USA Jobs question

[Anonymous]

I am applying for a position on USA Jobs and reviewing the questionnaire that checks for experience against the KSAs. In some of the questions I fall between the first and second option in the multiple choice questions (first answer describing most qualified/experience, second slightly lower but still demonstrating knowledge or ability in line with the KSA description).

Do applications that do not select the first answer, indicating most experience, for every KSA get rejected automatically? Just trying to figure out how to approach.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

If you can’t answer the highest response you’re probably not qualified for the job. If you know you’re qualified for the job, select the highest response. If HR passes along only higher scoring resumes, yours may not make it to the hiring manager.

[Anonymous]

You won’t make the cut unless you’re an expert. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

You need to make sure the KSAs are outlined somewhere in your resume and don't be modest on the application. If it's in your wheelhouse, you probably have skillsets the questionnaire is looking for even if the exact system, process, etc isn't a match. The computer weeds out most of the applicants way before the hiring panel ever sees a single resume. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Thank you, all! Super helpful, including 21:48's advice to make sure the KSAs are reflected in my resume and to avoid modesty.

Appreciate the quick replies!

[Anonymous]

First OP here. I will also add that I do not look at your responses as a hiring manager. I truly don’t care and only want to see the resume. If you want me to see your resume, make sure it doesn’t get filtered too soon. Also, if you’re competing at a lower grade level from all sources, this is even more important because of veterans preference, which can exclude almost all other qualified candidates. Higher grades this is less of a concern.

You know what I miss as a hiring manager is a well written cover letter. No one does them anymore, and the resumes are soooooo long that I can’t really truly read them all. I glance through them at best and then really read the ones that catch my eye. If someone gave me a *great* cover letter it may stand out if they also had great experience. Just me though!

[Anonymous]

Yeah, rate yourself as if you're an overconfident bro. The line between expert and whatever the next lowest rating is is subjective. So go for expert.

If you can upload a resume instead of using the USAJobs resume builder, they come out looking better with fewer formatting issues.

10 pages is the limit I can tolerate for a resume, and would prefer shorter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You won’t make the cut unless you say you’re an expert. Sorry.

Fixed that for you

[Anonymous]

OP here. THANK YOU! This is all such helpful advice and intel. I haven’t worked in govt before, so all of this is so appreciated. I know it’s a long shot but I think I’m a great fit for the position and will summon my inner overconfident bro to try to make that clear in my application.

Thank you again!

[Anonymous]

FYI for OP and others - “the system” doesn’t automatically eliminate you if you’re not an expert in everything. There is a point value assigned to each answer, and your answers get totaled up and compared to the other applicants. So yes if all of the other applicants say they’re experts and you answer honestly you’ll have a lower score and won’t make it through. But in the prefect world everyone answers honestly and your score is compared to theirs.

Also take a look at how the questions are worded. Sometimes you have to be the expert at X,Y, AND Z whereas sometimes it’s X,Y, OR Z. So if you can say you’re the expert at only one of those things you’re still being honest.

- Fed HR