FAA job question

[sunnysideup]

Does anyone have any information about the KSA portion of the FAA app? I have no more hair to rip out trying to figure out what they are looking for. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Cornelius]

I attempted to complete the KSA and almost completed it until I got hired somewhere else.

I think if you can complete the KSA with something resembling rational answers, they will hire you.

 

[nwa747]

Their a a bunch of service that will assist you with writing KSA's. That's all they do and they do it well. Just google KSA.

 

[OARfan]

I don't think KSA makes or breaks you. Fill it out to the best of your ability and you will be fine. It's pretty long and retarded though.

 

[CapnVegetto]

yeah i just tried to put some eloquent sounding crap in there. we'll see what happens.

 

[JAFI]

KSA's:

Do what the instructions said - "one page per KSA" is sometimes used. If no instructions then keep them brief and to the point. Your interviewer is reading tens to hundreds of apps. - so don't waste their time with fluff.

Always answer the question. IF the question asks about your knowledge of Aviation and you talk about what you did at Band Camp, your app will go into the round file. Interviewers look for "Key" words in a KSA. Your key is to think what key word they are looking for. Remember the FAA is seldom a flying job and more a paperwork and system job. You will be interviewing against DO's, Chief Pilots, DE's, Trainers, and people who wrote manuals. Who CAN get hired depends on the skills the office is looking for. Some times the applicant is picked before the anouncement goes out. It is not what you know but who you know.

The KSA's are only important after you get called for the interview. You need to be known by that office to be called for the interview.


Remember to answer what a KSA is, YOUR: KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES.

 

[charterpuke]

A friend of mine is pulling his hair out over this right now. Does anyone have a good KSA service they could recommend?

 

[igneousy2]

From what i've been reading about getting a federal job I'm not sure I agree with some of the posts here..my understanding is that you are scored based on your KSA's so I'm not sure "it's not even looked at until the interview" is an accurate statement.

I actually have been called for an FAA interview and I did not know anyone at the office. That being said, I also declined the same interview because it was obvious that the hiring manager already had someone else in mind...i.e. "we need to interview you tomorrow morning can you be in DC by then?no, well how about you go down to the local FSDO at 6am your time and we can telephone interview you...but don't worry it will only take 10 minutes tops."

My understanding is that when a FSDO decides they will hire someone the hiring manager has some lattitude as to what qualifications (beyond the minimum) they will be looking for...for example...helicopter pilot time or perhaps glider time or some combination. Once the individualized parameters are set, the FAA HR office in DC supplies the FSDO/CMO with a list of candidates who they deem most qualified, after which the FSDO then must interview a certain number and hire off of that list.

As far as KSA's go there are several books that about landing a FED job that have whole chapters on writing KSA's.

Good luck

 

[JAFI]

Let's start with the statement: "There are no standards in Flight Standards". Each office can and will do what ever they want to do in the interview process. The correct process is to use the KSA to determine if an applicant is qualified to be interviewed for a position. The KSA can also be used during the interview as a basis for questions to be asked about your experience. Some managers will decide who they wish to hire then tell them how to fill out the application. Offices that cannot get any one to work for them hire nationally because they cannot find any one locally or they cannot find a specific background locally i.e.: "Balloon mechanic/inspector with a strong gyrocopter background".

The hiring door opens and closes at weird times. It is not uncommon to be asked for an interview tomorrow for a job that starts Monday.

It all depends on which office is asking....

 

[Oh-ryan]

Two things you need to know about federal employment. The first was already touched upon here- Generally, when an announcement is posted, the office already has someone in mind. The biggest exception to this is in law enforcement (FBI, ATF, DEA, etc).

Secondly, each federal department has their own central HR office. All of the applications are screened by the central HR office before names are forwarded to the local office looking to hire someone. Your answer to the multiple choice questions and the KSAs weigh heavily on whether or not your name gets put on the "cert". If you do not make the "cert" your name will not be forwarded to the local office for interview.