Sunday, January 25, 2009

Federal KSA Writing Fundamentals

By Chucky Bronson

Also known as Knowledge, Skills and abilities, KSA's are narrative statements that must accompany your Federal resume when applying to government jobs. A determinant factor in the Federal hiring process, they are not optional and shouldn't be underestimated as they sometime have more influence than your resume as to getting you the job.

A Knowledge is a factual or procedural data applied to the job. A Skill is a competence in managing data, things or people. An Ability is a competence in performing a mental or physical action.

KSA must usually answer 3 to 5 questions through short essays written in the first person. KSA answers aim at showcasing what a good fit you would be for the job. You can use elements from your work experience, education, trainings, awards, and volunteer activities as long as they are relevant to the question.

KSA answers are graded from 1 to 10 (or sometimes 20). Your total score should be above the selective factors (minimum requirements) to be eligible for the position. However, getting a higher grade and exceeding quality ranking factors will establish you as a top candidate.

Regarding the format, each KSA essay should not be longer than one page and should list in order the job title, the announcement number, your name, the KSA number and then the essay that answers one KSA point.

Because KSA statements are so important, you should make sure to deliver the best answers possible. Before you start writing your KSA's, it is a good idea to take some time to brainstorm to find elements from your experience and education that perfectly match what recruiters are looking for.

Also your writing should be clear, concise, very detailed and written in a pro-active style to make it easy for the HR manager to see you are qualified for the job. Also make sure grammar and spelling are correct to sound professional. Once you're done with your first draft, wait for a while and read it again to see how you can improve it. Also ask a relative or a friend to read your answers; they might catch mistakes that you missed.

One thing that you should know is that you need to be a good writer if you're considering preparing your KSA's yourself. If it's not the case, do not hesitate hiring professional KSA writers who, for an affordable price, can prepare top-scoring KSA answers for you and make your application stand out from the crowd. - 15465

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