One key to hiring the right employee is a well-crafted
description of the knowledge, skills and abilities
specified in a job announcement, according to an item
in the latest Issues of Merit newsletter from the Merit
Systems Protection Board.
MSPB said announcements that specify KSAs that do not
match a job seeker’s skill set could turn away potentially
ideal candidates and that the trick is to write general
requirements that invite applicants to decide how their
experiences and skills might apply. For example, a manager
in need of a technical writer might overlook an applicant
who has only written marketing reports even though such
reports provide evidence of transferable skills.
Another general rule is to be clear. If applicants can’t
understand a description they might conclude they don’t
qualify. MSPB also advised to decide what distinguishes a
manager’s best employees – flexibility, works well in
groups, etc. – and to seek out those qualities in others.
