The focus of your ECQs should be on your leadership experience - and not your technical acumen. Image: Shadows Zero/Shutterstock.com
By: Nancy SegalAs I work with individuals and agencies, I find there are many myths about the Senior Executive Service (SES) process circulating throughout government—even among longstanding federal employees. Believing those myths can hurt your application. Here are 7 common myths I frequently hear—and the reality.
Myth 1: I have been a GS-15 for a year; I’m automatically qualified for the SES. Not necessarily! Do have leadership experience? Have you built, defended, and executed a budget while making cost-benefit decisions? Just being a GS-15 (or 14) does not mean you have the requisite qualifications by definition. The SES focuses on leadership—before applying, you should make sure you have the right qualifications.
Myth 2: When preparing my Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), I use any experience I want to demonstrate my leadership. Nope! Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance states that your leadership guidance should be from the past 10 years. See: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/reference-materials/guidetosesquals_2012.pdf, page 38.
Myth 3: I’m a veteran so I can use that for my SES application. Veterans’ preference does not count for the SES.
Myth 4: I am a technical leader in my field; my recognized expertise will make me a shoo-in for the SES. Your technical expertise will help you prepare any Technical Qualifications (TQs, also known as Mandatory Technical Qualifications and Professional Technical Qualifications) but the focus of your ECQs should be on your leadership experience—and not your technical acumen.
Myth 5: My education includes a PhD (or master’s or professional certification / registration) so that makes me a strong SES candidate. Most SES positions do not require education at all! I have a number of successful SES candidates with high school diplomas and no college at all. While there are some occupations (attorney, contract specialist, social worker, among others) that require degrees, most federal occupations do not. Again, the focus for your SES application is leadership, not education. That should be your focus!
Myth 6: Volunteer roles are important to my SES application. While OPM guidance does state that volunteer experience can be creditable for the SES, that experience needs to be at the executive level—not just leading a girl scout troop, coaching a Little League team, or something similar. I have seen successful SES candidates use examples from leadership roles on international organizations and initiatives.
Myth 7: My agency selected me so my SES package must be good. Sorry, your package may not be as good as you think. Did you read the OPM guidance and follow the rules? Are your ECQs written using CCAR? Is your leadership clear throughout? Have you incorporated all of the underlying competencies of the ECQs? You should check with an SES expert before submission—it is not uncommon for an OPM Qualifications Review Board (QRB) to flunk SES selectees’ packages; while you do get a second chance, it’s much better to do it right the first time!
Nancy H. Segal is a federal job search expert. Following her own senior-level federal HR career, she founded Solutions for the Workplace LLC to provide a HR management perspective to astute applicants to U.S. government positions.
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