UMUC

Career Services

Writing KSA's For Federal Applications

KSA's are a series of questions that relate to a specific government position that help the hiring manager and HR specialist assess whether you are qualified for a position. KSA's are graded/scored and the individuals with the highest scores will go into the group to be interviewed. In some cases, KSA's are scored electronically so it is very important to be clear and concise in your answer and use keywords that are relevant to the position.

Keys to Answering KSA's

•  Think of them as a set of interview questions.

•  Emphasizes the power of a personal “story”. Just like in an interview you give specific examples to emphasize your skills, you use the same technique when answering KSA's.

•  Use the SAR model: Situation/Action/Results when giving specific examples or telling a story.

•  Use key words that are relevant to the position

•  Do not be afraid to write many paragraphs. KSA's are meant to be long.

•  If you do not have a specific skill, find the closest thing related to the skill and emphasize that skill.

•  Use examples from your past work experience and educational experiences.

For further information and samples, you can reference the following websites