Writing Great ECQ Statements

Ah, the joy of applying for government jobs. As you’ve probably learned already, there are more hoops to jump through when Uncle Sam is doing the hiring. And if you’re applying for an executive job at the federal level, one of those hoops is the ECQ—Executive Core Qualifications.

These statements, which should accompany your resume and cover letter, are simply an additional method to evaluate your candidacy for a job. ECQ statements address five core areas: leading change, leading people, results driven, business acumen, and building coalitions. Your response to each ECQ area should be at least one page long, but generally not longer than two pages. Below are explanations of the different ECQ areas.

• Leading Change. Change is a constant in business, and when you stop changing, you stop growing. This ECQ is designed to demonstrate how you’ve handled and even promoted change in the past. You should also reveal how you keep your eye on the big picture and give an example of how you’ve used your creativity to lead change in your company.
• Leading People. Executives today are increasingly called upon to use “soft skills” such as successfully interacting with people. Replacing good employees costs companies millions of dollars, so a great working environment with strong leadership and committed team members is the gold standard. Describe your successes in such things are promoting development among your subordinates, reducing turnover, and integrating diversity.
• Results Driven. The government is no different than a private sector company in this regard: they want results, and they want to know that you’re capable of achieving their desired results. For this ECQ, it’s important to demonstrate clear results you’ve produced in the past—whether that’s related to the bottom line, customer service, plan implementation, ability to problem-solve, or another area. Provide concrete evidence that shows you’re accustomed to getting things done, are comfortable with being the final word on things, and are willing to take responsibility for the consequences of your decisions.
• Business Acumen. If you’re hoping to move into an executive position within the government, you need to prove that you have the high-level business acumen needed for the position. What’s important in the business world? Success in managing people, the company’s finances, and the company’s direction. Give examples that display your excellence in these areas.
• Building Coalitions. There are some lone ranger companies out there, but the government wants to hire people who appreciate the value of working with other companies and governmental bodies to get a job done—or to simply build good working relationships that benefit both entities. In this ECQ, provide examples of how you’ve successfully partnered with other organizations, and describe your role in influencing the results of the partnership.

When crafting your ECQ statements, keep these tips in mind:
• Avoid generalizing. Gear your responses and examples toward the job you want or the job posting that you’re responding to. Don’t make them guess which job you’re applying for, and don’t give the impression that your ECQs are one-size-fits-all.
• Be concise. Stick to the one- to two-page rule. This gives you enough room to illustrate your brilliance and cite examples, but it keeps your response easy to digest for the reviewer.
• Show measurable results. It’s easy to say that you improved the bottom line or that you reduced turnover in your last job. Those statements don’t mean a thing unless you include numbers and statistics—things that can be measured and that answer the question, “how much?” Make sure to note that your sales plan increased revenues by 12% in the first quarter or that during your time as manager, you reduced turnover by 50%.
• Use appropriate examples. Usually, any past experience that demonstrates your ability in a given area is a plus—from the bake sale you organized for the PTA to the accounting you did for your fraternity’s Kiss-a-Pig fundraiser. But with ECQ responses, you need to be careful when choosing examples. Remember that you’re applying for an executive-level job, so include examples that reflect executive-level experience.
• Use an ECQ sample. Start your ECQ writing with an ECQ sample to make your writing much smoother and save yourself lots of time.