The foremost purpose of writing great KSAs is to distinguish YOU as the candidate who fulfills most or all of the desired qualifications; stating your experience using descriptive words that characterize who you are thusly enticing the reader to continue reading. Below is a list of descriptive words you can use to succinctly characterize who you are and set yourself apart from other qualified candidates. Remember, how you market yourself in your KSAs is fundamental to being selected as a best qualified candidate and being referred to the selecting official.

These are just a few examples of some of the great verbiage you can incorporate into your KSAs transforming something ordinary into something extraordinary.  For more ideas, consider adding a thesaurus to your personal library.  Not only will you be developing and writing great KSAs, you’ll also expand upon your own verbal communicative vernacular, another highly desirable skill.

Every great resume is a marketing tool for the person it represents.  It should be appropriate and specific to your unique situation.  Not a tool ineffectively designed to follow the usual rules and tips we so often read and hear about though employment grapevines and experts.  Not a historical outline or accounting of jobs we have held in the past and the various tasks associated with such. 

A great resume is an advertisement.  It says, “If you buy this product, then you’ll be the recipient of all these amazing benefits”.  A great resume highlights the scope and depth of your experience and it communicates a strong persuasive reason to the potential employer to covet your services.  Great resumes also pave the way to engaging and memorable interviews.  A well-designed and creatively crafted resume will prompt the interviewer to hone in on the specific areas most relevant to the position and will allow you to focus on those particular areas during the interview.  Once you adopt a more forward thinking, sales oriented way of portraying your experience; you can begin crafting your great resume. 

The presentation, layout, and language you use to communicate your value through your resume are particularly important

There are two things you can be sure the hiring manager will do upon reviewing your resume.  First, he/she will start at the top and work their way down, and they will read from left to right.  Second, the first impression you create will have the greatest impact on their opinion of you and this will be the perception used to filter all the rest of the information contained in your resume.  The old adage “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” is so true.  So why not grab their attention before they ever begin to read.

In my opinion, to create a great resume, it’s critical to concentrate on your layout and the language and verbiage used within it to entice the reader to continue reading. As I have suggested previously in my post “Resumes, moving from Fair to Flair” one of the most successful resumes I have ever developed was presented in a “Newsletter” style and format.  I have used this particular resume since my mid-twenties and have received feedback from many hiring professionals that the layout was indeed so intriguing and unusual they were immediately prompted to place it in the stack that made the first cut without too much evaluation on content.  To me, that speaks volumes for designing a resume that is atypical and non-conforming.

As you begin to layout your resume, keep in mind what I stated earlier. You can be guaranteed that the hiring manager will do two things read from top to bottom, left to right, and immediately have a first impression of you. 

You will want to ensure they know who you are by developing a unique header, with all the typical information associated with who you are; your name and contact information including your address, phone number(s), e-mail address.  It’s not nessasary to associate individual labels with address, phone, and e-mail information as these can be inferred.  Be sure to use the same heading on your references page, cover letter and hank you letter or on any other correspondence you may send.  This way, you develop a consistent brand or image to the hiring manager, and this also accommodates quick and ready access to your contact information depending on which document the hiring manager may be currently assessing.

Next you’ll want to focus on the particular section headings you will use throughout your resume. Section headings include your employment information, education, community activities, volunteerism, etc. Section headings are important as they enable the reviewer to quickly perceive and determine the relevance and importance of the information from their perspective.  Remember, hiring managers are inundated with resumes to review and evaluate.  The last thing they want to do is read a lot. Again, try to envision your resume from their point of view.

Thinking about your section headings and the length and layout of your resume with help you with developing the language you use to sell yourself throughout your resume.  Evaluate your past employment and the hard and soft skills your have developed throughout your career and life.   Many candidates underestimate and thusly understate the value of experiences garnered both personally and professionally by not spending quality time thinking about past experience and future goals.

Ask yourself these questions as you evaluate your experience:

• What was the purpose of this particular function/job/task/project?
• What was the relevance of the function/job/task/project?
• Was there a particular benefit or achievement realized during or at the conclusion of the function/job/task/project?

You can apply these questions to your career; education, community involvement projects, hobbies, and volunteerism activities to advertise your unique qualities and sell yourself as the candidate most likely get the interview!  Remember, a great resume is an advertisement.  It says, “If you buy this product, then you’ll be the recipient of all these amazing benefits.”

The excerpts below are examples of some great KSAs that landed each of the four different candidates on the “best qualified” list referred to the selecting official.  Feel free to use these as a guide as you develop your own great KSAs. Or if you need help or advice, you can contact me though my contact form.

