EL1 · Resume guide
EL1 Resume Guide: How to Write a Resume That Wins the Promotion
The APS6→EL1 promotion is the single hardest transition in the APS career ladder. The gap is not just "more responsibility" — it's a fundamental shift from supporting-band work to leading work. Most APS6 candidates preserve their existing resume language for EL1 applications and panels mark them down. This guide covers exactly how an EL1 resume needs to read.
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EL1 salary range
Approximately A$110,000 – A$130,000 per year (Commonwealth EL1, 2026 indicative).
What an EL1 actually does
EL1 officers manage teams (typically 3–8 people) and/or complex programs, set direction within the directorate, engage senior stakeholders up to SES level, manage program budgets, and are accountable for delivery against directorate-level outcomes. EL1 is the first band where you are managing people and outcomes rather than doing the work directly — and the language has to reflect that.
What hiring panels weight at EL1
- Direct people leadership. "I led a team of [N]" with specifics on team capability, performance, and outcomes you delivered through them.
- Accountability framing. "I was accountable for [X]" — not "I supported" or "I contributed to". EL1 owns the outcome.
- Senior stakeholder engagement, especially up to SES and ministerial level. Concrete examples of briefs, conversations, or decisions you influenced.
- Strategic contribution — not just executing strategy but shaping it for the directorate or branch.
- Capability building — what did you do to build the capability of your team, your function, or the broader agency?
Weak vs strong: EL1 language
Same underlying experience, framed two ways. The first is what most candidates write. The second is what scores at EL1.
APS6-style (under-claims at EL1)
“Led the implementation of the new case management system, working with stakeholders across the directorate.”
EL1-style (band-appropriate)
“Accountable for the delivery of a $1.8M case management system replacement across a directorate of 60 officers. Led a team of five through requirements gathering, vendor management, and change management; briefed the Deputy Secretary at three governance gates; and delivered against a Government commitment to reduce case-handling time by 40%.”
Common reasons EL1 applications get rejected
- 1Writing in APS6 language ("led the project", "managed the team") without the accountability layer. EL1 needs ownership signals.
- 2Confusing seniority with leadership. Years of experience at APS6 doesn't automatically signal EL1 — leadership evidence does.
- 3Using "we" instead of "I". EL1 panels are assessing your contribution specifically. Be precise about what you led versus what your team delivered.
- 4Missing strategic context. Every EL1 example should connect to a directorate or agency outcome, not just a task completion.
- 5Tactical examples only. EL1 panels look for evidence of judgment, not just execution.
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