Each Federal job vacancy should include;

• the announcement number
• the description of the position
• the requirements
• the deadline to apply
• the series/grade
• the salary range
• the promotion potential
• the basis for rating
• application guidelines such as format (OF 612, resume, etc..), resume guidelines and KSA questions.

A KSA (Knowledge, Skills &  Abilities) is a series of narrative statements that accompany Federal resumes when applying to Federal job openings. An important factor in the hiring process, a KSA is used to determine who are the best applicants, when several candidates qualifiy for the job.

Knowledge refers to an organized body of information usually of a factual or procedural nature
which, if applied, makes adequate performance on the job possible.
Skills refer to the — mental, manual or verbal — manipulation of data, things or people.
Abilities refer to the ability to perform a mental or physical activity at the present time.

Selective and Quality ranking factors

You must be above the job announcement's minimum educational and experience requirements — or selective factors — to be eligible for a Federal position. However, you can get a higher grade if you meet or exceed quality ranking factors, which will demonstrate that you are a good match for the job.

KSA Scoring

A KSA is usually rated with a scoring system, from 1 to 10

KSA Answers

KSA's feature the answers to 3 to 10 questions that must showcase in details how your profile fits the requirements of the job opening.

It should include any of the following elements, as long as they're relevant to show that you meet — exceed — the requirements and factors listed in the Federal job posting:

• Education
• Training
• Experience
• Awards
• Volunteer work, activities, etc..

The federal government pay scale is laid out in the GS (General Schedule).

The GS is divided into 15 grades and each grade has 10 levels. There used to be 3 GS "supergrades" GS-16, GS-17 and GS-18. These were replaced by the (SES) Senior Executive Service.

Note: U.S. locations also receive additional pay adjustment above the base pay ranging from 12.64% to 30.34%.

Resumix

An automated scanning software used to ease and improve the Federal recruitment process both for the recruiters and the applicants, Resumix is now the hiring tool of choice for agencies such as the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Coast Guard and the Department of Commerce.

What it means for applicants is that they will have to use an online resume builder to submit their information, which will not only reduce the number of application forms but also eliminate the need for separate KSA answers, in some cases.