Application of specialized knowledge of laws, procedures, practices, relevant to managing and executing programs in an operational environment

…Served eight and one half years in the US Army and was honorably discharged at the rank of SSG/E-6.  During my service, I was stationed in Korea and was selected and trained as a Korean Linguist.  I was responsible for leading teams of soldiers to secret high ground communications outposts and in charge of monitoring, interpreting, and reporting South Korean communications and intelligence activity. The work our team conducted was highly classified and was an essential component to intelligence gathering and served as an important element in effectively ensuring the security of the United States and its allied forces.  Upon my return to the United States from my tour of duty in Korea I was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. I was assigned the responsibility of establishing a language maintenance program for the returning linguists which enabled and assisted them in maintaining their proficiency of the Korean language and the various dialects. 

I was also responsible for document control on all classified material at our company, the 335 ASA Company. This assignment required highly specialized knowledge of not only the Korean language, but also an extensive knowledge of all the applicable international laws regarding such, and an in-depth understanding of reporting top secret military intelligence through appropriate mechanisms and established protocols.
I am also a retired Police Lieutenant with twenty years of investigative experience.  For more than half of my career in law enforcement I served as a Sergeant and Lieutenant.  I participated in numerous management training sessions during my tenure including a four week Police Management Program held at Babson Business College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.  I have had extensive training in constitutional law and civil liability.  I have evaluated and trained police officers on proper police procedures and served as Criminal Investigative Supervisory Lead in notable homicide investigations, robberies, and other high profile investigations.  I was also responsible for the management of two Sergeants and twenty patrolmen within my command.  I ensured and monitored on-going training both in the classroom and on-the-job and ensured strict adherence to all applicable Federal, State, and Municipal Laws…

Through your writing you share your experience and understanding; your acquired knowledge; you also persuade people in the selling of your ideas; you influence and sway people to follow your lead.  That is, if your desire is to be a leader rather than a follower.  You will accomplish these things through a variety of different media-letters, faxes, email, reports, newsletters, meeting minutes, memoranda, sticky notes and the list goes on. 

Persuasive, powerful, writing is a craft and as with any craft, there is a process that enables you to learn it, develop it, and lastly, master it.

There are six steps in the development of persuasive writing and developing your writing style.  They are:

Preparation
Planning
Drafting
Reviewing
Rewriting
Polishing

Preparation and planning sound similar but there are subtle differences between the two.  Preparation is about how we prepare our minds and organize our thoughts and approach in the engagement of our reader in the presentation of our topic.  Planning effectively deals with how we prepare the actual material and organize our information for presentation.

If you are like most people, you are likely short of time.  Which means you will need to write quickly as well as clearly, concisely, accurately, and in a manner that engages and holds the very short attention span of your reader(s).  Think about it, how many times have you been bombarded with information or reading that required your attention, how did you read it?  Word for word?  Almost certainly not, most likely you skimmed the writing gleaning the most critical and important information.  Often, depending on what we are reading, all we do is look at a title to determine if something is worthy of our time.  Therefore the time we spend in preparation is crucial to capturing our readers’ undivided attention.

This is true no matter what we are writing.  Blog writing, creative writing, persuasive writing, resume writing, KSA Writing, Business writing, etc., all require us to prepare and organize our thoughts on conveying our message in the most meaningful and captivating way.

The amount of time you spend on a project will depend on three things, the importance of the communication, the complexity and extent of the material, and the time you have available to complete the writing.  Once you have determined the amount of time you have available the entire six step process should look like this:

Preparation - 10%
Planning - 30%
Drafting - 20%
Reviewing - 10%
Rewriting - 20%
Polishing - 10%

The same process in terms of an hour writing project would look like this:

Preparation - 6 minutes
Planning - 18 minutes
Drafting - 12 minutes
Reviewing - 6 minutes
Rewriting - 12 minutes
Polishing - 6 minutes

Notice, you spend 40% of your time in planning and preparation, and 60% of your time getting your words on the page the way you want your reader to see them.  Notice you only spend 20% of your time actually working with a blank page.  The drafting phase is short because we have spent the correct amount of time in the preparation and planning stages to accommodate a quick draft getting your thoughts onto the page with the maximum amount of fluidity and minimizing the interruption in the process because of optimal planning and preparation.

As stated previously, persuasive,  powerful writing is a craft and as you write and develop your craft, this process becomes second nature enabling you to become a more productive, successful  and competent writer. 

