Qualifications and KSAs

Qualifications

The Office of Personnel Management has established qualification standards for General Schedule positions. The Qualifications Standards Operating Manual is a guide for determining whether an applicant has met the minimum requirements for a position. For example, the Manual states that in order to meet the minimum qualifications for a Clerical position at the GS-4 level, an applicant must have one year of general experience, or two years of education above high school, or a combination of both.

However, these broad guidelines do not provide specific qualification requirements for individual positions. Specialized experience requirements are described in the vacancy announcement. In addition, a “selective factor” may also be required to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. A selective factor is a requirement integral to the position being advertised that cannot be learned on the job in the first 90 days. An example of a selective factor is “proficiency in Spanish.”

KSA's

A KSA is a statement explaining your current level of competence for specific job qualifications. KSA's are often required as a part of your application package and may also be referred to as Quality Ranking Factors, Job Elements, or Rating Factors in a job announcement. “KSA” stands for:

Knowledge – is an organized body of information obtained through education or previous experience, e.g., Biology, Accounting, etc.

Skills - is a manual, verbal or mental trait that is directly observable, quantifiable and measurable, e.g., typing.

Abilities – is the aptitude to perform an observable activity which results in a product or consequence, e.g., ability to communicate orally.

Why do you need KSA's?

After it is determined that you have met the minimum qualifications, your KSA's are examined. The person reviewing your application cannot infer your specific abilities and accomplishments from your resume. A KSA statement is necessary to provide specific accomplishments and abilities tailored to the job qualification. You can use your KSA statements to expand on the skills you've listed in your resume and give specific examples of your experience.