Webinar: Panel urges federal employees to translate skills and tailor resumes for Virginia local government jobs
March 30, 2026 | Fairfax County, Virginia
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A panel hosted by the Virginia Local Government Management Association in partnership with Fairfax County Workforce Development advised federal employees and contractors on how to make the jump into Virginia local government jobs.
"Be thoughtful about the priorities and work that they're focused on, and be able to connect the dots between the skills and the experiences that you have and how they could be supportive or helpful in advancing the work of that particular agency or organization," said Michelle Gregory, who oversees Fairfax County's data analytics team in the Department of Management and Budget.
Panelists said candidates should avoid federal acronyms and jargon, instead translating accomplishments into the language local agencies use. Nate Weltland, Loudoun County's chief information officer, recommended using tools such as AI to help identify wording that makes a resume more readable to local hiring managers — not to have AI write the resume — and to research each locality's structure before applying.
The panel emphasized that cover letters matter later in the hiring process even if they are not part of initial automated scoring. "The cover letter isn't about a score… it's about who you are," Weltland said, urging applicants to explain the personal, community-oriented reasons they want to work in local government.
Speakers also urged applicants to show not only technical outcomes but how they achieved them. "When people just talk about the outcome — ‘I did X’ — we’re trying to get a sense of the how," Gregory said, noting that hiring managers often look for examples of teamwork, project management and adaptability as much as technical skill.
The panel pointed attendees to county-specific resources: Fairfax County posts an annual IT plan that lists projects and technology priorities, and Fairfax County Workforce Development offers career coaching, resume conversion help and WIOA-funded training to support transitions.
The webinar concluded with a reminder that local-government hiring is often staged — centralized HR screens applications before sending qualified candidates to departments — so matching keywords in the application portal is critical to advancing to human review.
Organizers said the session aimed to give federal workers concrete next steps: study job descriptions, translate federal language into local terms, highlight transferable behaviors, and use county and academic training programs to bridge gaps.
"Be thoughtful about the priorities and work that they're focused on, and be able to connect the dots between the skills and the experiences that you have and how they could be supportive or helpful in advancing the work of that particular agency or organization," said Michelle Gregory, who oversees Fairfax County's data analytics team in the Department of Management and Budget.
Panelists said candidates should avoid federal acronyms and jargon, instead translating accomplishments into the language local agencies use. Nate Weltland, Loudoun County's chief information officer, recommended using tools such as AI to help identify wording that makes a resume more readable to local hiring managers — not to have AI write the resume — and to research each locality's structure before applying.
The panel emphasized that cover letters matter later in the hiring process even if they are not part of initial automated scoring. "The cover letter isn't about a score… it's about who you are," Weltland said, urging applicants to explain the personal, community-oriented reasons they want to work in local government.
Speakers also urged applicants to show not only technical outcomes but how they achieved them. "When people just talk about the outcome — ‘I did X’ — we’re trying to get a sense of the how," Gregory said, noting that hiring managers often look for examples of teamwork, project management and adaptability as much as technical skill.
The panel pointed attendees to county-specific resources: Fairfax County posts an annual IT plan that lists projects and technology priorities, and Fairfax County Workforce Development offers career coaching, resume conversion help and WIOA-funded training to support transitions.
The webinar concluded with a reminder that local-government hiring is often staged — centralized HR screens applications before sending qualified candidates to departments — so matching keywords in the application portal is critical to advancing to human review.
Organizers said the session aimed to give federal workers concrete next steps: study job descriptions, translate federal language into local terms, highlight transferable behaviors, and use county and academic training programs to bridge gaps.
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