---
title: "Resume review guide"
source: 18F Guides
source_url: https://github.com/18F/guides
licence: CC0-1.0
domain: engineering
subdomain: 18f-guides
date_added: 2026-04-25
---

{% include 'eng-hiring/unconscious-bias-warning.html' %}

In order to qualify for an appointment, candidates must demonstrate that they have position-specific Specialized Experience documented in their resumes.<sup>[1](#footnote-1)</sup> TTS Talent’s review will help ensure that the candidate’s offer will likely pass review by GSA HR following the interview round. The engineering hiring manager will review to see how the individual's experience would align with needs of the team or organization. (For candidates reading this, take a look at how to [prepare your resume](https://join.tts.gsa.gov/resume/).)

The engineering hiring manager will review to see if their experience aligns with what is needed to be successful in our working environment. Generally, the reviewer will look for experience that describes the following work: 

* Working with software programming languages and application-level frameworks that are core to working at 18F
* OR devOps experience on a modern commercial cloud provider or platform, especially with common Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) stacks like Terraform, Puppet/Chef/Ansible/etc.
* Using Agile methodologies and cross functional team experience
* Stakeholder management experience (for higher grade levels)

To do so, the engineering hiring manager will review previous roles, accomplishments and tasks, and additional items to understand the complexity and the length of experience the candidate has in these areas.

TTS crafts Specialized Experience for each role posting. We iterate on this broad description, especially if multiple teams with different skills needs are jointly participating in hiring (“bucket hiring”). If and when TTS talent and GSA HR come across less common candidate experience (programming languages or frameworks), they will work with the hiring manager to confirm if it is relevant.


<a id="footnote-1"></a><sup>1</sup> Specialized experience “is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.” [OPM](https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=exp)