If you are considering a career in the Federal Government keep in mind, one of, if not the most critical component to getting your foot in the door, is writing your Knowledge, Skills, and Ability statements.  Have no doubt; writing great KSAs is an exercise in writing, one that can be dauntingly laborious and arduous if you go at it with the wrong mindset.  I like to think of writing great KSAs as an opportunity to sell you better than anyone else could ever do!  Who knows more about you than YOU!

When it comes right down to it, KSAs are really just essays about you, nothing more.  Your particular KSAs will be a collection of half-page to full-page, focused narratives, or essays, you include in your application package that highlight your particular knowledge, skills, and abilities on the selection criterion or factors desired within the vacancy announcement.

Great KSAs give specific examples of your paid and non-paid work experience, education, training, awards, and other honors you may have had.  One area I see many people fail to focus on is their volunteerism.  I have seen clients who haven’t worked for several years turn experience and training with their local PTAs into valuable, highly desirable experience.  I’ve known women who while staying at home with their families, develop highly desirable skills through their devotion to their children’s education by volunteering at their schools PTA, participating in local and county level PTA activities, and by volunteering in their community churches and hospitals helping people who are sick, dying or incapacitated.

So be creative and resourceful as you ponder your own non-paid experience.  My own son volunteers on a regular basis as part of his high school graduation requirements.  He will be able to use those valuable and diverse experiences he is gaining throughout High School on his first resume as compelling relevant experience.

Remember, as you write your KSAs they are specifically written to support each area of knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the vacancy announcement.  Generally there are four to six KSAs required for each application.  Sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the vacancy and unlike your resume, they are written in the first person.  (I.E. I did this or that…)

Another point to remember is that first-level Human Resource professionals grade or “rate” your KSAs.  They use a ranking system for each KSA statement.  Your statements can range from superior to not acceptable, or may even be assigned a numerical score.  There is no real rule of thumb as the rating systems vary from one job to the next.  You will not know which of the KSAs you submit will be the ones the hiring managers consider to be the most important, that’s why you want to ensure that your have put your best foot forward in every KSA you write.

So, now you are ready to write your KSAs for the job you’ve just found in which you know YOU are the perfect candidate.  You start thinking about your background and suddenly you say to yourself, what they heck is the delineation between my knowledge, skills, and abilities?

To help you understand, here is how the government defines each of these terms:

• Knowledge: An organized body of information, usually of a factual or procedural nature, which, if applied, makes adequate performance on the job possible.
• Skills: The proficient manual, verbal, or mental manipulation of data, people, or things. Observable, quantifiable and measurable.
• Abilities: The power to perform an activity at the present time. Implied is a lack of discernable barriers, either physical or mental, to performing the activity.

By these definitions, grammar and spelling are areas of knowledge. Bodies of information the applicant needs to perform a job, such as writing, editing, or proofreading.  Typing is a skill.  Measurable and quantifiable in terms of words typed per minute.  On the other side in qualified terms, being able to maintain your composure in tense or stressful situations is ability.  Here you are talking about a person’s ability to manage stress and do his/her job well while under pressure.

Now you know what KSAs are and how the government defines each of the terms.  Here are seven rules you should always follow, every time you write a KSA.

1. Give at least one or two good examples per KSA and remember don’t speak in generalities.  Present very specific details about what you did and the results you achieved.
2. Use different examples in each of your KSAs.  Try not to repeat examples unless you can use the same example to highlight a different aspect of your experience.
3. Fill each KSA with solid information.  Do not pad your KSAs with superfluous words and phrases
4. Write in the first person.  Remember, you are talking about yourself and write in complete, well-structured sentences. Draw material for your KSAs from all aspects of your life and remember to consider volunteerism and other unpaid experiences.
5. Don’t use Acronyms.  Spell everything out.  The government loves to use Acronyms but doesn’t necessarily understand your particular acronym acumen.
6. Quantify your results.  Again, you don’t want to speak in general terms, if you saved your company money by implementing a policy, procedure, a new way of doing something, state how much.  Be specific.  Don’t say I type fast when you can type 85 words per minute.  Say so!
7. Proofread, proofread, and proofread some more. No matter how many times spell checker tells you your document is free of spelling errors, proofread your KSAs.  I have found typos and incorrect word usage in so many of the KSAs I have proofread.  Be careful and ensure you have no errors by having someone else take a look at your finished product.

Remember, anything worth doing is worth doing well.  If you are seeking federal employment and desire a job that is both rewarding and worthwhile, spend the time writing your KSAs, they are going to be the determining factor in whether you make it to the all important “best qualified” list that gets sent to the hiring official..

