| No matter how many resumes you've prepared during | | | | generalize. |
| the course of your career, your Senior Executive | | | | · Give a before-and-after. It's also important for |
| Service (SES) resume will be the trickiest-but perhaps | | | | you to describe the challenges and expectations |
| the most important. This resume is unlike any other | | | | you've met at each new level of your career. If you |
| because SES jobs are some of the most elite and | | | | came into your current position with the expectation |
| competitive in the country. Your resume must combine | | | | that you'd dig an auto company out of $220 million in |
| the outstanding qualifications needed to secure an | | | | debt-and you did-that needs to be fully explained. |
| executive job with the unique qualifications needed to | | | | Describe where the company was when you arrived, |
| obtain a government job. Those doing the hiring are | | | | what steps you took to achieve success, and what |
| looking for proven leaders who can interact | | | | the company looked like when you left. |
| successfully with the loftiest members of the federal | | | | · Illustrate results with stories. Securing the right |
| government. And your first step into that world is a | | | | candidate for a top-level government job is a huge |
| great resume. | | | | investment of time and money, so the people doing the |
| · Forget what you learned in college. About | | | | hiring are willing to read through resumes carefully. |
| resumes, that is. You were probably advised to keep | | | | Take the time to sketch out story examples of how |
| bullet points to one or two lines and to limit your | | | | you achieved bottom-line results in your past or current |
| resume to one page in length (more on that below). | | | | position. Just make sure your stories aren't fairy tales. |
| But you need to remember that you're in line for an | | | | Lying to the government (even "stretching the truth") |
| executive position at the federal level, so the rules that | | | | isn't a good idea. |
| apply to an entry-level accountant don't apply to you. | | | | · Be precise. Give them a yardstick to |
| You've probably been out of college for more | | | | measure your success, rather than just numbers. If the |
| decades than you care to think about, so your | | | | company achieved $800 million in revenues while you |
| "education" section should be near the end. Your | | | | were president, tell them why that's so great. Compare |
| resume needs to be focused on the hard-core, | | | | it to the year before you arrived, when revenues were |
| get-it-done examples that will win you this next | | | | at $400 million. |
| lucrative gig. And if you use bullet points, make them as | | | | · Highlight success through growth. It's |
| long as necessary to adequately illustrate the people, | | | | imperative that you effectively describe your |
| places, and circumstances that have made up your | | | | forward-thinking capabilities, and that means showing |
| career and prepared you for this next challenge. | | | | how you've innovated in the past. SES positions are all |
| · Go long. It's normal-even expected-that your | | | | about leading change, so help them understand that |
| SES resume will be three pages long. Being qualified | | | | you're a candidate who can successfully evolve and |
| for an SES position means that you will have | | | | adapt to changing circumstances-and guide others to |
| extensive experience, and your resume needs to | | | | do the same. |
| outline that experience. That takes up some space! | | | | · Show them the big picture. The devil may be |
| But if you're looking at a resume that's more than four | | | | in the details, but a top-level government executive has |
| pages, you need to consider a different way to get | | | | to have the big picture in mind at all times. Point out |
| your points across. If you simply can't condense any | | | | how you've developed strategic visions in the past-in |
| copy without losing impact, attach a separate list of | | | | as many different environments as possible. A federal |
| your projects which the interviewer can peruse after | | | | position means dealing with diverse people in diverse |
| your resume. A long resume is fine-a document that | | | | environments, so showing how you've handled |
| rivals War and Peace is not. | | | | strategic thinking in unique situations is a one-way |
| · Name names. By this point in your career, | | | | street to a job offer. |
| you've undoubtedly worked for some bigwig | | | | · Don't forget your ECQs. Make sure to include |
| companies, so don't be afraid to provide details. Give a | | | | the Executive Core Qualifications as an addendum to |
| brief overview of the company (what they do, what | | | | your resume and cover letter. You may also be |
| they're worth, number of employees, etc.). Even if it's a | | | | required to submit Technical Qualifications, Managerial |
| household name corporation like McDonalds or | | | | Technical Qualifications, or Professional Technical |
| Reebok, most people don't know the numbers | | | | Qualifications. Don't miss out on a job that's perfect for |
| associated with them. Being vague will make the hiring | | | | you simply because you didn't research all of the |
| manager wonder if you're hiding something, so don't | | | | mandatory paperwork. |