ECQ

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  • You may want to edit your resume and any ECQs to remove references to COVID, and other topics which have been superseded by recent Executive Orders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!

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Categories ECQ

What Do You Mean My ECQs Need Work?

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It is not unusual for me to get a call from recently selected Senior Executive Service (SES) candidates asking for help with their Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). They have been told by their selecting agency that their ECQs need work before submission to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Hand selecting a file among many files. Some files in background have red Xs on them.

When I read their ECQs, candidates are often surprised to hear that their ECQs need a complete overhaul before submission. How, they want to know, could they have been selected if their ECQs need as much work as I say?

Here are my thoughts:

  • If you applied internally, your agency likely already knows you.
  • The agency focused more on your Technical Qualifications (also known as Mandatory Technical Qualifications or Professional Technical Qualifications) than on your ECQs.
  • Your ECQ stories are more agency- or technically-focused and “inside baseball” so they were relatable to agency readers who were not really thinking about OPM requirements.
  • Agency reviewers were not focused on OPM requirements.

It is important to remember that your audience for your ECQs is not people who know you are or likely to be wowed by your technical brilliance. Instead, OPM reviewers, known as a Qualifications Review Board (QRB), are looking for specific examples of your leadership experience as expressed through your 10 ECQ stories. Those stories need to meet specific criteria and be told in a certain way.

As you work on your ECQs, be sure to review OPM guidance for ECQ writing. Make sure that your ECQs are written using the Challenge-Context, Actions-Results (CCAR) framework, reflect the key competencies from each ECQ, include stories from the past 10 years, and clearly demonstrate your executive (not managerial) experience.

Getting selected for an SES position is great—congratulations! Understand, however, that getting selected does not guarantee that your ECQs will pass a QRB. Make sure that you put your best ECQs forward so that you are certified by a QRB the first time.

For more information check out our SES Playlist on YouTube or learn more about our SES & ECQs services.

Writing Your ECQs—Quick Tips

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You’ve made the decision that it is time to prepare your Executive Corps Qualifications (ECQs). Where do you start?

  • Identify your achievements and match them to specific ECQs. Before deciding what story to use in which ECQ, read the ECQ definitions and put the story in the ECQ where it fits the best. All achievements must be from the past 10 years and can only be used once. Focus on YOUR accomplishments, not those of your agency or organization. You should have 10 separate achievements and achievements should be from your executive level (this is generally GS-14 and up for current federal employees; O-6 and above for military members, and comparable experience for private sector applicants).
  • Review the definition of CCAR (challenge-context-action-result) to make sure you understand it. Your ECQs must be prepared using the CCAR framework.
  • Outline your stories. ECQ reviewers are looking for challenges above and beyond your daily work; try to have at least one action for each of the ECQ’s underlying competencies; and keep in mind that all results must show that you solved the challenge.
  • Use as many metrics as you can. Throughout your narratives, be sure to include numbers of people, dollar figures, customers served, etc. And, quantitative results are always more compelling than non-quantitative ones. If you do use a qualitative result, you may want to use a quote from an award recommendation or performance evaluation. It’s not enough to just note that things are better; you need to prove it.
  • Utilize “I” throughout your narratives. Although you may have worked with a team or supervised others during the achievement, your ECQs need to focus on your personal contributions.
  • Remember your audience. While your agency may “want” you for a SES position, they can’t have you unless you are certified by a Qualifications Review Board (QRB). The QRB members who will review your ECQs if you are selected by your agency will not include anyone from your agency. That means your ECQ narratives must be understandable to those who do not know your work or your acronyms.
  • Put in the required time. Putting together a strong ECQ package takes time. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) estimates that you should spend 40+ hours preparing the first draft of your ECQs—and another 6 months to get it right.

Ready to get started? There’s no time like the present!

Are Your ECQs QRB-Ready?

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Before you may be officially appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES), your Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) must be approved by an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Review Board (QRB). What do you have to do to ensure that your ECQs are ready? Follow these tips for a winning package:

  • Follow all formatting rules: 1-inch margins, 12-point font, and 10-page narrative limit. Number pages and don’t forget to include your name. There is no reason to include the competency definition.
  • Spell out your acronyms. Each time. Each ECQ should be readable as a standalone document.
  • Adhere to the CCAR model. Your ECQs should be written using the Challenge, Context, Actions, Results rubric. The focus should be on your executive actions and results.
  • No more than 2 stories per ECQ. Do not repeat stories. And make sure that your stories showcase your leadership achievements, not your technical acumen.
  • Use “I” throughout. Minimize the use of “we,” passive language, and third person.
  • Adhere to the time limits. All stories must be from the past 10 years; if possible, try to use stories from the past 5 years.
  • Do not name names. ECQs should name reference specific people.
  • Keep your personal philosophy, favorite leaders, and information about your “journey” to yourself.
  • Include all underlying competencies in your stories. For example, leading change should evidence vision, strategic thinking, innovation, flexibility, resiliency, and strategic thinking.
  • Be sure to align your stories to the ECQ definitions. And make sure that your examples demonstrate executive leadership, not managerial skills.
  • Remember that readers of your ECQs will not be from your agency. Be sure to make your ECQ stories understandable to people who do not know your agency or work.
  • Proofread, proofread, and proofread again.

Writing a strong set of ECQs takes time. Be prepared to spend 40-80 hours writing yours. And be sure to follow the rules! More information on ECQ writing can be found at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf.

Can You Write Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) by Tomorrow?

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Nearly every day I get a call from someone seeking help to prepare a set of Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) as part of their Senior Executive Service (SES) package. Unfortunately, many people want their ECQs written in 3 days—sometimes less!

