1. Don’t use the word “I” in your resume. Instead, drop the “I” (implied first-person point of view) and begin sentences with active verbs, such as “Developed,” “Directed,” “Led,” “Oversaw,” etc.
2. Don’t spend too much space in your resume on positions older than 10 years. Instead, focus your work history on the past decade or so, and then summarize any earlier positions by listing the start and end years, job titles, organizations, and perhaps a brief explanation of your scope of responsibility.
3. Do use the word “I” throughout your Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and Technical Qualifications (TQ). These first-person narratives should represent a collection of your top career accomplishments.
4. Do read the job announcement very carefully and make sure you format your documents accordingly. If the job announcement doesn’t specify a length, font size, or margins, email the HR representative and ask. You don’t want to end up in the rejection pile because you failed to follow the agency’s formatting and application procedures.
5. Don’t repeat the same examples in your ECQs and TQs. Can you overlap a bit in terms of using the same position, timeframe, or even program? Sure, but make sure each story stands on its own and shows a unique aspect of your leadership.
Lee Kelley is an Iraq war veteran, former Army Captain, and author who now serves as the senior writer on CareerPro Global’s writing team. Leveraging the company’s vast expertise in assisting thousands of SES and federal job seekers, Lee has personally developed hundreds of resumes and more than a thousand ECQs. He is also the Director of Training and Veteran Transitions, and has provided USAJOBS resume-writing workshops to hundreds of federal employees and military personnel. In addition, Lee co-authored the book, Roadmap to the Senior Executive Service: How to Find SES Jobs, Determine Your Qualifications, and Develop Your SES Application. His latest book is titled, Inside Marine One: Four U.S. Presidents, One Proud Marine, and the World’s Most Amazing Helicopter.
Executive Core Qualifications - ECQ 