Federal Job Search

Did YOU Know September is a Great Time to Update Your Resume?

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This is a September like none other. Despite the stress of the past several months with changes to our routines, work location, and, for many of us, home schooling, we should not neglect our careers.

September is International Update Your Resume Month and a great time to think about yourself and your accomplishments over the past 12 months. For those of you who are federal employees, International Update Your Resume Month coincides with the end of the fiscal year—a perfect time for reflection and setting yourself up for future possibilities.

Even if you are not currently in the job market, you should always have an updated resume. And, for my federal readers, with the potential change of leadership at the federal level, regardless of who wins the upcoming election, you are likely to be asked for your resume.

Here are some easy ways to ensure you’re ready—regardless of what comes to pass!

  • Be sure your accomplishments are up to date. For those of you whose performance evaluation is coming due (or recently completed), use that process to reflect on your accomplishments in the past year—and add them to your resume.
  • Check for action verbs. Make sure your resume is full of action verbs. What is an action verb? Lead, create, oversee, analyze, communicate, etc. Action verbs do NOT have an “s” on the end.
  • Banish “responsible for.” Just because you’re responsible for something doesn’t mean you actually did it—it just means you should have done it!
  • Add numbers to your resume. Numbers give your work context so that readers of your resume understand the full scope of your work. If you just say that you “track a budget,” readers don’t know how large that budget is, from how many funding sources, or anything else.
  • Remove old content. Does your resume still mention MultiMate? Y2K? Hurricane Rita? Or something equally dated? The standard for resumes these days is 10 years or so. Employers want to know what you have done recently—not what you accomplished 15, 20 or even more years ago.
  • Update your professional certifications, speaking engagements, awards, and professional development. This information shows that you are active in your field and a continuous learner.

These are just some of the easy ways to update your resume, be prepared for the future, and honor International Update Your Resume Month!

5 Steps to Improving Your Life at Work

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There are 5 simple steps each of us can take to get what we want and need at work. Now I will not promise these steps will not necessarily guarantee that promotion or raise (or new boss) you’re dreaming about but they can help you ask for what you want and need, and move closer to meeting your goals.

Step 1: Plan and prepare. What exactly do you want? Is it realistic? Before you can ask for anything, you need to be able to define what it is you are looking for. A vague, “I want to be busier,” or “I want more interesting work,” is not enough. Define what those things mean to you. And write it down so you won’t forget. Once you define what it is you want, you then need to figure out who can help you get it. Just talking to your colleague in hopes that she will pass it on to someone in a position to actually help you, is not the answer.

Step 2: Keep your eyes open. Once you have defined what you want and who might be able to help you, make sure that your timing is right. Don’t make your “ask” the day a major project is due, the day your supervisor returns from vacation, or when it is clear that your boss is having a bad day.

Step 3: WIIFM. What’s in it for me (WIIFM)—or in this case, the person who can help you? As you prepare for your “ask,” think about how helping you will help the other person. Make your ask a “win-win.”

Step 4: Make your ask. Once you are fully prepared and have followed the first 3 steps, make your ask. Don’t wait to be noticed. Your ask should be polite, professional, and clear — ask for exactly what you want; don’t expect the person you’re asking to “get it.” It is critical to be clear.  Have your “business case” ready and be sure to include how meeting your needs helps the person you’re asking!

Step 5: Don’t stop with your ask. If the person agrees right away, good for you!! Be sure to say thank you. If the person asks to think about it, thank them for their consideration and ask if you may follow up in a week or so. And if they say no, again, thank them for their time and ask them if there are specific steps you can take to move closer to your goal. And take care to not “burn your bridges” or sulk if you do not get what you want. You may get it next time.

While these strategies are not foolproof, they will maximize your opportunities to get what you need to move your career forward. And what better time to be planning to that next phase of your career than the end of the year!

No, I Will Not Guarantee You That Your New Resume Will Result in a Job Offer

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I am often asked whether I will guarantee a job offer if someone uses my services for resume writing. Not only will I not guarantee that you will get a job, I encourage you to question anyone who makes that claim. Why? There are lots of things that go into getting selected for a job—your resume is only a very small part.

What are some of the other factors that go into determining whether you will get a job?

  • Are you actually qualified for the position(s) you’ve applied for? For example, do have the specialized experienced required (and not just time in grade), if you’re applying for federal jobs. Did you answer the questionnaire properly? If you’re applying for private sector positions, do you meet all of the qualifications?
  • Is the hiring manager just going through the motions of posting because he or she has to because of internal policy or some notion of transparency? Does the hiring manager have someone in mind (that isn’t you) but is just posting out of habit or again, internal policy?
  • Did you blow the interview? Perhaps you received an interview or were referred to the hiring manager; was your interview strong? How did you compare to the other candidates referred / interviewed?
  • Was the hiring manager required to hire someone else due to internal politics?
  • How many positions have you actually applied for? While it is certainly possible that you will get the first position you apply for, it isn’t all that likely. In many ways, applying for a new position is a numbers game. And, while I do not endorse applying for “everything”—also known as the “spray and pray” method, I do believe you need to be realistic about your chances. Most job postings result in hundreds, if not thousands of applicants.
  • Was there an actual position to be filled? Or was the posting in anticipation of receiving funding / approval for the position / whatever? Was it one of those federal postings I often see that are open in dozens of locations for all grades? If you read the fine print on those, it clearly says, “There may or may not be actual vacancies at the time you submit your application.”
  • Are you networking? Have you used LinkedIn or another source to identify people on the “inside” who might be able to assist you in learning about the organization, the position, and the hiring manager? Networking is critical to all job searches, federal and private sector.

