Writing the KSA^{21 22}

What is a KSA?²³

KSA is an acronym for “Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.” Federal agencies often assess job applications by referring to KSAs which are narrative statements written by the applicant that reflect successful performance in their background. When required, you will prepare written statements demonstrating how your training and experience equipped you with the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities to do your job. In general, KSA responses are a key component to your application package as the agency develops the “short list” of candidates who are sent to the selecting manager. Federal internship announcements usually do not require KSAs, but you most likely will have to write KSA narratives if applying for jobs through standard vacancy announcements.

KSAs are referred to in several ways:

• Essays
• Examples
• Key Elements
• Narrative Statements
• Narratives
• Placement Factors
• Quality Ranking Factors
• Statements of Qualifications
• Supplemental Statements

KSA Writing Tips:

• Most KSAs are 2/3 to 1 page in length; do not exceed 1 page per answer
• Put each KSA on its own page
• Include the question at the top of the page (correct any grammatical errors)
• Include 1-3, preferably 2, unique examples per KSA
• Use the CARC format whenever possible (Context, Action, Results, Challenge)
• Include keywords from the question and announcement
• Write in the first person; emphasize your personal contributions even when using a team activity as an example, “I did this…
• Be sure your Federal resume supports all statements made in KSA’s
• Spell out all acronyms
• Don’t pad your answer, but never leave a KSA blank
• Put your name and SSN number on the top of each page of your KSAs.

KSAs are designed to solicit detailed information about your training and experience to aid HR professionals in making qualitative distinctions among eligible applicants. They are used to “weed out” the less qualified applicants, and to move the better qualified ones closer to the interview stage. Completing KSA statements also prepares you for an interview. When combined with the “duties and responsibilities” portion of the vacancy announcement, writing KSAs better prepares you for job-related questions that the Federal manager may ask.

There is no mandated limit on the number of KSAs that an agency can request for an announcement, but a practical limit would be around seven. The number is likely to greater as the grade of the vacancy (measuring duties and responsibilities) increases.  For jobs at the GS-5,7, or 9 level, three to five KSAs is typical.

KSA topics vary according to the requirements of the position. “Communication” is an important skill for most jobs; therefore, KSAs involving communication are common. Here are some examples of communication KSAs, ranging from simple to complex:

• Skill in oral communications.
• Skill in written communications.
• Skill in written and oral communications.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate technical results in a variety of formats (including oral presentations and publications) for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to communicate complex information effectively, orally and in writing as evidenced by: a) experience with a wide array of reporting formats and instructional activities presented to both scientific and non-technical audiences; and b) ability to create a collaborative work environment in order to facilitate constructive teamwork among participants with different, and sometimes hostile, perspectives. 

The preceding five KSAs are complex for both you as an applicant as well as the Human Resources staff, who are required to rate or grade your answers. Be very clear with what you write so that they understand your answer for each element of the KSA.

Job-specific knowledge is another common KSA topic. Here’s a sample:

• Basic Knowledge of concepts, principles, and practices in the electrical engineering field.
• Professional knowledge of and skill in applying accounting concepts, principles, and methods.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations and procedures governing employment (staffing, pay, and employee benefits).
• Knowledge of health care systems and the role of Medicare, Medicaid, and other CMS programs in providing health care services to the nation’s beneficiaries.
• Knowledge of major statistical computer packages and languages, including SAS, to be used to produce final results from data using appropriate statistical theory.

Writing Your Accomplishments in KSAs and in Your Federal Resume You need to describe the context of your experience, what actions you took, and what results came from those actions. Be succinct and concise, and don’t be modest. We’re brought up to think about the team, ‘We did this and We did that….,’ because no one wants to seem like a maverick. But in this case, they’re looking for the ‘I’. We know you were a part of a team. We know you didn’t reduce the deficit by yourself! But if you’ve been a significant component of that team, you want to say so. You might say, ‘I put the team together’ or ‘I worked behind the scenes to do this….’ That’s what we want to see. The more you can show us how you have distinguished yourself in the demonstrated areas about which we’ve asked helps a lot. James Wilson, PMF Program.

