Addressing your Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAO's)

The federal government has changed its procedures for merit promotion hiring.  Previously, vacancy announcements highlighted categories of experience, training/education, awards and supervisory appraisals that were assessed in the ranking process.

Today, the new system deals with characteristics and skills needed for employment for each particular position and are known as supplemental statements.

These statements vary in number from 3 to as many as 14, and may be termed as ELEMENTS, FACTORS, OR KSAO’s on vacancy announcements. The KSAO’s allow you to specify the job related knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics that YOU possess in relation to the “Highly Qualifying Criteria” specified in the vacancy announcements.

The KSAO’s are used by the staffing specialists and/or a panel to rate and rank applicants found to be basically eligible for job vacancies.  The selecting supervisors in the selection process also use the KSAO’s.

• KNOWLEDGE statements should refer to factual or procedural information, which demonstrates the “knowledge” you have gained through experience or technique to perform a job.  An example of a knowledge statement is:  “Acquired expert knowledge of schematic diagrams to effectively diagnose problems.”  Another example is:  “Gained comprehensive knowledge of ‘Word Perfect’ computer program to generate major, individual, and general reports.”

• SKILLS statements should refer to the manual, verbal, or mental manipulation of data or things.  Skills can be readily measured by tests where quantity and quality of performance are tested within a time limit.  Examples of manipulation of things are:  “Skill in typing or in operating a vehicle.”  Examples of data manipulation are:  “Skill in computation using decimals; skill in editing for transposed numbers.”

• ABILITY statements should refer to the power to perform an observable activity at the present time.  This means that abilities have been evidenced through activities or behaviors that are similar to those required on the job, e.g., the ability to plan and organize work.  Abilities are not the same as aptitudes; aptitudes are only the “potential” for performing activities.

• OTHER CHARACTERISTICS statements should refer to physical or mental characteristics, which do not fall under any of the above definitions.  If a personal trait, e.g., initiative, fairness, stress tolerance, is suggested, it must be described in terms of the work behaviors that evidence this trait.  Personal traits should not be suggested unless they are required to a greater degree than is generally expected of all employees on all jobs.  For example, the personal trait of stress tolerance would be applicable in work situations, which exceed normal business office stress, such as the job of a prison guard.

The KSAO’s originate from a combination of three sources: Selecting Official, Position Description, and Qualifications Standards Handbook.  The selecting official determines the critical job elements of a position and includes these items in the vacancy announcements.

To receive more information on the above and an example of a before and after (improved) response to KSAO’s, and a list of recommended verbs to use, contact Mike Swanson, Human Resources Manager, at 307-233-6794 or mike.swanson@wy.usda.gov.

The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.