Job Application

How To Apply For Senior Executive Service (SES) Positions

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Like almost all positions in the federal government, positions in the Senior Executive Service (SES) are required to be posted on USAJOBS. The minimum posting time is 14 days, although many SES positions run longer. No big surprise here. But did you know that not all SES postings require that you submit Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) as part of your SES application?

Agencies have 3 methods they can use to post SES positions: traditional, resume-based, and accomplishment record. There are a few other nuances related to SES applications as well. When you’re thinking about applying for a SES position, the first thing you want to do is carefully review the posting to see which method is being used. Here’s a quick summary of the different SES application methods:

  • Traditional Method. When most people think about applying for a SES position, they are thinking about the traditional method. This involves a SES resume, a full set of Executive Core Qualifications (10 pages, prepared consistent with Office of Personnel Management guidance), and Technical Qualifications (TQs) (also known as Professional Technical Qualifications or Mandatory Technical Qualifications). SES applications that are posted using the traditional method can easily run 20 pages (10 pages for ECQs, a 5 page resume, and typically 4-6 pages for TQs, depending on the number of TQs and their length). This represents the vast majority of SES postings.
  • Resume-based Method. Under this approach, applicants only submit a resume (typically 5 pages but check the posting to be sure). Resumes must include evidence of the candidate’s possession of the ECQs and any TQs listed in the announcement. Some agencies using this method require separate TQs to be submitted with the resume. If a candidate is selected by the agency, they then need to prepare ECQs for submission to OPM before they can be appointed to the SES. Some Departments and agencies use the resume method exclusively for their SES postings while others use a mix of traditional and resume based.
  • Accomplishment Record Method. This approach is also more streamlined than the traditional method. In this method, applicants submit a resume and short narratives addressing selected competencies (e.g., strategic thinking) underlying one or more ECQs and any technical qualifications. Narratives addressing the competencies are normally limited to one page or less per competency. I generally do not see this approach used that often but it is the approach the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been using for its SES Candidate Development Program (CDP) application for the last several years.
  • Excepted Service SES-equivalent positions. There are a number of excepted service agencies. SES equivalent level postings in these agencies (FAA, the financial regulatory agencies such as the SEC and OCC, DEA, and more) generally do not require ECQs and if they do, those ECQs are not submitted to OPM for approval.
  • Certain Department of Defense (DoD) SES positions. Under the NDAA of 2019, the DoD was provided authority to eliminate the requirement for certification of ECQs by the Office of Personnel Management for initial SES appointments in DoD. DoD may appoint no more than 50 individuals in any calendar year using this authority. People selected under this authority cannot be selected for other SES positions that do not fall under this authority without approval of their ECQs by OPM.

There are other SES application options as well. Before deciding to apply for a SES position, be sure to read the posting carefully to ensure you understand the application process itself.

Interested in learning more about the SES? Check out our self-paced online training course Preparing a Senior Executive Service Package!

Are You Part of the 92%?

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Hand with pen filling out a blank job application form.

Appcast, a leading provider of recruitment data, reports that 92% of people who click “apply” on a corporate website do not complete their job application. I haven’t been able to find the abandon rate for USAJOBS but I’m sure it’s high since I constantly hear how complicated USAJOBS can be. From an organization perspective, high abandonment of applications started but not completed means fewer candidates than anticipated. From an applicant’s perspective, it could be good news.

How can you position yourself to be one of the 8%?

  • Don’t wait for the last minute. If you know you have an interest in a particular organization or company, see if you can sign up for an account ahead of time. Create your user name and password, and if possible, fill out any generic information and upload any documents such as transcripts, etc., that might be needed.
  • Have your resume ready. Some organization’s Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) requires that you use their builder; others allow you to upload your resume. Either way, you should have your basic resume ready in advance. That resume should be in Word (not a PDF or drive) so that you can copy and paste relevant parts of your resume into their builder if required, or do a simple upload. Of course, you should tweak your resume for the specific posting but your baseline resume should be ready to go.
  • Give yourself time. Although applying for corporate jobs through an in-house ATS takes an average of 5 minutes, according to InFlight, a user experience provider; applying through USAJOBS can take an hour—and if there is additional testing required, even longer. Many more organizations are using 2-factor identification to log into their systems so be prepared with all necessary information before you sign in.
  • Get the phone number of the help desk. Sometimes these application systems are not as intuitive as their creators had hoped. If you can identify the specific ATS being used (sometimes the name is available on the login page; common ATS include Oracle Taleo, IBM Kenexa, Jobvite, SmartRecruiters, iCIMS—this is not an inclusive list), go onto their website and see if you can find a phone number or other assistance. USAJOBS has its own Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ with a lot of information for jobseekers.
  • Find an insider if you can. Use your network to see if you know someone who works where you are applying—or know someone who knows someone. Make contact; let them know you’re applying.
  • Remain patient and positive. The hiring process takes time; the higher your target job, the longer your search is likely to take. Don’t put all of your hopes on one job; keep searching and applying—and you’ll be able to take that next step in your career!

I Just Found the “Perfect” Job Announcement: Now What?

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Before you get too excited, take a careful look at the announcement:

  • Are you eligible to apply? Review the “who can apply” section of the announcement to make sure you’re eligible. If you do not meet the criteria outlined and apply anyway, you will be eliminated.
  • When does it close? Do you have time to tweak your resume (you have a resume, right??) to include the key words?
  • Do you meet the specialized experience requirement? Check under the How You Will be Evaluated section and review the specialized experience; this is a must have, not a nice to have.
  • Are there any Selective Placement Factors (SPF) listed? If so, do you have them? Are they clearly articulated in your resume? If you do not have the SPF, you should pick a different announcement; if you do, be sure to tweak your resume to clearly show your possession of the SPF.

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SES Application & Selection

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First and foremost, a successful SES application will demonstrate that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) which serve as the leadership competencies for all SES positions.

The ECQs are:

  • Leading Change
  • Leading People
  • Results Driven
  • Business Acumen
  • Building Coalitions

In addition to the 5 ECQs, there are 28 sub-competencies to the ECQs including everything from Accountability to Political Savvy. The full set of ECQ definitions and sub-competencies can be viewed here. Most ECQs narratives are 10 pages long (2 pages per ECQ); the Office of Personnel Management has set font and margin size requirements as well as page limits, and recommends a specific rubric for preparing ECQ statements.

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