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Don’t Make These Common Online Interview Mistakes

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Interviews for the Senior Executive Service (SES) before a Qualifications Review Board (QRB) are conducted online—as are many other interviews these days.

Here are 10 things you need to avoid to make a good impression:

  1. Although OPM recommends that SES candidates bring an outline of their ECQ stories, reading from a script is a major no-no.
  2. Arriving late
  3. Poor interview presentation
    • Appearance
    • Lack of preparation
    • Unclear demonstration of competencies
    • Losing focus / constant referral to notes
    • Rambling answers
    • Lack of enthusiasm / poor body language or lack of eye contact with the camera
    • Being negative about current / former agencies, supervisors, or roles
  4. Background distractions, noises, etc.
  5. Long descriptions of challenges or context (and not enough time spent on leadership actions and results).
  6. Leadership actions and result are not executive or aligned with the challenge or have limited impact
  7. Too much “we,” not enough I
  8. Using more than 2 examples for each ECQ
  9. Using competency language without actually demonstrating the meta- or sub-competency with specific actions
  10. Using examples that are older than 10 years (or at lower levels; examples should focus on GS-14 and above level work).

While the focus on the above is on the SES interview, in reality, many of the points apply to all structured interviews. The bottom line is that you need to be prepared for your interview; it is not the time to “wing it!”

Follow our LinkedIn page for regular updates, as we’ll be sharing more about the new SES Interview process and more!

What to Know About the New Executive Core Qualifications

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As you may know, in 2025, the Administration changed the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) that have been in place for 20+ years. In addition to changing the ECQs (and their definitions), there are also now 15 sub-competencies—three for each ECQ, down from 22 sub-competencies and additional fundamental competencies. The earlier ECQs had from 3 to 6 sub-competencies.

While it may seem like you can use your old ECQs for this new construct, only one ECQ is a good match for the former ECQs. That is Driving Efficiency—it is the only ECQ with the same 3 basic underlying competencies as the former business acumen.

The first ECQ is totally new: Commitment to the Rule of Law & the Principles of the American Founding. Not only is the ECQ itself new, so are its sub-competencies: knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to the rule of law, and civic mindedness.

The Merit and Competence ECQ has 2 sub-competencies used by the former results driven definition and one from the former leading change. Leading People has one sub-competency from the former leading people definition, one from the results driven, and a totally new one. Achieving Results is not the same as the former results driven; instead, it has 2 competencies from leading change and a new one.

And if you notice, there is nothing similar to the former building coalitions in the new ECQs—and leading change retains a few sub-competencies (but not all)—and they are spread over multiple ECQs.

So what does this mean if you’re an aspiring SES?
  • You need to understand the new definitions of each ECQ and the accompanying sub-competencies
  • Your SES resume needs to reflect the language of the new ECQs
  • If you already have a set of ECQs, cannot use them for your interviews—you will likely need to change-up your stories for your OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB) interview to match the language and definitions of the new ECQs
  • You may want to edit your resume and any ECQs to remove references to COVID, and other topics which have been superseded by recent Executive Orders
  • While there is no longer a 10-page narrative requirement for the ECQs, you still need ECQ stories that cover the sub-competencies for your Office of Personnel Management Qualifications Review Board (QRB) interview. Without having strong, recent (last 10 years ), and executive-level (GS-14 and above) stories you may not pass your QRB interview and cannot be appointed to the SES.

The time to get started is now!

Learn more about our Resume Writing Services and don’t hesitate to Contact Us if you need support!

Categories ECQ

What is the Rule of Many?

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If you have been in the government for a while, you are likely familiar with the Rule of 3 and/or Category Rating. Both of these terms refer to candidate lists provided to hiring managers from which they may select while ensuring that eligible veterans receive appropriate priority.

In a memorandum called, Reinvigorating Merit-Based Hiring through Candidate Ranking, OPM issued new guidance modernizing federal hiring by eliminating the Rule of 3 and replacing it with the Rule of Many. The Rule of Many is meant to provide hiring managers for both competitive and excepted service positions with a broader selection pool that emphasizes practical skills and merit by measuring both through various skills-based assessments.

Here are some of the highlights:

  • The Rule of Many rates candidates numerically using assessments. In addition, candidates are listed on the hiring certificate in rank order for selection. Veterans preference is taken into account in the scoring.
  • This process may be used for hiring under delegated examining (when vacancies are posted as open to all US citizens) when agencies use numerical ratings of applicants. It may also be used for hiring in the excepted service.
  • Unlike Category Rating which puts candidates into predetermined “buckets” such as best, qualified, highly qualified, etc.,  the Rule of Many uses numerical rankings for candidates and hiring lists are presented in numerical order. Basically, it combines the Rule of 3 and Category Rating.
  • Agencies may use the Rule of Many OR Category Rating to fill positions; the Rule of 3 may not be used. Hiring managers are not typically limited to 3 candidates.
  • When the Rule of Many is used, veterans preference points (either 5 or 10 points for CPS and CP disabled vets) are added to the score of candidates. Veterans with a 10% or more compensable rating are put at the top certificate (hiring list) except for Professional and Scientific positions (as defined by OPM) at GS-9 and above.
  • Job postings must state that they are using the Rule of Many when applicable.

The above is a lot, especially for people not that familiar with how federal hiring works. To summarize this in plain language, here’s what you need to know about the Rule of Many:

  • Your eligibility and rank will be based on scored assessments.
  • Your application may be among a larger pool of candidates considered than under previous rules.
  • Veterans with qualifying disabilities are still given preference as required by law.
  • Agencies are required to select fairly and document decisions clearly.

