A successful package will always include a sense of the way in which you approach issues and of the integrated vision that you bring to the multiple activities in a large organization. Working in an international environment helps, and working with CEOs of other organizations also strengthens the package. Rather than view the organization from the perspective of the IT professional, however, the successful SES application will convey effectively how the head of the organization integrates effective IT support into the overall mission of an operating agency. This coordination is the differentiating factor that makes SES applications successful. The SES is a very competitive corps of the federal service, and successful private sector applications frequently depend upon extensive working with government organizations.
Every agency has internal candidates for each SES position advertised.
In some cases, the agency leadership does not believe that internal candidates are best suited to change the organization as needed, and will seek external candidates. Internal candidates, however, retain many potential advantages in applying for these positions. Unless the outside applicant can make a strong case based on technical qualifications, the SES is probably a very long shot for entry into federal service. The federal civil service is relatively open at the senior levels, and a resume alone is not adequate to provide a full appreciation of the candidate's merits. In effect, these responses provide an opportunity to present answers to extensive questions that could be asked during the course of an interview.