Seeking Federal Employment and Writing Great KSAs

Do you want a job with the federal government?  Many people do, it’s a great career choice and one that can provide lasting stability, advancement, and personal and professional reward.  I am currently an employee for the US Department of Homeland Security.  I can’t go into specifics regarding what I do for the Agency, but I have found it to be a personally gratifying and rewarding experience to be able to serve my county in this capacity.

Finding a federal job is not all that difficult.  Go to USAJobs.gov and you will see thousands of jobs listed for numerous career fields all over the US and the world.  The measure of difficulty comes into play as you begin researching how to apply for these jobs.  One would think that all the agencies accept the same formats, require the same information, and provide easy to follow instructions on how to apply for vacancies.  Well, it is easy if you use the right approach.  How pressed are you to find a job?  Do you need one right away, or are you currently employed and have the ability to wait through the lengthy process to becoming a federal employee.  If you are pressed for time, the government is not the place to begin your search.

This article will address one of the most important factors in obtaining federal employment.  Writing KSAs.  What are KSAs, you ask?  They are specific narrative statements that pertain to the qualifications and experience you posses that are directly related to the position you are applying for.  It will also address the important personnel review process. Understanding the personnel review process and the importance of good KSAs is critical to your success in being hired by the Federal government.

Finding Federal Jobs that Interest You

Again, go to the USAJobs.gov web site and you can find employment from entry to executive levels.  All have specific pay grades and ranges available based on your particular experience.  Once you have found a job that appeals to you, read the vacancy announcement very carefully.  Take notice of the particular skills they require and verbiage used within the vacancy announcement.  Just as there are key words and key phrases that SEOs use to rank websites and blogs, there are also key words and key phrases that can be utilized in demonstrating your Kowledge, Skills, and Abilities to the staffing specialist that reviews your entire application package.

You can have the best resume in the world, but your answers to the KSAs are what the rating official will use to determine whether you make that “best qualified” ranking list.  This is the list you want to be on once your package has been reviewed and the weight placed on your KSAs is vital to being selected as a “best qualified” candidate.

Understanding The Personnel Review Process

Your completed application will be sent to the specific federal agency you are making your application to. This can be done most times on-line, however, there are certain agencies that require you to fax your entire package to a specific location. This will include your federal-style resume or OF-612 and KSAs particular to the vacancy announcement. The announcement may also ask for supplemental information as well. You have to very carefully read the instructions to determine what they want, i.e., college transcripts, DD-215, your last supervisory evaluation, or other applicable information. Ensure that you have included everything they request in the announcement.  Be thorough, lots of people never make it past this point.

A Personnel Staffing Specialist will review your package to ensure it’s complete and all required documents are in the package.  He/she will then review your resume to determine whether you meet the basic qualifications for the job. If you meet the basic qualifications they will review the entire package to determine whether you meet minimum qualifications.  Again this information will be contained within the vacancy announcement.  If you are qualified, they will usually decide at this point whether you are qualified or highly qualified.  Meeting either of these requirements will ensure a review next of your KSAs.  This is the final determination in your package as to whether you are referred to the hiring authority.

KSAs can be ranking and rating factors, evaluation factors and job ranking elements, supplemental statements or a written test.  More importantly, they are used as an elimination tool, which is why they are so important.

Writing Your KSAs

First, you want to think about the specific experience you have and how it pertains and relates to the vacancy.  This can, for some people, be a tricky analysis as they have a difficult time translating their experience to the specific specialties and qualifications contained within the vacancy announcement.

Everyone, no matter whether you are a new college graduate with little practical experience, or a seasoned veteran within a particular field can demonstrate desirable qualifications.  Often times they are not the hard skills you posses, but the soft skills you have developed though school, previous employment, a hobby, volunteerism, etc. that can demonstrate a practical Knowledge, Skill, and Ability.  More and more, employers are focusing on these soft-skills.  They are measures of emotional intelligence which are critical to any organizations’ bottom line. 

Next, I highly recommend you print out the vacancy announcement so you can readily refer to it as you write your KSAs.

As you begin to think about your skills and writing KSAs, start by developing an outline.  Don’t worry about all the content initially.  Just start with an outline of positions you have held and see if you can’t define a few particular accomplishments for each position.  Once you have your outline developed, begin to add content to each item.  Remember; refer to the vacancy announcement as you relate your experience and qualifications to the requirements within announcement and make sure they correlate.  Using keywords taken from the vacancy announcement throughout your descriptions with help to align the points you make within your KSAs to the specific qualifications for the position.

Most federal positions require KSAs of some sort.  Sometimes they are specifically requested by name, other times you will be directed to an on-line application form that will require an essay sort of response.  Make no mistake, this is still a KSA and should be written accordingly.  There are varying opinions regarding how long your KSAs should be and there is always a maximum stated within the announcement.  I am of the mindset that they should be as long as needed.  What I mean by that is use verbiage and language that conveys your message, clearly and concisely, and make it interesting to read.  You have to elaborate and use colorful descriptive language to express your supporting points and convey your meaning.  It is a balancing act and it is also specific to the sort of vacancy you are applying to.  Exercise your best judgment and read and re-read your KSAs.

Here are some tips to remember where you are writing your KSAs

Read the vacancy announcement carefully

• Gather the information needed to begin writing
• Be specific
• Be precise
• Get to the point
• Do not ramble
• Use lots of examples
• State specifically what you have done
• Do not use acronyms
• Present yourself in “clear and plain” language
• Do not borrow language from the position description

Once you have your KSAs written and your happy with the way they read, be very comfortable with the examples you site and the message you convey.  If your KSAs land you on that “best qualified” list, the next step will be a personal interview where you can then capitalize even more on all the great personal characteristics you possess and further substantiate your qualifications and why you are the right candidate for the job!