ECQ

Writing Your Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ), Part 2/2

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Your ECQs should be well written narratives that provide information about your strategic, executive achievements in the language of the ECQ and its relevant sub-competencies. When writing your ECQ narratives, OPM recommends using the Challenge-Context-Action-Result (CCAR) Model.

An ECQ narrative may include one or two examples (not more than two) of relevant experience that matches the ECQ (and sub-competency) definitions. Keep in mind that your ultimate audience is the Qualification Review Board (QRB) (again, no one from your agency may sit on your QRB) so your stories must stand on their own. The QRB is looking for specific challenges, actions and results, rather than expressions of your philosophy or technical expertise.

Here is OPM’s definition of CCAR to use when writing your ECQs (along with some edits):

Challenge. Describe a specific problem that needed to be solved. Remember to think as holistically as possible. The QRB is interested in the large-scale, if you have suitable examples. And, it should be something where you had to get others behind you (this is not about your sole contributions but your leadership of others).

Context. Describe the individuals and groups you worked with, and/or the environment in which you worked, to address a particular challenge (e.g., complexity, co-workers, members of Congress, shrinking budget, low morale, impossibly short deadlines). Make sure this is at the executive level—not an example where you were asked to implement someone else’s idea. Think about examples where you were the initiator of an idea that had enterprise-wide impact.

Action. Discuss the specific actions YOU took to address a challenge. Use “I” not “we” even if you were part of a team. The QRB wants to see your personal contributions.

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. Metrics always help support your results. If your result was qualitative, how can you show it was substantial? Perhaps a quotation from an award recommendation or performance evaluation, or a comparison to a prior situation.

Before you can begin writing your ECQs, you need to identify your examples. Your examples must be from the past 10 years (the past five years is even better—you don’t want anyone to think your best days are behind you!) and exhibit your strategic thinking, rather than transactional activities. You are limited to two examples per ECQ; each example must be a fully developed CCAR.

How can you identify your examples? Think back over the past five to seven years of your career. What do you consider to be your major achievements? What would your supervisor think was most impressive? Look back over your award citations, performance evaluations, and accomplishment reports—you may get some ideas from those documents. Talk to your colleagues; conversations may prompt your memory for good examples. Don’t forget to think about things outside of work that might show your executive level experience.

Other things to keep in mind:

  • You should not repeat examples in multiple ECQs. However, if you have a large complex story, you can use different parts of the story in different ECQs.
  • Even if your example is highly technical, be sure to simplify it in the telling and focus on your leadership of that issue. Your ECQs are not the place to show off your technical prowess; instead, wow the reader with your leadership savvy.
  • For some, it may be easier to identify examples and then match them to the ECQs; for others, trying to identify a specific story for each ECQ might be more effective.
  • The ECQs are not about your philosophy but rather your demonstration of the ECQs and sub-competencies in specific work situations. Do not include statements along the lines of, “I believe…” or use quotations from famous leaders.
  • You should use “I” throughout your ECQs. Even if the example that you are using is from your work as part of a team, the QRB is interested in your personal contributions. And yes, you can take credit for work done by your subordinates (after all, your leader is taking credit for your work, right? That’s just how it works folks.)
  • Do not refer the reader to earlier ECQs or your resume; each ECQ should stand on its own.
  • Sometimes an example can fit more than one ECQ; in that case, be sure to use the example where it best fits the ECQ definition.
  • Spell out acronyms and keep your stories simple—remember KISS.

Writing Your Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), Part 1/2

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A fundamental part of the SES application process is ECQ writing. Many applicants fear writing ECQs and the idea of it can be overwhelming. Let’s start by talking about the ECQs in general. The Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) describe the leadership skills needed to succeed in the SES; they also reinforce the concept of an “SES corporate culture.” This concept holds that the Government needs executives who can provide strategic leadership and whose commitment to public policy and administration transcends their commitment to a specific agency mission or an individual profession.

OPM has identified five executive core qualifications. The ECQs were designed to assess executive experience and potential–not technical expertise. They measure whether an individual has the broad executive skills needed to succeed in a variety of SES positions–not whether they are the most superior candidate for a particular position. (The latter determination is made by the employing agency.) Successful performance in the SES requires competence in each ECQ. The ECQs are interdependent; successful executives bring all five to bear when providing service to the Nation.

The ECQs are:

Leading Change
This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. This ECQ requires the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

Leading People
This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals. This ECQ requires the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.

Results Driven
This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. This ECQ requires the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.

Business Acumen
This core qualification requires the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.

Building Coalitions
This core qualification requires the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.

Each of the ECQs include sub-competencies which are the personal and professional attributes that are critical to successful performance in the SES. They are based on extensive research of Government and private sector executives and input from agency Senior Executives and human resources managers. There are 28 sub-competencies. Twenty-two of them are specific to one of the ECQs; the remaining six are fundamental and cross-cutting across all ECQs.

Each applicant to the SES must demonstrate their experience in each ECQ, as well as the sub-competencies. How do you do that? By telling interesting, engaging stories that illustrate how you have exhibited these competencies in your work or volunteer activities.

Our next article will include additional information on how to tell your stories.

Writing Technical Qualifications for Your SES Package

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Many agencies require that you prepare and submit TQs (also known as Mandatory Technical Qualifications or Professional Technical Qualifications) with your SES application. Think of these as the old knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) statements we used to write prior to 2009, whenever applying for a federal job. TQs are reviewed carefully at the agency level but never seen by a qualifications review board – QRB. When you review a job announcement, be sure to look at the TQs before deciding whether to apply. If you cannot provide specific examples of when you demonstrated each TQ in your work, you may want to consider picking a different announcement.

Although there is no prescribed format for preparing your TQs, I recommend that you to use OPM’s Challenge, Context, Action, Result (CCAR) model when preparing them. Think about composing your TQs to tell a story that demonstrates your possession of the relevant technical expertise. Start your example with a general statement that you have consistently demonstrated that technical expertise over the course of your career; you may want to provide a sentence or two that discusses the various jobs, agencies, etc., where your expertise was demonstrated.

Then, discuss a particular challenge you faced; include the specifics of the goal you were trying to meet and the obstacles you faced in doing so. Those obstacles could pertain to resources, people, technology, etc. (challenge) Then talk about your job, your role, and the specific environment you were working in when you faced the challenge (context). Next, discuss the specific steps (one by one) you took to overcome the challenges (actions) that demonstrate your technical expertise. Finally, discuss the outcome and include any metrics you can to demonstrate that you achieved success because of your technical expertise (result).

There is no overarching OPM guidance on the length of a TQ or the freshness of the story. The vacancy announcement may spell out specific character limits for the length of your TQ response. Common sense tells us that the more recent the story, the better. However, if your best example is from 20 years ago, you are allowed to use it. You may also repeat an example that you use in your ECQs but remember to frame it differently as the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) are focused on your leadership, while your TQs are focused on technical knowledge and expertise. Try to use at least 2 specific examples / stories for each TQ.