| Whether you are seeking employment within the | | | | Remember, it is essential that you use as many |
| world of the Federal government or a | | | | specific examples as possible in your answer. The |
| long-standing employee entering the Senior | | | | committee is looking for an understanding of the |
| Executive Service, the Federal resume is your | | | | knowledge you maintain, your skill set in |
| key to securing the job you want. Each agency, | | | | accomplishing the task questioned and your ability |
| regardless of nature, requires that every applicant | | | | to complete the task properly. As such, each |
| complete an OF-612 or submit a Federal resume. | | | | answer must demonstrate those three factors |
| Additionally, many positions require Knowledge, | | | | with examples to obtain maximum points. |
| Skills and Abilities essays (KSAs). Higher-level | | | | According to the National Archives and Records |
| positions for experienced Federal employees | | | | Administration, KSAs can test either both or |
| often request Executive Core Qualification essays | | | | either of your technical skills or soft skills, technical |
| (ECQs). Each of these requirements maintain a | | | | skills being knowledge of "accounting principles or |
| significant and distinct expression of capability, and | | | | the ability to create and manage Microsoft |
| as such, these three areas are addressed in turn. | | | | Access databases." (See All About KSAOs, pg. 1) |
| I. The Federal Resume | | | | Soft skills include "the attitudes and approaches |
| Hiring in the Federal government is a lengthy and | | | | applicants take to their work, such as the ability |
| complex process. There are tens of thousands of | | | | to collaborate on team projects or the ability to |
| applicants seeking positions within hundreds of | | | | communicate orally with a broad range of |
| Federal agencies across the globe. Thus, when | | | | individuals." (See All About KSAOs, pg. 1) The |
| reviewing applications, points are calculated based | | | | committee then reviews your answers to the |
| on your experience, knowledge and skill set. | | | | questions and assigns a rating between 5-20 |
| Further, there are a significant number of | | | | points for each question. The point value is not |
| classifications and restrictions, often referred to | | | | publicized, and as such, you should weigh each |
| as category ratings. Of the plethora of | | | | question of equal importance. |
| qualifications for employment, the most noted | | | | Therefore, pay careful attention to your KSA |
| ones include: government direct hires, student | | | | answers in their specificity and their direct answer |
| employees and veterans. Because of these | | | | to the questions posed. Remember, your Federal |
| detail-oriented hiring specifications, hiring | | | | resume expresses your minimum qualifications but |
| committees (yes, they are committees!) must | | | | your KSAs demonstrate your selective factors, |
| first narrow down the applicants based on this | | | | qualifications "that are essential to successfully |
| eligibility. | | | | perform the duties of the job. A selective factor |
| As such, eligibility and hiring preference are | | | | is one that usually cannot be learned during the |
| considered two of the most important factors in | | | | normal period of orientation to the job and may |
| your Federal resume. Your resume must highlight | | | | take extensive training or experience to develop." |
| any special emphasis employment program for | | | | (See All About KSAOs, pg. 4) Thus, it is essential |
| which you might be eligible. There are several | | | | that you demonstrate through your experience |
| programs which allocate additional points, including | | | | examples that you maintain the qualities called for |
| one for dependents and spouses of active duty | | | | and should receive further consideration by the |
| personnel under the Military Spouse Preference | | | | committee in the form of an interview. |
| program and the Family Member Preference | | | | III. Executive Core Qualifications |
| Program. Further, Veterans Preference, as per | | | | ECQs are often utilized for the Senior Executive |
| the Veterans Readjustment Act allocates five or | | | | Service. These questions are rooted in finding |
| ten points depending on time served and war | | | | people who can lead "the continuing |
| service. | | | | transformation of government" based on the Civil |
| Aside from this important distinction, the Federal | | | | Service Reform Act of 1978. (See US Office of |
| resume is an exhaustive compilation of each | | | | Personnel Management, ECQs are fundamentally |
| position you have held, your educational | | | | different from KSAs as the totality of your |
| background as well as any additional proficiencies, | | | | answers are evaluated rather than each individual |
| certifications, or training you maintain. The | | | | answer. As such, the rating is a score of your |
| document can extend up to any page limit. The | | | | complete ECQ submission. The questions for |
| most noted exception to this limit is the Resumix | | | | ECQs are preset, and they include: Leading |
| System, which uploads resumes up to five pages | | | | Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business |
| in length. | | | | Acumen and Building Coalitions. In answering these |
| The importance of your Federal resume can not | | | | questions you must describe a specific problem, |
| be underscored enough, as it is the core | | | | discuss your immediate plan to resolve the |
| description of what you can offer the agency as | | | | problem, the action you took and the result of |
| well as your expertise in the field area. It is | | | | your action. In so doing, you must also address |
| essentially what demonstrates that you have the | | | | certain characteristics fundamental to senior-level |
| minimum qualifications for the position, thus | | | | Federal employees, such as leadership, |
| allowing you to make the first cut. Because the | | | | communication skills, integrity and a passion for |
| Federal government now uses highly sophisticated, | | | | public service. |
| proprietary search engines, such as USAJobs or | | | | It is important to remember that ECQs are not |
| Resumix, your resume most hold the key words | | | | evaluated for your specific expertise, as this is |
| which delineate your knowledge and demonstrate | | | | not what qualifies you for the position. In the |
| your understanding of the field. Meanwhile, while | | | | Senior Executive Service, it is you "broad |
| meeting these needs, your resume must | | | | executive skills needed to succeed" which are |
| immediately highlight the relevant achievements | | | | examined. (See US Office of Personnel |
| and be a user-friendly document, allowing the | | | | Management, More specifically, the committee |
| reader to easily digest the information without | | | | needs to see that you are a person which the |
| becoming overwhelmed by the volume of | | | | experience, credentials and character to lead |
| information. | | | | people in areas of unprecedented change and |
| II. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities | | | | growth. These people are out of the box thinkers |
| KSAs are usually one-page narratives which | | | | and can develop strong teams to ensure that |
| answer direct questions posed by the job | | | | goals are met. The skill set required here is |
| announcement. They can be quite vague, such as | | | | beyond that of lower Federal positions, as |
| Describe your oral and written communication | | | | members of the SES often must be pioneers in |
| skills to a complex question requiring intricate | | | | the areas of the specialty. As such, your ECQs |
| knowledge of a federal program. As stated | | | | must be exceptional and demonstrate you as a |
| above, the answers to these questions carry | | | | person of integrity, skill and experience. |
| point values, and as such, it is extremely | | | | In conclusion, your application for any Federal |
| important that you directly answer the question | | | | position is a package of your Federal resume and |
| with as many examples as possible, always | | | | either ECQs or KSAs. Each document weighs |
| utilizing the specific words employed in the | | | | heavily in the interview selection process and it is |
| question. The answers to these questions should | | | | essential that you devote the time necessary to |
| not exceed one page, but it is not uncommon for | | | | ensure that your package not only answers the |
| one question to occupy two pages when your | | | | posed questions, but highlights your skills, |
| experience is lengthy. KSAs are an essential part | | | | accomplishments and knowledge in a manner that |
| of your application and you should focus as much | | | | demonstrates that you are the most highly |
| time as possible in ensuring that you have fully | | | | qualified applicant in their pool of prospective |
| and completely answered each part of the | | | | employees. |
| question. | | | | |