It seems like now-a-days, even in school; kids aren’t as proficient as they should be on the subject of writing and grammar. I know from personal experience with my son. We too, often don’t remember many of the basic rules we were taught in school. In this age of technology, it is easy to rely on the spelling and grammar checking functions of our favorite word processing program to correct our spelling and punctuation errors. I am keen on the use of technology and all the exciting possibilities that exist since its emergence. However, I think we owe it to ourselves to understand the fundamentals and keep our minds engaged in the process rather than relying on technology to remember the rules for us.

One of the best ways to preserve your fundamental writing skills and to develop essential new expertise is by writing everyday. You will be hard pressed to find a professional writer who doesn’t write everyday. That’s not just because they do it for enjoyment or profit, but because they know the only way to continually improve is to practice. They sharpen their skills practicing and perfecting their craft. The old saying “practice makes perfect” is apropos, but I like to say “practice makes permanent” since nothing is really ever perfect.

Another way to sharpen your writing skills is to read. Read a lot. Absorb how great writers compose their words and dramatically construct their sentences and paragraphs, tying everything together with vivid descriptions and details. Reading will not only help you with your writing, it will also build upon your proverbial lingua franca. I derive great pleasure in learning new words and reading enables me to do just that. If I don’t know what something means, I look it up. The broader your knowledge of language becomes the more vibrant and alive your writing will be. And, as a complementary benefit, you will also develop a more expressive and verbally persuasive communicative style.

Lastly, embracing the process is fundamental to good writing. A step that is frequently skipped is the time you take to plan, outline, and organize your thoughts. Writing is rewriting. It is understood that seldom, if ever, will there be a time when you create a masterpiece on your first attempt. It is a work in progress and will require modification and fine-tuning. It is rare that a first draft is a finished high-quality product. Even great inspiration will likely require revision and refinement.

Here are just a few simple, easy to follow rules you can begin applying to your writing today. There are many, many more. These are a just a few of the common rules I frequently see broken.

• Use concrete, rather than vague language:
  Vague: The weather was of a merciless nature on the east coast.
  Concrete: New Jersey was bitterly cold last week.

• Use active voice whenever possible:
  Passive: A home run was hit.
  Active: John hit a home run.

• Avoid overusing common words like it, is, there is, there are, it was, that:
  Example: There is a case of tuberculosis that was reported in the newspaper.
  Good: A case of tuberculosis was reported in the newspaper.
  Better: The newspaper reported a case of tuberculosis.

  Example: It is important to signal before making a left turn.
  Good: Signaling before making a left turn is important.
  Good: Signaling before a left turn is important.
  Active: You should signal before making a left turn.
  (Again, use active voice whenever possible)

• Don’t use two negatives to make a positive unless you want to confuse your reader:
  Example: He is not unwilling to help.
  Correct: He is willing to help.

• Avoid the dangling modifier (A modifier describes, clarifies, or gives more detail about a concept):
  Example: While jogging in a rainstorm, the lightening stuck her.
  Correct: While jogging in a rainstorm, she was stuck by lightening.
  Or: She was stuck by lightening while jogging in a rainstorm.

Once you master the basics, you can begin changing the rules and developing a style all your own. Who knows, you may discover you have a hidden talent comparable to the likes of Mark Twain, Stephen King, Jonathan Swift, Robert Frost, Spinoza, Thomas Paine, Jane Austen or any one of your personal favorites.

“You can change. You can live out of your imagination instead of your memory. You can tie yourself to your limitless potential instead of your limiting past.”
— Stephen R. Covey

That statement is profoundly enlightening and authenticates my own fundamental belief that you are the one responsible for making a choice, a commitment to any personal or professional accomplishment you desire to achieve in life. These are words apropos to not only personal success, but also to success in business. We all possess limitless potential or that “master aptitude” defined by Daniel Goleman in my article “Emotional Intelligence, How Do You Measure.” What we don’t all possess is the motivation or commitment to developing those abilities that are affected by that aptitude. Or do we?

We center on that which we are comfortable and familiar. We focus on what we have already carved out for ourselves from our past, what we’ve learned from our parents, our schools, our friends, our society, and numerous other influences, both positive and negative and then wonder why we achieve a result short of what was expected. We miss the mark, or we never even start aiming for it because it’s too hard or too frightening.

Fact of the matter is we must be willing to unlearn some of our history and be open to new learning and imaginative landmark ways of thinking and meticulous self exploration. Again, it all comes down to a personal choice, our own choice, no one else’s and not because of anyone else.

