Well-Written KSAs (Knowledges, Skills and Abilities) Boost Your Chances of Getting a Federal Job

The way your KSAs are written are critical to your success in working for the U.S. Federal Government. There's a proper way to develop each KSA and write it so you come out as "highly qualified" or "best qualified."

I spent over 28 years as a federal government employee. I served on many ranking and rating panels, and over 90% of the KSAs I had to read brought tears to my eyes. They were that bad.

Those applications went directly and quickly to the "rejected" pile.

Badly written KSAs:

• Never get you qualified
• Reflect poorly upon you as an individual
• Wastes the reviewer's time
• Confuse the rating and ranking panel members because they simply can't tell if you can do the job

On the other hand, each well-written KSA will:

• Land you on the highly and best qualified list more often, increasing your chances of starting a federal career
• Make it easy on the rating and ranking panel to determine if you're qualified to do the job
• Move you to the top of the best qualified list for interview purposes

Each KSA receives a certain number of points. Your KSAs could boost your total score above the competition - if they're well written, address the KSA in question and clearly show you have the past experience.

Anything you've done - volunteer work, awards received, training completed, education - all these can be used in individual KSAs as long as they are relevant.

I use two handy tools that allow me to turn your past skills and life experiences into easy to read KSAs that will get you more interviews. In addition there are certain action verbs, specific nouns, descriptors and results words you always to incorporate in your KSAs that are winners.

Did you know that:

• Each KSA should be one page maximum in length
• Have at least two examples for each KSA listed
• Contain four critical parts or elements
• Almost every federal job posted has a KSA for written and oral communications skills demonstration

KSAs are your chance to prove your proficiency in the position you're applying for. Increase your chances of serving the public with well-written KSAs. Educate the ranking and ranking panels by selling yourself positively with easy to understand KSAs.

Call me at 202.725.1422 or email me for a 30-minute consultation on your KSA needs.