Executive Core Qualifications
An Executive Core Qualification or ECQ is a narrative statement that is required when applying to Senior Executive Service (SES) positions within the Federal government. ECQ’s are used to determine, along with resumes, who the best applicants are when several candidates qualify for a job. The Office of Personnel Management has established five executive core qualifications that all applicants seeking to enter the Senior Executive Service must demonstrate.
The OPM defines the five ECQ’s as:
ECQ 1: Leading Change. This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
ECQ 2: Leading People. This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
ECQ 3: Results Driven. This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
ECQ 4: Business Acumen. This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically.
ECQ 5: Building Coalitions. This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other Federal agencies, State and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
ECQ's are focused essays about one's career and educational background that presumably qualify one to perform the duties of the position being applied for. ECQ's are used to ascertain the capabilities of a prospective applicant in terms of likely ability to perform the duties of the job. Most government hiring officials look for very well written, focused ECQs that emphasize results or accomplishments obtained in previous work. They should be written in an executive writing style that is honest and positive. The average length is 1 to 1.5 pages for each ECQ statement.