C-C-A-R for ECQs

C-C-A-R for ECQsC-C-A-R for ECQsC-C-A-R for ECQsBy Diane Hudson, Co-Author, The New SES ApplicationThe C-C-A-R format stands forCHALLENGE CONTEXT ACTIONS RESULTS.The C-C-A-R format is required of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and used by the Qualifications Review motherboard (QRB), when reviewing Executive Core Qualification statements (ECQs) for final SES selection. The C-C-A-R is also reviewed in Technical Qualifications (TQs) and during the interview processThe C-C-A-R format forms the outline of an essay. Each ECQ category, and there are five categories Leading Change, Leading People, Results Driven, Business Acumen, and Building Coalitions requires two essay stories in the C-C-A-R format.By writing ECQ essay stories in the C-C-A-R format you are using a set standard formula that easily forms a short essay, with a beginning, middle and end. The hiring staff (Agency Executive Resources Board (ERB)) and the QRB want to easy-to-read short-story-essays they want to r ead compelling stories that express leadership competencies. I have spoken to members of the ERB and the QRB, and many have stated that is quite clear when a candidate has submitted a well written ECQ and TQ package in the C-C-A-R format, versus someone who did not apply for C-C-A-R formula. The QRB will review the ECQ stories and look for the C-C-A-R format. If the stories are disapproved, the QRB letter may state that the C-C-A-R was not found in certain essays.How to Use C-C-A-RTo best apply the C-C-A-R, use each identifier as a separate paragraph write one story per page (two stories per ECQ), and soon you will have 10 fully developed essay stories in the C-C-A-R, based on the leadership competencies for each ECQ. For example, as you begin to draft a story, outline the one page essay into four short paragraphsCHALLENGE Describe the challenge that you faced. What did you have to fix, launch, overcome resistance and pushback to, or negotiate?CONTEXT Describe the circumstances of t he situation, the timeline, story horizon, your job title and organization, the people, finances, and who and how you had to lead through the situation. Describe the who, what, where, why and how.ACTIONS Describe the actions you took to create action. Describe the high-level actions, not the in the weeds, project management details. Talk about whom you collaborated with, by office or level what actions you took to resolve a problem by creating a new program, policy, or negotiating a deal.RESULTS Describe the results. Quantify and qualify the results. Use numbers, percentages, dollar figures, and comparisons. Ask yourself, what was it like before I began the initiative, and what it is like now? Use a ripple-effect result, and describe how the story effected organizational performance.Use this format to begin to outline your stories, and slowly fill in the stories so that each paragraph is eight to 10 lines, which then creates a full page (using 12 point Times New Roman font and one i nch margins). Think through the stories, and even speak the stories. Sometimes, speaking the stories brings mora important details, then trying to struggle to write the stories. Use a smart phone or recording device to speak the stories, and then transfer to paper.CHere is an example story outline (based on a Results Driven essay example, found on page 92 in The New SES Application)CHALLENGE I was challenged to turnaround a business that was hemorrhaging cash and CONTEXT In my role as a business leader and military officer, with leadership oversight for formulating and managing operational plans for large organizations, I ACTIONS To resolve the problems, I developed a strategy to address personnel and business issues, align the organization behind key business processes focused on the development of the business market, initiated a hiring and sales training program, and RESULTS Achieved transfer to my control of the high-margin premium brands, creating record high sales volume and T he Many Uses of C-C-A-ROnce you write the C-C-A-R, then you have crib notes to study for the interview process, which may be scored on the C-C-A-R format. The C-C-A-R format is also used in mini-essays in the five-page SES resume-based application, in GS-level interviews, and in many GS-level resumes.Free Writing ToolGet started writing C-C-A-R with our easy-to-use CCAR Accomplishment Builder. Its FREEMore InfoIf you need additional assistance, check out the followingOur upcoming SES Writing Application Webinar Training starting Sep 16www.resume-place.com/training/ses-training/Our book, The New SES Applicationwww.resume-place.com/books/the-new-ses-application/Our SES Writing Serviceswww.resume-place.com/senior-executive-service/Our SES ECQ Training for Government Agencieswww.resume-place.com/training/government-agency-training/ses-workshop/Future blogs will cover the leadership competencies, mapping, and the specific ECQs.GET THE BOOK2nd Edition available Dec. 2015$21.95 (includes p ostage)