When I begin to ask them questions about whether they have a draft, are familiar with CCAR, or have thought about their stories, the answer is often no. To prepare a strong set of ECQs, you should expect to spend a significant amount of time: 1) identifying your examples, 2) writing, and 3) reviewing and editing.

  • Identifying ECQ examples: Before sitting down to write your ECQs, you should identify 10 or more examples / stories to use. Your stories must fit the competencies (Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, and Building Coalitions); be from the past 10 years (5 is better if possible); and be at the executive level. Hosting meetings, arranging for training, implementing someone else’s plan is not typically considered executive. Your examples should demonstrate your strategic thinking and ideally, have enterprise-wide impact.

As you identify your examples, you may find that you have stories that could fit in more than one ECQ. Try to pick the strongest match to the ECQ and that ECQs underlying competencies (for example, the underlying competencies for leading change are: vision, strategic thinking, external awareness, innovation/creativity, flexibility, and resilience).

  • Writing: Once you have your stories identified, you should outline your stories using the required CCAR model. CCAR is the acronym for Challenge-Context-Action-Result. It may even help to write out the parts of the CCAR model and then outline each part of the CCAR with the details. What does CCAR mean and how to use it?

Challenge. Describe a specific problem or goal.

Context. Describe the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to address a particular challenge (e.g., clients, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale).

Action. Discuss the specific actions you took to address a challenge.

Result. Give specific examples of measures/outcomes that had some impact on the organization. These accomplishments demonstrate the quality and effectiveness of your leadership skills.

Once you have your outline, then you can start writing. Be sure to focus on your leadership skills and not your technical expertise (save that for the Technical Qualifications) and don’t forget to include the underlying competencies in your essay. Include as many metrics as possible throughout and make sure you can prove your results; it’s not enough to say things are better—you need to show that they are by using a clear before and after metric. You may want to think about including one action for each underlying competency.

  • Reviewing / Editing: Don’t forget to leave time for this. Your ECQ draft should be 10 pages (2 pages for each ECQ). Have someone who does not understand your work review your ECQs (remember, that ECQ reviewers at the Office of Personnel Management level will not be from your agency or likely familiar with your work). Do a “word search” to make sure you have covered all 28 underlying competencies—and put them in the right ECQ. Check spelling and grammar—don’t rely on spell check. And make sure that you have used “I” rather than “we;” the hiring manager and reviewers want to know what you did.

How long does all of this take? SES applicants should expect to spend 40 to 60 hours (or even more!) of solid work to put together a strong set of ECQs. So no, I am sorry, but I cannot get your ECQ written by tomorrow…or even 3 days.

Preparing Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ)

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You’ve examined your qualifications and interest, and made the decision to apply for the Senior Executive Service (SES). It is time to start working on your ECQs. Don’t wait until you have a specific SES posting. There is absolutely no reason why you cannot work on your ECQs now.

Not Job Specific

ECQs are NOT job specific; instead, they are about your leadership. Getting your ECQs prepared ahead of time will allow you the necessary time to prepare your executive resume and any Technical Qualifications (TQ) associated with an individual posting. Once you have a strong set of ECQs, you can use them across multiple postings.

What goes into ECQs?

ECQs include specific evidence of your possession of the each of the 5 executive competencies (leading change, leading people, results driven, business acumen, and building coalitions). In addition to the 5 ECQs, there are also 28 sub-competencies embedded within the ECQs and an additional 6 cross-cutting competencies that should be clearly exhibited throughout your ECQ document.

What is CCAR and why does it matter?

CCAR (challenge, context, action, result) is the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) rubric that must be used for your ECQs. Using this rubric will help readers of your ECQs understand your stories. The CHALLENGE is the specific problem you faced, the CONTEXT tells the reader about the people involved, the organization, the larger climate, and other details that demonstrate the executive nature and complexity of the challenge. ACTIONS are the things that you personally did (or that you directed others to do) to address the challenge. And of course, RESULTS are proof that you solved the challenge. In a perfect world, results should be demonstrate using qualifiable metrics; it’s not enough to say “things improved…” you need to prove that they improved.

What are your ECQ stories?

Before starting to write, you should identify your ECQ stories. Your stories need to be executive (rather than transactional) and ideally show enterprise-wide impact. Examples should be from the past 10 years (5-7 years is better if possible). Your examples should have an ending so that you can demonstrate results. If your specific example has not yet fully concluded, provide a specific metric to demonstrate progress. And obtaining a degree or talking about your philosophy will not be considered executive. Focus on specific leadership achievements.

How can you identify your stories?

There are two ways to go about identifying your stories; the first way is to identify when you led change, led people, etc. The second way is to identify your most significant achievements from the past 10 years and then match them to a specific ECQ. Both ways work; you need to figure out what works bet for YOU. It is not unusual to have more stories than you need for Results Driven and not enough for another ECQ. If that is a situation you face, review the underlying competencies for the ECQs and see if you can tell your story in that frame. For example, if you have too many Results Driven stories and not enough Leading Change, look at the underlying competencies for leading change (vision, strategic thinking, innovation/creativity, external awareness, flexibility, and resilience) and see if you can think about how to tell one of the results driven stories through the leading change lens.

Other things to keep in mind:

Review OPM Guidance on preparing ECQs (see: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf.) Try to have at least one action for each underlying competency in every ECQ (and keep the underlying competencies in the right ECQ). Use as many numbers as possible throughout your ECQs—numbers of people, dollar value of budgets / projects / contracts, timeframes, etc.

These numbers provide context to your stories and the ultimate readers of your ECQs is the Qualifications Review Board (QRB) at OPM—they will not know your agency or your job. Focus on your leadership, not your technical acumen. Be prepared to spend the necessary time to put together a good package; in my view, this is 40-60 hours.

And if you’re struggling with your package, get help! No one does this alone.