HR policies can be complicated and this information is not meant to be all inclusive.

Want more? Ask your Human Resources Representative or see:https://www.opm.gov/chcoc/latest-memos/reinvigorating-merit-based-hiring-through-candidate-ranking.pdf

Get Your Digital House in Order!

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The beginning of the year is a great time to get your digital house in order. Whether you are pursuing federal employment or employment in private, nonprofit or state and local sector, people are looking at your LinkedIn profile. Don’t get left behind. The market is highly competitive and we should use every advantage we can. And yes, I know the feds aren’t as active on LinkedIn as the private sector but this is changing rapidly.

LinkedIn is the premiere platform for jobseekers. You can argue that it’s good or bad but at the moment, this is the place to be digitally. Here are some ways you can optimize your LinkedIn account:

Basics:
  • Headline Strategy: Use all 220 characters with a formula: Current Role + Value Proposition + Target Keywords + Unique Differentiator
  • About Section: Structure with a hook, story arc, and clear call-to-action using the STAR method
  • Experience Optimization: Include 3-5 bullet points per role with quantified achievements and relevant keywords
  • Skills & Endorsements: Strategically order your top 3 skills and actively manage endorsements
  • Activity Publishing: Share original content 2-3 times per week during peak engagement hours (Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM)
Advanced LinkedIn Features:
  • Use LinkedIn Creator mode for expanded content tools
  • Leverage LinkedIn Stories for behind-the-scenes content
  • Host LinkedIn Live sessions or audio events
  • Create LinkedIn newsletters for consistent thought leadership
  • Utilize LinkedIn’s SEO by including keywords in all sections
AI Prompts:
  • “Create a LinkedIn headline using the formula: [Current Role] + [Value Proposition] + [Keywords for target role] + [Unique differentiator] for someone targeting [specific position]”
  • “Write a compelling LinkedIn About section that follows the STAR method and includes keywords for [industry/role]”
  • “Generate 10 LinkedIn content ideas that demonstrate expertise in [field] and encourage engagement

Please note that some of these ideas are more important for some jobseekers (and those who want to stay put) than others. And of course, LinkedIn is changing all of the time. Regardless, the above represents a great way to start or improve your LinkedIn presence.

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Feeling Like Your Age is Getting in the Way of You Getting Hired?

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I regularly hear from people who believe their age is hindering their ability to get a new job or a promotion. We all know that age discrimination is illegal. That being said, individual hiring managers may have biases and unfortunately ageism is one.

There are a number of strategies you can use to minimize age being a factor in hiring and promotion decisions. Here are 5 strategies you can employ:

  1. Keep the focus on your past 10 or so years of experience. I promise you that no one cares what you did in the 1990’s. You do not want to come off as if you’re living on your laurels. Hiring managers want to know what you have done recently. You can show earlier work experience in a category called Earlier Work Experience and list your titles, employers, City, ST without including dates. You can, if there’s room, list an accomplishment or two.
  2. Remove graduation dates (if you graduated more than a couple of years ago). If your resume states that you graduated in 1978, for example, the first thing anyone is going to do is the “math” to figure out how old you are.
  3. Ensure you have an updated email address. Your email should be Gmail or something similar. You should not be using AOL or Yahoo for job hunting. AOL especially screams that you got your email 25+ years ago.
  4. Remove content that immediately dates you. Examples include mentioning your success in managing Y2K, have your summary state that you have 25+ years of experience (or even more!), outdated software on your list (WordPerfect, LOTUS 1-2-3, etc.).
  5. Including Objectives and mentioning References on your resume. Hiring managers don’t care what you want (objective); instead, they want to see what you can offer them (professional summary). All hiring managers know that you will provide references if asked; mentioning them on your resume is considered old fashioned.

The above goes for both federal and private sector resumes. If an individual job posting requires something on this list (such as graduation dates), of course you need to include it. But as a general rule, ensuring you are following modern resume standards will help minimize opportunities for you to be eliminated on first glance because the reader makes a negative assumption about your age.

If you’re in need of resume writing assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Federal Hiring Freeze Update

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On October 15, the White House issued an Executive Order (EO), Ensuring Continued Accountability in Federal Hiring. Here is a summary of what you need to know:

  • The hiring freeze is not over. According to the EO, “No Federal civilian position that is vacant may be filled, and no new position may be created,” with exceptions outlined in the EO.
  • The policy applies to all agencies and Departments, regardless of their funding  sources.
  • By mid-November, every agency should have a Strategic Hiring Committee with senior officials, including the Deputy head of the agency and the Chief of Staff to the agency head. They will approve the creating or filling of vacancies.
  • The Committee will ensure that hiring is, “consistent with the national interest, agency needs, and the priorities of [the] Administration.
  • Agencies are directed to improve operational efficiency and reduce redundancy, and reduce contractors, among other things while prioritizing filling national security, homeland security, and public safety positions.
  • The order does not affect the ability of agencies to provide Social Security, Medicare, or veterans’ benefits.
  • The order does not affect positions related to immigration enforcement.
  • OPM may grant exceptions as appropriate. There are also carve-outs for Schedule C (political positions) and a few other things.

The bottom line is that the hiring freeze remains in effect for most positions. Federal employees should be aware that the pressure to reduce the size of government continues into 2026.

If you are interested in staying with the government, you should make sure your 2-page resume is ready to go; opportunities are likely to be limited.

If you’d like to stay up to date on federal and career news, follow us on LinkedIn!