How to Answer KSAs²⁴

Here’s a tip on how to better understand a KSA subject. Use your imagination to re-think the KSA as a question, as if you were being interviewed (for draft purposes only).

KSA Example1:

Basic Knowledge of concepts, principles, and practices in the electrical engineering field.

Think: Can you give me 2 or 3 examples of how you utilized your basic knowledge of the concepts, principles, and practices in the field of electrical engineering?

KSA Example 2:

Skill in written and oral communications.

Think: Can you describe 2 or 3 examples of how you demonstrated your skills in written and oral communications?

Notice the rephrased statements include action verbs like “demonstrate” and “utilize.” Even when the KSA does not include an action verb, you can assume the agency wants one or more examples of how you applied your knowledge, skills, and abilities in your background experiences.

An interview is your chance to make your resume come to life. KSAs offer the same opportunity. If an interviewer says, “Tell me about a time when you demonstrated your skills in written communications” you would probably not want to respond simply by saying, “Well, I have a bachelor’s degree in English.”

KSAs should focus on illustrative examples and always be as specific as possible. This includes using keywords from the question itself in your answer. You should also try to work in key words from the announcement. For example, if the job announcement says they are looking for someone “self-motivated,” but “self-motivation” is not specifically in the KSAs, you should try to mention it somewhere-if it is one of your strengths.

On the other hand, be careful not to waste space elaborating on things not asked in the question. Let’s say one KSA addresses written communications skills. (remember, you are thinking, “Can you give me 2 or 3 examples

of how you demonstrated your skills in written communications.”  That question should never be answered by waxing eloquently about the time you made a brilliant oral presentation in your World Lit class.  Oral communications was not the topic.

Include one to three (two is best) examples per KSA.  Each example must be unique-do not reuse examples for multiple answers.  However, you can subdivide a large project or situation into smaller, specific examples.  For example, you can describe your research skills for the background material for a project, analysis you did on a computer, and written reports or oral presentations you made about the project.  While these subunits are all part of a larger project, each example highlights a different skill set.  Collectively, they could address three or four different KSAs.

Using the CARC formula to write your KSAs

CARC stands for Context, Action, Result, and Challenge, a proven formula developed by Troutman & Troutman²⁵ for writing an effective KSA.  Federal HR professionals look for these elements in each of your KSAs.  This formula works well because it allows your responses to remain focused and to include specific examples.

If your background includes a fair amount of non-academic work experience, you may begin your KSA with an introductory paragraph.  This paragraph tells the reader how extensive your experience is and quickly goes over how you gained that experience.  In other words, it is a quick overview of a specific aspect of your experience.  If you lack non-academic experience, you can use this introductory paragraph to quickly summarize how your academic background helped provide you with the specific knowledge, skill, or ability you are addressing.

Typically, two paragraphs follow the introductory paragraph.  Use each paragraph to give a unique example of applying the specific Knowledge, Skill, and Ability using the CARC formula.

Context: In what job/situation did the example occur?  What were the circumstances surrounding the project/problem/opportunity?  Were there time/budget/staffing limits?

Action: What did you actually do?  Be specific and thorough.

Results: So what happened?  If you can, quantify the results with numbers, i.e. savings in dollars, increased productivity, etc.  Were there qualitative results like good grades, commendations, or adoption of your procedures?  Include positive feedback from superiors, and professors.

Challenge: What was the specific thing you had to do?  What made it difficult or challenging?  Was there pressure to produce?  Did a lot ride on the outcome?

You can use the words “Context, Action, Result, and Challenge” in the text of your KSAs, like an outline.  It may seem cheesy, but hiring agents are looking for CARC; they will appreciate your attempt to make your application clear and easy-to-read, and their job easier as a result.

Consider Using Lists

Economy is important.  One way to quickly convey experience is to use lists.  This works best for KSAs which request an overview of your experience with a category of items.  For example: regulations, legislations, computer programs, or statistical tests.  You cannot use lists alone to answer a question but can use them to augment a paragraph.  For example:
“To complete the census project, I utilized the computer programs Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SPSS.”

