As a result of the recent upheaval in the federal government, many workers have been surprised to find themselves out of a job with little or no notice. Expect more of the same in the coming months. The challenge for many exiting their government jobs will be to communicate their value in a way that resonates with hiring managers in the corporate world.

First on the agenda is re-interpreting the alphabet soup of acronyms that your agency used into language the corporate world understands. Years ago, I coached soldiers stationed at Ft. Ord and the Presidio of San Francisco who were exiting the military. Many had spent their entire career in the military and had no idea how to make their experience relevant in the civilian job market. It took patience on their part and a lot of open-ended and “tell me more” questions on my part to fully understand and translate their experience for a non-military audience.

Next you have to turn dry government job descriptions into meaty accounts of what you did. By nature, job descriptions are designed to make everyone with a given job title look the same. In fact, everyone performs a job a little differently. These subtleties must be evident on your resume.

Then there is the issue of job titles. Find the corporate equivalents for your government position and use those on your resume.

Perhaps the biggest challenge when developing your resume lies in bringing to life the tangible contributions you’ve made in your current and previous work assignments. In the career industry we call those success stories, accomplishments or achievement statements. They communicate the gold you bring to future employers in a story format that you can share in detail during interviews.

Get into the habit of regularly monetizing and communicating your contributions. None of us can expect to be hired without demonstrating how our experience is relevant. You also can’t expect to be paid more than the value you deliver. In fact, you should expect to contribute considerably more than the cost of employing you. In turn, you should expect and seek out opportunities for growth and challenge. In the process of doing your job, you must build skill and expertise in order to remain competitive.

Here are five steps for taking control of your career despite spite uncertainty in the market:

Identify any skill gaps and seek stretch assignments that will add relevant expertise.

Enroll in that class you’ve been meaning to take.

Be prepared to pay for it yourself. Ultimately, it could be the leverage you need to maintain your current job or effectively compete in the job market if your federal or corporate job is eliminated.

Track and monetize your contributions weekly. Jot a couple of sentences in a Word document about projects completed, challenges met, efficiencies identified or customers served.

Do a self-audit before your next performance appraisal. Review and quantify your top achievements and develop tangible examples of how you’ve contributed to the agency. Research salary ranges and compensation trends and prepare to make the case for the raise you earned.

During the performance conversation share your accomplishments, ask for feedback and take the lead in asking for and negotiating a raise. Keep in mind that whatever you agree upon must work for both of you.

Success in today’s market will hinge on your ability to succinctly translate your past experience into current value.

Mary Jeanne Vincent, career expert and strategist, has a coaching practice in Monterey. She may be reached at 831-657-9151, mjv@careercoachmjv.com, or www.careercoachmonterey.com