Demystifying the Emergency Management Resume and Application (2024)

I get a lot of requests to review resumes from Emergency Management students, interns, and people who are looking to make a career move. Having been both a hiring manager and a recruiter, I’ve had the opportunity to look at a lot of applications and resumes from both perspectives. I’ve also had several recent conversations with hiring managers who get inundated with applications. One recent entry-level opening in my area generated 130 candidates, most of whom had Master’s degrees! That kind of competition is becoming the norm and you need to find a way to set yourself apart from the pack.

Here are some tips and tricks to help you get some traction in the application process.

1. There is no “one size fits all” resume. You need to have a master document that includes pretty much everything you ever did, with details, but you need to take the time to tailor it for each job, or each type of job, that you apply for. Make sure it explicitly describes how you meet the minimum requirements and as many of the preferred requirements as possible.
2. Assume that the first screening of your application or resume will be by somebody who knows very little about Emergency Management. Someone in HR will likely be screening your application to make sure it meets the minimum requirements. They may also be scoring it against preferred requirements or some other pre-set criteria. That means you can’t assume that your acronym soup will make any sense to them! Spell out what you mean, using the terms that were in the job announcement.
3. Don’t include personal details, like salaries, supervisor names, references, etc. unless they are specifically asked for. Never ever include things like your social security number, age, date-of-birth, or other protected information either. Not only do these things take up valuable space, they could allow an employer to make decisions based on a protected status.
4. Do include community involvement, leadership in organizations, and membership in professional development organizations. This shows your commitment to the profession and to your own development.
5. Keep it short and simple. Even the most seasoned professional should be using nothing more than a 2-page resume. It’s not easy, but it forces you to focus on the key points that most closely relate to the position you’re applying for. Don’t use big words designed to baffle the average reader! Remember #2 above!
6. Don’t confuse “Certifications” with “Certificates”. Too many times I’ve seen an application that lists out every single FEMA Independent Study Course in the Certifications section. Those aren’t certifications! They’re certificates of completion and don’t do a lot to add to your resume unless they’re specifically required in the job announcement. Certifications are generally going to be something you took a test and/or submitted a portfolio for and that you have to renew every 3-5 years. They might include IAEM’s CEM or AEM certification, PECB’s ISO 22301 certification, or DRII’s ABPC or CBCP certification (or similar). These are important professional certifications that set you apart from the crowd, so be sure to list them if you have them!
7. If you don’t want a job exactly like the one you have, take the time to describe what you did in terms of how it applies to the job you want to have. If your career to date has been in mitigation but you really want to move to recovery, talk about the skills you used that apply directly to the new job you want; don’t just talk about all the awesome mitigation stuff you can do!
8. Get a personal e-mail address that doesn’t involve cats, dogs, hobbies, or inappropriate words. Better yet, don’t get one that involves numbers! There are plenty of places to get a free e-mail address. Pick a professional sounding one to use in your job hunt. Hiring managers have trouble taking sexykitten452 or superjock729 seriously!
9. Avoid the words assist and assisted. That could mean anything from “handled the recycling” to “did all the work”. Say what you did, how you did it, and who you did it with. Be specific, without getting too far into the details.
10. Get somebody to proofread your resume (and even your application). Most emergency management jobs involve a lot of writing, so an application filled with typos is probably not going to make it to the next round. Very carefully proofread your application before you hit the final submit button too. I disqualified myself from a really cool job once because I accidentally selected “no” when the application asked if I had completed ICS 300 and ICS 400. Not only have I completed them, I teach them! They were listed in the application and on the resume, but since I clicked the wrong button, my application immediately went to the digital round-file!
11. Make sure your LinkedIn profile (if you have one) more or less matches your application. Whether or not potential employers have the right to look you up on LinkedIn is a matter of some debate, but you can assume that more than a few do. You can also bet that your new co-workers will look you up as soon as you get hired!

If you find that you’re not getting much traction, consider adding some professional credentials to your resume. In addition to the certifications already discussion, consider spending time in one of FEMA’s Emergency Management Professional Programs or in the Naval Postgraduate School’s CHDS Executive Leaders Program (ELP). The FEMA Basic Academy is a good place for new emergency management professionals or for established professionals who need an update or refresher on current topics. The Advanced Academy is a great place for prospective leaders to develop new skills or for existing managers to fine-tune their approaches to leadership and management. Likewise, the ELP program helps senior leaders further develop their skills. All three programs provide a great opportunity for networking and professional development and can be a great way to put yourself ahead of the pack when it comes to job hunting!

The emergency management market is very competitive right now, so don’t get too discouraged if your applications don’t seem to be going anywhere. Do take it as an opportunity to solicit feedback both from the hiring organization and from others who can provide insight into your application package.