished and learned from these experiences.