Navigating Major SES Changes

The following post takes a closer look at Navigating Major SES Changes.

Interested in applying to SES federal jobs in 2025 and beyond? Keeping tabs on the changes will improve your odds when it’s time to apply and compete for an SES role.

Read: Tips for Selecting Your ECQ Stories

Related: Best Federal Resume Writing Services

Whether you’re a first-time SES applicant or a seasoned executive revisiting the process, understanding these updates is essential for staying competitive.

Here’s what you need to know.

Overview

In May 2025, OPM introduced the ‘Merit Hiring Plan’, which represents one of the most significant updates to the SES application process in decades. It redefines how senior executive candidates are assessed – shifting the focus from lengthy and bureaucratic to concise and results-driven.

Successful SES candidates must clearly and effectively communicate their experience and credentials within the confines of the new framework.

For more on this topic, check out: How the Merit Hiring Plan Affects Federal Job Seekers

Two Page SES Resume

Under the ‘Merit Hiring Plan’, all Federal Resumes are now capped at two-pages in length.

In the past, SES Resumes were known for their exhaustive detail – often stretching to five or ten pages chock-full of information. For SES-level applicants, condensing decades of leadership experience into just two pages is going to be especially challenging and will require a strategic approach.

For more on this topic, check out: Navigating Major Changes to the Federal Resume.

New ECQs

Under the ‘Merit Hiring Plan’, the ECQs have been updated for the first time since 2006. The number of ECQs remains five, but the definitions and behavioral indicators have been refreshed.

Here are the old and new ECQs.

Old ECQs (Pre-2025):

• ECQ 1: Leading Change
• ECQ 2: Leading People
• ECQ 3: Results Driven
• ECQ 4: Business Acumen
• ECQ 5: Building Coalitions

New ECQs (2025 and beyond):

• ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding
• ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency
• ECQ 3: Merit and Competence
• ECQ 4: Leading People
• ECQ 5: Achieving Results

New Methods for ECQs

Amid all the changes introduced by the ‘Merit Hiring Plan’, one of the biggest shifts is that SES applicants no longer have to submit the traditional 10-page ECQ essays.

Don’t get too excited – ECQs aren’t going anywhere. What’s changing is how you showcase them. Instead of lengthy standalone narratives, you’ll now be expected to demonstrate your ECQs in other ways.

Starting July 1, 2025, SES applicants are no longer asked to submit the traditional 10-page ECQ essays. Instead, agencies may choose from one of these methods for evaluating an SES candidate’s ECQs.

• (a) complete a structured interview where you explain your leadership experience in person
• (b) write one-page narrative statements for each ECQ (called an accomplishment record)
• (c) submit a two-page Federal Resume that factor the ECQs directly into the document itself

It’s worth noting that agencies choose the evaluation method on a job-by-job basis – so you never know what to expect. SES applicants must pay close attention to the details in each job announcement.

Below is a screenshot from a LinkedIn post offering a glimpse into the new SES requirements.

Method 1: Structured Interview

When the structured interview method is used, you won’t be asked to submit written ECQs – but that doesn’t mean they’re no longer required. You’ll still need ECQs, only this time you’ll speak them instead of write them.

The interview is designed to draw out your qualifications through targeted questions. You’ll need to identify strong, relevant stories in advance and know them inside and out.

Being able to recall and articulate your ECQ stories in a high-stakes interview setting is arguably even more challenging than submitting a written narrative.

Method 2: One Page Narratives

When the narratives method is used, you’ll be asked to write one-page statements for each of the five ECQs – this is known as an “accomplishment record.” It’s a streamlined version of the old 10-page essay requirement.

While capped at one page per narrative, it’s still a significant undertaking. That’s five pages of carefully crafted, high-impact content that must clearly reflect your leadership experience and align with each ECQ. It may be shorter than the old format, but the level of thought, strategy, and writing skill required remains high.

Method 3: Resume

When the Resume method is used, you’ll need to submit a two-page Federal Resume that integrates the ECQs directly. No separate narrative. You’re expected to weave examples for each ECQ into the document.

This means structuring your experience and achievements to align with each of the five ECQs. Hiring officials must be able to see how you meet each core qualification just by reading your Federal Resume.

Changes to SESCDP

Under the ‘Merit Hiring Plan’, the SESCDP has been restructured to emphasize constitutional fidelity, performance accountability, and readiness to implement national priorities.

Key updates include capping the program at 9 months, increasing required training to 100 hours, and mandating a 120-day developmental assignment. SESCDPs must now include executive assessments, a minimum of 10 hours each of mentoring, and ensure that 20% of participants come from outside the agency.

For more about this topic check out: Understanding the SES Candidate Development Program.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, I hope this article helps you understand the SES application process better. Big changes like this can be tough to navigate. I will continue to update this article as the SES process evolves.

If you need help navigating these changes or building your new two-page Federal Resume, my team and I are here to support you. Please use the Contact Us or Submit Your Resume for a risk-free evaluation. We look forward to hearing from you!