Thousands of employees of the federal government will be trying to find new jobs as the Trump administration pushes them out, presenting private sector employers with a rich pool of experienced, highly qualified professionals looking for work.

But transitioning from the public to private sector, especially for those with decades-long government careers, can be challenging for job seekers who may not speak the same corporate language as HR professionals and recruiters.

“Government employees need to prepare now, not when a layoff is already in motion,” said Amanda Augustine, resident career expert at Career.io. “We’re seeing a surge in professionals scrambling for private sector jobs, but many don’t know where to start.”

Ex-government employees first need to analyze their own transferable skills, then “almost rebrand themselves for the civilian job market,” said David Remick, executive director of the Alexandria/Arlington Regional Workforce Council, which offers resources to job seekers in the D.C. area, including a webpage with tips for those transitioning from government work.

Among the tips for reworking a resume for a non-government role is avoiding government jargon or acronyms. Candidates may also be accustomed to submitting extensively detailed resumes for government jobs, whereas most other kinds of employers prefer resumes that are far more concise.

There are probably thousands of different job types within the federal government, and some of those jobs have easy equivalents, so then it’s just a matter of making sure you’re using similar terminology,” Remick said.

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