I started this site to nourish my passion for writing, but as I have been thoughtfully evaluating my own commitments, I find that the track is very much aimed at one for personal growth and development and how it applies to success, be it through improving your writing or to understanding your own strengths and weaknesses through scrupulous self evaluation.

This site is about writing. But it is also about improving an existing ability or aptitude you already possess, and that segues into growth and development and to the rationale I use to write about more than just writing. The written word brings the promise of commitment. When we put something to writing, we are committing to it. We are giving our assurance that you can depend upon what’s being said.

I am committed to provide more than just topics within the writing niche. Writing is one thing; writing better is a commitment to change, to grow, to learn, and to think and learn in new ways as you travel down the path of self discovery. Thoughts, choices, commitment, knowledge, development, transformation, thinking and feeling, these are measureable well defined characteristics of a healthy soul, they are there for all of us to choose, to seek at spectrometric levels outside our own characterization of ourselves.

You may never really have thought about it before but the soft skills you have developed throughout your life are an essential element to most any employment you seek. In his book Working With Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman suggests that it is not your intellect, experience or skills that make you successful; rather, it is your emotional intelligence - how well you can “read” other people’s emotions and feelings in the workplace.

“Emotional Intelligence is a master aptitude, a capacity that profoundly affects all other abilities, either facilitating or interfering with them.”
–Daniel Goleman, Emotional Intelligence, p. 80.

The term Emotional Intelligence encompasses five core characteristics and abilities that everyone possesses to some extent. Just as the ability exists to measure someone’s Intellect or Intelligence Quotient (IQ), there is the ability to measure a persons Emotional Intelligence (EIQ) or as Daniel Goleman refers to it above “master aptitude.”

Self-awareness–knowing your emotions, recognizing feelings as they occur, and discriminating between them.
Mood management–handling feelings so they’re relevant to the current situation and you react appropriately.
Self-motivation–”gathering up” your feelings and directing yourself towards a goal, despite self-doubt, inertia, and impulsiveness.
Empathy–recognizing feelings in others and tuning into their verbal and nonverbal cues.
Managing relationships–handling interpersonal interaction, conflict resolution, and negotiations.

Your emotional intelligence (EIQ) or “soft skills” have become increasingly more important in our ever changing and fiercely competitive industrial world. More and more businesses realize their employees need to be well versed in both relating to their customer base as well as their co-workers and peers. From showing a keen sense of perspective and optimism, to extreme self-awareness and understanding for what is happening all around them.

One of the best indicators of a strong emotional intelligence is the ability to work within a team environment. But bear in mind, being a good team environmentalist involves more than bearing your share of the workload; it also necessitates being a leader when necessary and recognizing when to do so; knowing when to share your opinions and ideas or when to defer to others; and understanding how to stay on track to achieve the best possible results while minimizing conflict and tension. As with any ability, there is a broad spectrum or range. Understanding where you fit within that master capacity is a good way to develop and enhance it.

Two more important gauges of an above average emotional intelligence are communication skills. No matter how many wrinkles you have in your brain or how high your IQ sores, you are quite likely to go unnoticed if you cannot effectively communicate your thoughts and ideas to others. This is why so many job listings seek candidates with strong communication skills, especially in public speaking. Employers seek job candidates who are not going to lie down and curl up into the fetal position every time they are required to speak out loud.

A few more characteristics of EIQ include being flexible and adaptable. Often, you may be required to collaborate with individuals who possess a completely different knowledge base or tangential perceptive than that of your own. Flexibility promotes creativity and innovation and is what keeps businesses and organizations successful as they navigate tumultuous business cycles and changes in technology and industry. Having employees who are flexible, adaptable, and creative keep them on the cutting edge of business and opportunity.

Do you know your own EIQ? The internet is a great place to set out to learn your EIQ or validate what you think you already know about yourself. You can go to Google and find numerous articles and links to information, resources, and EIQ tests. Go on, give it a try and see how you measure up.

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!

Whether you are writing copy, preparing a resume, composing a cover letter, writing a business plan, or coveting the content and the on-line success of those popular web-sites and blogs you visit everyday.

“Life is not fair…get used to it”

I visit web sites and blogs on a regular basis in an effort to develop a broader sense of illumination on how I can convey my message in a significant, meaningful way. What have I discovered, that true success is not something we duplicate by copying what others do but rather creating our own buzz, our own unique style and unforgettable delivery of our message. You make your own breaks by exploring those areas external to your own comfort zone or what is accepted (as long as it’s legal). You are your best selling asset when you flee from those self-inflicted boundaries we all impose on ourselves.