Pull Examples from Your Life if Necessary

You know that saying, “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans?”  You don’t have to always draw from work experience!  Remember, that inspiring speech you gave to a community group?  Maybe you used your organizational skills in a volunteer position.  Perhaps you gained your automotive repair skills in your own driveway.  As long as it’s an example that demonstrates the knowledge, kill, or ability being assessed, it’s fair game.

Strategies for Tackling More Complex KSAs
Some KSAs are more complex than others.  A KSA can be as simple as “Ability to Communicate Orally,” and other KSAs can be multiple thoughts in one question.

Make sure you fully understand the question.  Some KSAs are obvious to the reader, but many are multi-faceted and complex.  Make sure you have a clear idea of what every term and keyword in the question really means.  To clarify the meaning, go back to the “Duties” section and see how the KSAs support the duties in the job.  If there is any question in your mind, ask the Human Resources contact listed on the vacancy announcement to clarify it.  Or call someone in your network to translate jargon.

Re-examine your experience and find out if it goes by another name.  In the section 3a “Translate your major into Federal job titles,” you learned that the federal government uses job titles which do not always correspond to private-sector job titles, or which are so general that they seem to have no meaning.  The same may be true for terms used to describe KSAs.  For example, you might have used quality control/quality assurance procedures in your job or in a project, even if no one ever called them that.

Discuss the question with others to get ideas.  It’s always a good idea to seek a fresh perspective on a problem.  Ask your friends, classmates, co-workers, or family for ideas on what in your background might help you demonstrate your strengths in a KSA.  Other people can suggest ways to broaden your definition of a skill, or remind you of another experience which you could apply.  At the very least, talking about your skills with others will be good practice for an interview.

Be realistic.  If you honestly don’t have any experience in, training for, or knowledge of a specific KSA, you must ask yourself if you are indeed qualified for the job.  If you are still determined that this is the job for you, you may proceed knowing that you will not automatically doom your application, especially if there are several KSAs.  Remember that employers advertise for the “ideal” candidate, knowing there may not be anyone out there who fits perfectly.  However, if you are unable to answer two or more KSAs with confidence, then you probably are not well qualified for the job.

To address a KSA for which you do not have experience, write about a related experience that shares underlying traits.  For example, discuss your ability to learn new things and adapt to new situations, showing to the extent possible how this applies to the specific knowledge, skill, or ability being addressed.  Whatever you do, avoid the temptation to embellish your KSAs, even a little.  Remember that any statement you make in your KSAs must be supported by your resume.

Bear in mind, also, that the Federal hiring process is designed to identify the best candidates, and Federal agencies are supposed to hire only the best.  You may be better off spending the time and effort to look for another vacancy instead of applying for a job for which you are marginally qualified.

How Are KSAs Scored?²⁶

Each KSA is “rated” against a crediting plan that the Human Resources staff and the hiring office develop.  The rating, or score, is based on:

• How well you demonstrate your knowledge, skill or ability in that area.
• Your level of skill “usage.”
• The examples that you use in your CARC stories.

 

Skill Usage

The way you describe your use of skills has a huge impact on how well your application fares, so choose your words carefully.  For example, a KSA which asks about “skill in written communication” will have a scale from barely acceptable to superior usage.  The scale varies according to the job.  Be honest and accurate in your presentation, but at the same time present yourself in the best possible light.  Your job is to sell yourself to the Federal organization as a top, if not the best, applicant.  Someone is going to get this job.  Help the agency see why it should be you. 

Conclusion

Writing KSA narratives are challenging.  KSAs require in-depth thought, research, sometimes creative and superior writing skills.  Consider KSA writing your golden opportunity to develop your interviewing skills.  See Troutman and Troutman, pp. 136-137, for some excellent KSA examples.

 

                                     
²¹_{Troutman and Troutman; The Student's Federal Career Guide: 10 Steps to Find and Win Top Government Jobs and Internships. 2004. pp 126-134.}
²²_{See sample KSAs, Troutman and Troutman, pp. 136-137}
²³_{Ibid., pp. 126-128}
²⁴_{Ibid., pp. 129-133}
²⁵_{The Student's Federal Career Guide: 10 Steps to Find and Win Top Government Jobs and Internships. 2004. pp. 130-131.}
²⁶_{Ibid., pp. 133-134.}

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