# Questionnaire-to-Resume Evidence Match

Checks every self-rated item on a USAJOBS assessment questionnaire against your resume to confirm the rating is backed by something you can point to. Use it before you submit so you are not rated ineligible for claiming experience you cannot document.

## Prompt

## Context
You are helping [APPLICANT NAME], a transitioning service member or veteran, prepare a federal job application for [JOB TITLE] at [AGENCY]. They have completed the USAJOBS assessment questionnaire and rated themselves on a set of competencies. The risk is real: hiring agencies compare self-ratings to the resume. If the resume does not support a rating of 4 or 5, the applicant may be rated ineligible or referred without veterans preference credit they should have received. The goal is to flag every gap before the application goes in.

Assessment questionnaire items and self-ratings (paste each question and the rating given): [QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS AND RATINGS]

Current resume text: [RESUME TEXT]

## Task
For each questionnaire item rated 4 (Expert) or 5 (this person is an authority), locate the supporting evidence in [RESUME TEXT]. Produce a table with four columns: Questionnaire Item | Self-Rating | Supporting Evidence Found in Resume | Gap or Risk.

In the Gap or Risk column:
- Write SUPPORTED if the resume clearly backs the rating.
- Write WEAK if the resume mentions the topic but not in enough detail to defend the rating.
- Write NOT FOUND if the resume contains no evidence for this competency.
- Write OVERSTATED if the rating appears higher than what the resume evidence supports, and say what rating the evidence would support instead.

After the table, list the items rated WEAK, NOT FOUND, or OVERSTATED with a plain suggestion: add a bullet to the resume that describes the real experience, lower the rating to match what you have, or skip the item if you genuinely lack the experience.

## Standards
- Work only from [RESUME TEXT] and [QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS AND RATINGS]. Do not add accomplishments or assume skills the resume does not state.
- Do not suggest lowering a rating below what the evidence supports. If the resume is strong on a competency, say so.
- Do not advise the applicant to claim experience they do not have. Self-ratings must be defensible. Inflated ratings that get past screening can be grounds for removal after selection.
- Do not invent experience, GS grades, clearance levels, dates, or qualifications [APPLICANT NAME] has not provided.
- The suggestion for WEAK items must be specific: what bullet to add, not a generic instruction to strengthen the resume.
- Ask before proceeding if [RESUME TEXT] or [QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS AND RATINGS] is missing or if ratings are not clearly matched to questions.

## Variables

- APPLICANT NAME
- JOB TITLE
- AGENCY
- QUESTIONNAIRE ITEMS AND RATINGS
- RESUME TEXT

## Input checklist

- [ ] Paste the full assessment questionnaire text from USAJOBS, including every item and your self-rating for each.
- [ ] Paste your current federal resume text in full. The match check is only as good as what you paste.
- [ ] Privacy and OPSEC: remove your Social Security number and personal data before pasting any resume or service record, and never paste classified or operationally sensitive details.
- [ ] Have the actual job announcement open alongside the questionnaire so you can cross-reference the specialized experience requirements.
- [ ] Note any experience you have that is not yet on the resume, so you can decide whether to add it before submitting.

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Read every SUPPORTED item and confirm the resume bullet actually describes that competency at the level you rated. Agreement from the AI is not a defense if the agency disagrees.
- [ ] Resolve every WEAK and NOT FOUND item before submitting. Either add the bullet with accurate detail or lower the rating to match what you have.
- [ ] Check every OVERSTATED flag. Claiming a higher level than your resume supports is the fastest path to an ineligible rating.
- [ ] Confirm you have not added resume bullets that describe experience you do not actually have. Every line must be something you can defend in an interview or background check.
- [ ] Do not inflate scope numbers (people supervised, budget managed, geographic reach) beyond what is true.
- [ ] Re-read the questionnaire instructions. Some announcements define the rating scale in the announcement itself. Use the announcement definition, not a generic one.
- [ ] Verify that the questionnaire items you rated highest align with the specialized experience in the job announcement. Those are the items the agency weights most.

## Sample output

Sample output. Generated by AI from sample inputs:

Applicant: Marcus Hale, Army logistics NCO applying for GS-0346 Logistics Management Specialist, Department of Defense.

| Questionnaire Item | Self-Rating | Supporting Evidence Found in Resume | Gap or Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plans and coordinates logistics support for large-scale operations | 4 (Expert) | Resume: "Coordinated convoy operations supporting 1,200-soldier task force, managing fuel, water, and ammunition resupply across 6 forward operating bases" | SUPPORTED |
| Develops and implements supply chain management policies | 4 (Expert) | Resume: "Managed property accountability for 340 line items valued at $2.1M" | WEAK: property accountability is not the same as policy development. Evidence supports a 3, not a 4. Consider adding a bullet about any standing operating procedures you wrote or revised. |
| Uses automated logistics systems to track and report inventory | 5 (Authority) | Resume: no mention of any logistics management system by name | NOT FOUND: add a bullet naming the specific system (GCSS-Army, LIW, SARSS, or other) and describe what you did in it. If you cannot, lower the rating. |
| Advises senior leadership on logistics resource requirements | 3 (Competent) | Resume: "Briefed battalion S4 weekly on maintenance status and parts shortfall" | SUPPORTED at level 3 |

Action items before submitting:
1. Item 2 (policy development): either add a bullet describing a specific SOP (standard operating procedure) or policy you wrote, or lower the self-rating from 4 to 3.
2. Item 3 (automated systems): add a bullet naming the specific system and your role in it. Do not claim authority-level skill if your use was routine data entry. Lower the rating to match the real level.

## Customization notes

This prompt works for any federal series with a scored questionnaire. The rating scale labels (Expert, Authority, etc.) vary by announcement; paste the announcement definitions into the questionnaire items if they differ. For Direct Hire Authority announcements, the questionnaire may not exist or may not be scored, so confirm whether the job uses a scored questionnaire before running this. Veterans applying under Schedule A or other non-competitive paths should still run this check, because agencies may use the questionnaire to verify minimum qualifications.

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From The Federal & GS Job Search Library at vetslearn.com/libraries/federal