The same is true with writing your resume…

You can apply all the rules and standards we all see that are “accepted” and still not be successful in the delivery of your message. No matter what it is. Here’ a classic illustration of one of the most successful resumes I have ever developed. No, I am not going to entice you to buy it or show you a template of my own…I am going to give it to you. Only I am going to deliver it via a written idea, and let you explore your own possibilities with it. I spoke of it briefly in my post “The Unique You in your Resume” It’s about how you can deliver not only verbally, but visually and memorably.

We’ve all seen the typical resumes…they are everywhere, right? You can download them for free, you can pay for them, and you can pay someone else to create them for you. Have you ever thought of presenting your unique qualifications and talents in a way that nobody, or at least nobody in my experience, has seen?

Take at look at a newsletter that captures your attention, or the design of a magazine article that grabs you and ask yourself…why couldn’t I present myself to a potential employer in this way? Who says I have to use the standard accepted formats and designs? “They” do…but who are “They?” Industry professionals? Perhaps. Human resource experts…Yes, those too. Someone who wants to sell you his or her service, yes, thousands!

Take this tid-bit and explore your own possibilities and apply your own creativity and style. It may or may not work for you, but I, and others I have given this fresh, unique approach to have had remarkable success with winning an interview and capitalizing on its presentation in their interview.

Again, anything that is terrifically successful starts with an expression and idea extraordinarily unique and unusual. Risky, yes…but what do you have to lose? “Lifes not fair…get used to it” and capitalize on that truth with an outside-the-box idea.

For those of you who read my very long, first post about the history of what inspired me to start the-write-biz.com, I thought I would go ahead and layout some ideas you can use to nurture and develop your style of writing.

When you write, it is very different than when you speak. Oral communication is much more comfortable and easy because there are so many other attributes to speaking that help you to expressively communicate. We use body language and gestures, without even realizing it, which enables the listener to interpret and comprehend what we are communicating with depth, feeling and clarity. But with the written word, it is just that; written, no additional vibrancy or animation, gestures, vocal intonation or inflection and no body language. These are all rudiments in the art of oral communication and we all stand out at different levels. But even the most basic communications are enhanced by the characteristics we all possess when we speak.

We all talk, and we talk a lot, about 16,000 words per day. Needless to say we are pretty good at talking. Compare that to writing. When was the last time you wrote 16,000 words? Never…that’s what most would say, so, since we are all proficient talkers, we too can develop and grow to become capable writers with some creativity, practice and persistence.

One of my favorite ways to write is to write about something I love, which is one of the reasons I started the-write-biz.com. I love to write. What are you passionate about? What do you love? What are you an expert at? Think about this as every person in the whole wide world has something they enjoy or love or have a gift or talent for. When you discover what you are passionate about, start writing. Don’t worry about what it sounds like or what it looks like on paper. Just get your thoughts transcribed out of your mind and onto the paper.

One of the most important tools I used years ago to develop my writing was in a job I had as an administrative assistant. I worked for a man that was a very gifted speaker. As part of my job, I transcribed from a Dictaphone his letters, memorandums, correspondence and speeches. It was an invaluable tool for both him and me. He would speak into his recorder which allowed him to fluidly convey his thoughts and ideas directly and succinctly. I would transcribe and he would edit and re-edit until it was written exactly the way he intended it.

“The beautiful part of writing is that you don’t have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. You can always do it better, find the exact word, the apt phrase, the leaping simile.” — Robert Cormier

That quote by Robert Cormier is altogether relevant and germane to any style of writing you set your mind to composing.

So whatever your reason is for wanting to become a more seasoned writer, use tools that will help you. Practice writing down interesting observations you make throughout your daily life. There are infinite topics to read and write about. Find something that interests you and start writing. Keep a journal or diary. Invest in a thesaurus. Speak to people you admire who are gifted writers and speakers. Read. Read something interesting and challenging everyday to develop your skill. Make it a practice to learn one new word and use it throughout the day. Your brain is a muscle, the more you use it the better it’s going to serve you in whatever you desire to achieve.

This post was submitted to the Home Based Business Group Writing Project

I bought three books tonight, first a book by John C. Maxwell, titled “Talent Is Never Enough” – Discover The Choices That Will Take You Beyond Your Talent. Second, “Gung Ho!” – Turn On The People In Any Organization by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. And third, “The Power of Experience” by numerous writers over the age of 50 on the “Quest for a Lifetime of Meaning.”