The above represents just some of factors that go into a hiring manager making a decision. So, no, I will not guarantee you a job offer. I will guarantee you a best practice, competitive resume that is targeted toward your position of choice.

How Long Should I Expect to Spend on My Resume?

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I am often asked how long writing a resume should take. There are several ways to answer this question; the first one depends on whether you are prepared with all of your information before you sit down to write. And whether you are writing a private sector or federal resume—or both!

Here is what you need to have ready to prepare a strong resume before you sit down to write:

• A target job posting. Key words are essential. You’ll need to identify the key words of the postings or kind of job you are pursuing. If you are writing a resume for the private sector, you should assume that your resume will be “read” by Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) which will search for key words. If you are writing a federal resume, you should know that USAJOBS is not an ATS; however, Human Resources (HR) professionals will be reviewing your resume to ensure your experience as outlined in your resume matches the qualifications sought—and the best way to demonstrate that is through the use of key words.

• Your work history for the past 10 or so years. It never ceases to amaze me how many people do not accurately track their titles, employers, and month/year of employment. All employers want to know this and you need this information on hand before you start drafting your resume. Most employers do not need the specific start date (only month and year) but some federal job postings do request actual dates, in addition to month and year.

• Metrics related to your current job (and ideally the ones past too). Metrics give your work context and it is important to use them as often as possible. What is the dollar value of your budget? How many people do you supervise? How long are your projects? Any place you can include a number, you should; this will be a real differentiator in your resume. Again, numbers are something you should track throughout your career—it’s almost impossible to remember them over a long period of time.

• Achievements. It is not enough to include duties in your resume; employers want to know how you have added value / made a difference. Try to track your achievements over the course your career. It’s not enough to list your duties on your resume; you can differentiate yourself by demonstrating that you not only did your duties but that you did them well. Try to have at least 3-5 achievements for your current job (assuming you’ve been in it for a couple of years). Again, having achievements can make you stand out from other candidates who have essentially the same experience.

• Education information, along with professional certifications, awards, professional development, and other details. While all resumes need education (although skip your graduation date if you graduated more than 5 years ago) and professional certifications (CPA, PMP, PE, IT certifications, etc.), in most cases you should only include awards and professional development on a federal resume.

Only after you have gathered all of your relevant information, is it time to start writing. How long should that take? If you are writing a private sector resume, assume it will take you at least 4 to 6 hours (or more); if you are writing a federal resume, assume a minimum of 6 to 8 hours.

These timeframes are minimum and do not include time for editing and revision. Nor are they illustrative of how long it takes to prepare an executive or Senior Executive Service (SES) resume. And I always recommend that you walk away from your draft for at least a day so you can review it with fresh eyes.

You’ve Been Hired, Now What?

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The job search is daunting — at times, it can feel hopeless, frustrating, and downright exhausting. And when you do land the job, challenges arise that the best of us need help to navigate.

Career books are a great source to turn to, no matter what stage of your career you’re in — whether you’re decades in at your organization or are looking to start a new career path altogether.

Here are 10 of the best career books to help you think about your career in a new way and get ahead:

1. The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels: By Michael D. Watkins
If you’re in a transitional period of your career, this is for you. Watkins focuses on the challenges of moving into a new role and knowing how to navigate the first three months of a new job. This book serves as your guide to every aspect of your transition scenario.
2. So Good They Can’t Ignore You: By Cal Newport
This is an eye-opening book that discuses the notion that you should follow your passion in your career, rather than what you’re innately good at. Newport sets out to discover how people end up loving what they do — he can change the way you think about your career and how you go about creating a career you love.
3. Second-Act Careers: By Nancy Collamer
This is for those who are at retirement age, but aren’t quite ready to live their lives work-free. Collamer looks at this period of life as an opportunity to pursue a new passion while continuing to make an income. Read this book before you embark on your golden years.
4. The Pathfinder: By Nicholas Lore
This book is a considered a classic for a reason. For everyone from college graduates to someone considering a mid-life career change, this book can help you choose a new career — or look at your current one through a completely new lens.
5. How to Win Friends and Influence People: By Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie’s book will teach you how to make people like you — an essential part of climbing the ladder of success in both your professional and personal life. You’ll learn how to win people to your way of thinking and how to get what you want in your career.
6. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: By Stephen R. Covey
This book encourages internal changes that can completely change how you operate day-to-day. As people have claimed it as one of the most powerful books they’ve ever read, this can be beneficial for anyone on any career path.
7. The Third Door: By Alex Banayan
From Bill Gates to Lady Gaga to Larry King, this book has incredible one-on-one interviews with some of the world’s most successful people, with invaluable information on how they got there.
8. Crushing It: By Gary Vaynerchuk
Nowadays, more and more people are rejecting a traditional, corporate career path to try their hand at entrepreneurship. This book explores the lives of people who have made it on their own, and how creating a personal brand is vital to success.
9. Willpower Doesn’t Work: By Benjamin Hardy
Benjamin Hardy presents a unique argument against willpower and for altering your surroundings to achieve the success you’re seeking. This book will give you guidance on how to make the biggest decisions of your life, and how to invest in yourself to upgrade your life and happiness.
10. When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing: By Daniel H. Pink
It’s a common belief that timing is everything, but how do we act on that notion without leaving it up to fate? Pink dives into the science of timing, and how to take the guesswork out of the “when” aspect of decisions.

BONUS: If federal is your interest, please check out my books, published by FEDweek: The Complete Guide to Writing a Federal Resume, The Complete Guide to Interviewing for a Federal Job, and Making a Federal Career Transition.

Handbooks and guides here: FW books

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.