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Nine Tips to Write Your Most Effective Security-Cleared Resume
Create a standout security-cleared resume with the help of these nine go-to tips.
Your security-cleared resume is not a biography or a mere list of qualifications. It’s an ad designed to help you land that coveted cleared job interview and move to the next stage of the hiring process. Recruiters typically give your resume a quick scan before deciding to dig deeper and pick up the phone, so it’s crucial to make an immediate impact. Here’s how:
1. Include these Key Details at the Top of Your Resume
Start strong with your name, city and state (no need for a full street address), one primary email, one phone number, and your security clearance. If you’re transitioning from the military, consider adding the specific area you wish to relocate to and the date you’ll be available for hire.
2. Follow With a Brief, Impactful Summary
Your summary should pack a punch by telling employers what you bring to the table. Include two to three lines of crisp, clean, jargon-free critical experience and relevant attributes such as certifications. If you reference technical skills, specify the number of years you’ve been honing those skills.
3. Focus on Accomplishment Statements, Not Lists of Responsibilities
For many cleared job seekers and transitioning military professionals, focusing on accomplishment statements can be the most crucial enhancement to your resume. Apply the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to highlight your achievements in a way that directly aligns with the job requirements. For example:
Assumed management of a failing contract. Within 90 days implemented new procedures that improved team efficiency by 35%, resolved all overdue items, and led the team to a successful contract re-award.
4. Keep Your Resume Design Simple and Clean
Your security-cleared resume shouldn’t stand out in a pile of resumes due to a flashy design. Even if you’re handing it out at a job fair, it’s likely to be scanned electronically. Stick to a simple font and avoid heavy paper, colors, shading, graphics, overbolding, and tiny type. Less is more when it comes to being easily read or uploaded to an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
5. Shoot for One to Two Pages
Trim or remove all information that does not directly support your value. Cut down on jobs from more than a decade ago. Don’t waste space on education or training that is irrelevant — this is a common mistake that transitioning military make.
The exception to this two-page rule is if the job posting specifically asks for 15 years or more experience. And that’s rare. Keeping your security-cleared resume concise forces you to cut the fluff and highlight what truly matters.
6. Tailor Your Resume When Possible
Tailor your security-cleared resume to emphasize the skills and experience most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Incorporating relevant keywords from the job description not only makes your resume more appealing to recruiters but also increases the likelihood that it will pass through the ATS and reach human eyes.
7. Prioritize Operational Security
When uploading your resume to ClearedJobs.Net or sharing it at a Cleared Job Fair, include your security clearance, since only cleared facilities employers have access to our services. However, avoid listing classified project names, colleague names, office size, or budget details on any version of your security-cleared resume. And refrain from including your security clearance on your LinkedIn profile, as some cleared contractors may view this as a red flag.
8. Exclude these Details from Your Security-Cleared Resume
There’s no need to include your picture, social security number, marital status, number of dependents, health details, hobbies, height, weight, or any other personal information. Also, be careful not to share information in a way that may age you. Skip the year you graduated from college and avoid lengthy work experience statements such as “30 years of experience.” That may imply, “I’m expensive, I’ve seen it all, I know it all, and I’m inflexible.”
9. Proofread and Review Meticulously
Your security-cleared resume often serves as your first impression to potential employers. Ensure it’s error-free by proofreading carefully. Read your resume aloud to catch any mistakes that spell check might have missed and always have someone else review it too.
“Keep subjective self-descriptions out of your summary section. I’m looking at you, Results-Oriented Team Players.” – Bill Branstetter, 9th Way Insignia