All are the embodiment of so many of the beliefs and philosophies I frequently read on popular Blogs all over the Internet. They all convey the same “principles” only in their own uniqueness, which make all of them inspiring reads. But what’s even more fascinating to me is how so many people buy these books, understand their meanings and the practicality of application to their own lives but continue to fall into the same old mindsets and habits they have consistently been entrapped by. Why do we repeatedly know what to do when we comprehend the simplistic ideals laid out in black and white in these books, but after a day, a week, or a month seemingly forget about everything we just read?

It’s because these simple practices, these simple ideals are so uncomplicated it’s difficult for us as intelligent, intellectual beings to understand. We complicate and over complicate. All we have to do is consistently apply these straight-forward ideas everyday in our own lives, businesses, relationships, and friendships. They can be fundamentally applied and have a profound effect in every aspect of our lives and success. But we often “choose” to ignore them. We see those who are successful and think why can’t I be rich? Or why can’t I be that successful? Or why can’t I be that happy? Well, it’s pretty simple. You have to “choose” that THAT is what you really want.

Ultimately, everything we do is a choice. To do nothing, is a choice. So, go get a book or two, or ten for that matter. At some point you are going to figure out that it is not rocket science or some complex deep understanding or enlightenment that makes those chosen few successful. What is it? It is an extraordinary level of commitment, a relentless determination that was nurtured and grew out of one simple choice.

Background

Years ago, I worked with a very talented young man both artistically and articulately, who is now a popular local news anchor where I live. He is responsible, although completely unaware, that he was the one who turned me onto the idea. He was developing his own resume and shared its content and layout with me. I found his idea very eye catching and the way he presented his qualifications and experience extremely appealing on a number of levels.

Application

First, although he had plenty of education and experience to capitalize on, he managed to arrange it in a way that accommodated a one-page resume.

I prefer one-page resumes. Reason being, I have known many HR professionals and been responsible myself for hiring competent, creative, and innovative employees and understand how inundated you can be with resumes from 100’s of applicants depending on the competition within the particular field your hiring. It is a daunting task to sift though all the various candidates and determine who and who does not make the first-cut. I personally review resumes when I am in a position to hire new employees (I don’t believe that computers can identify those soft-skills that are so important to me as a hiring official). The qualifications all sound the same, the layout, the same…objectives, highlights, experience and the like, all start to run together and feel more like boring advertisements rather than lets face it, the sales pitch they need to be to get my attention.

Secondly, in coming to understand my own unique talents, knowledge, skills, and abilities, I find that if I am going to choose to work for someone, rather than myself, I want to work in a place that exudes a culture that aligns with my values and encourages innovation, creativity, and outside-the-box thinking. So, understanding what kind of person you are, your personality type, what kind of job or career gives you the sense of satisfaction you desire, and your own personal strengths is fundamental in the development of your particular resume. This is no easy task and requires a very honest, personal evaluation. If your not honest with yourself about your own perceived strengths and weaknesses, others will see though you.

So whether you are a number cruncher, in sales, human resources, information technology, management, training…etc. etc. etc., you must have a good fundamental understanding of who your are, and then develop your resume from that understanding. Think of it this way, you are the foundation, you don’t build a building without a blueprint, so spend the time developing the blue print for who you are and then lay the foundation and build from there. This will help you not only in the development of your own resume, it will also help you after you get though the door to the Human Resource or other hiring authority who will be interviewing you. If you aren’t what you convey though your resume, it will be apparent to any experienced hiring authority.

I worked in retail for nearly ten years for a large grocery chain, based out of California in the early 80’s.  I worked from the lowest level in the organization up though every department, up to being responsible for balancing all the income and managing the customer service and front office functions.  Working this closely with the public for such an extended period of time, I had some reservations about committing to a managerial position within the company, though I was actively pursued and encouraged by my superiors to move into formal management of the entire store.  I always had a way of dealing with difficult people, no matter whether they were co-workers or the public at large, but it was something I really didn’t enjoy doing at the time.  So, I quit my job, went to school and learned all I could about computer systems, and thusly, my entrance into the IT profession in the early 90’s.

I began my twelve year career as an IT professional, much the same way I did in retail; from entry level, working as a computer assistant, performing the most basic operations, to ultimately becoming the Director of Information Services for a relatively large resort management and timeshare company.  I discovered early on again, I had a flair and undeniable capability for communicating and dealing with diverse and difficult individuals and groups. Only this time, I rather enjoyed the challenges of dealing with so many different personalities and building productive working relationships. I also discovered that I possessed a tremendous aptitude for grasping difficult technical concepts and information; putting it all together; and relating it back in both technical and non technical laymen’s terms to develop systems and build solid relationships with people the people I worked with.  Additionally, I discovered that certain workplace cultures existed that made it difficult for me to achieve my goals as an IT professional.  I took two years off and embarked on a completely new path with a government agency who shall remain nameless as I am prohibited from blogging or posting anything on the Internet regarding my work.

I decided that serving my county in this particular capacity was a worthwhile pursuit and I began working for this agency in September 2004.  Again, I started out at the entry level.  After one and one half years I was recognized and promoted.  Which brings me to my latest disappointment and previously perceived failure.

I have now been with the agency for nearly three and one half years and was pursuing a supervisory/managerial position.  Again, I had built solid, strong working relationships with both my superiors and subordinates and assumed additional responsibilities as a certified instructor.  From the time I applied for the position, I modestly admit that the overwhelming majority opinion was that I was the de facto candidate for one of the three positions available.  My attitude was always to never presume anything and that was what I attempted to communicate throughout the very lengthy decision-making process.As with any organization, there are cultures that exist that are beyond our control.  The organization I work for is certainly no exception.  I found out on Thursday that I had in fact, not been selected as one of the next Supervisors.  I was deeply disappointed, not only in myself, but also with the selecting official ultimately responsible for the final decision.  I was given numerous assurances and validations that I was unequivocally qualified and was one of the most effective and respected leaders and communicators within our organization. As I listened to his remarks, I couldn’t help being puzzled by all the commendation specifically laid upon me and I couldn’t help but wonder why this man made the decision not to promote me. He truly seemed uncertain about the success of one candidate in particular, but was totally willing and committed to assuring everybody in his formal announcements that his selections were the best candidates for the job. During our discussion, he conveyed how the rating system was established and how it was of his own making. Candidates were rated based on their KSA’s, narrative statements government jobs require that showcase a potential candidates particular knowledge, skills, and abilities in performing the duties specific to the job; their respective resume; their performance with the interview panel; and seniority with the agency (not necessarily in that order and weighted based on catagory).

As I pondered our discussion over the next couple of days, it occurred to me that perhaps I was not selected for the simple fact that I had not been with the organization for as long a period and there was a certain measure of weight placed on how long all the candidates had worked for the agency.  I was told of the top four candidates, of which, I was number four; we were all within 1 (one) point rating of one another.  It didn’t occur to me at the time, but all had been with the agency since its inception, which meant their respective start dates were two+ years prior to my own.  So, from my point-of-view, given the weight to the various measurements the panel used, I had a little more than half the time-in-grade as the other candidates and some considerable ground to make up based upon that requirement to score where I did.  So essentially, in my view, I out performed the others candidates in one or more of the other areas to have come so close in my overall rating.  I don’t consider any system we humans define in order to be fair to be free from flaws or bias to some degree, but when you work in government, the paradigm of fairness takes on an entirely new meaning. 

The longer I thought about this, the more I had to consider my own perceptual acuity in measuring the levels of integrity others posses, especially my superiors.  I had a tremendous amount of respect for this man and a strong professional relationship based out of trust but to me, he made a risky choice and a choice he clearly had reservations about as he explained his decision.  He developed the rating system, but he also possessed the authority to make a decision outside the rating instrument.  So, either he was just delivering a line, to make me feel better in the wake of disappointment, or he truly meant what he was saying.  Either way, the measure of trust I had placed in our professional relationship has been  deminished.  Which brings me finally to my own reconciliation to controlling my own destiny.

Through all the personal history I recite in this post about my own journey though my professional development, one thing remains constant in my mind.  I am the best candidate for the job of controlling my own professional destiny with a proven track record that will lead to success!  I have discovered where my strengths and weaknesses lye, and have learned, sometimes the hard way, to adapt and grow. Initially, I analyzed the defeat as a failure, but actually, as a fellow blogger recently quoted in his article, Fear of Failure and Home Based Business, “champions are born in the labor of defeat.”  I couldn’t agree more.  I have pondered starting my own business for years and have always used fear as an excuse not to do it.  But really, there is noting to fear, because you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  The options are undeniably clear to me by using my own career as an example; continue to allow others to arbitrarily determine my achievements and success based on tools or influences outside themselves; or allow myself complete liberation from the undeniable control of others by taking a ride on the wings of an eagle and soaring freely in the success and accomplishment of my very own making.  Which one would you chose?  I’ll take the eagle, I’ve come to far not to read the signs pointing me in my own direction. 

Far more to come!