How to Write Customer Service KSAs

The more detail you add to your resume, the better your chances of finding employment.

In the customer service field, KSA stands for Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. When applying for employment, you may be asked to write a customer service KSA narrative. This essay essentially outlines the ways you meet the requirements of the position, using your knowledge, skills and abilities. The key to successfully writing customer service KSAs is in creating a compelling and detailed description of your professional skills and work experience.

Things You'll Need

• List of past employers, including contact information and employment dates

Instructions

1. Consider the specific requirements of the position you are applying for and make a detailed list that includes all of your related education, experience and measurable workplace performances. This can include degrees, specialized courses, job experience, internships, research projects, awards and recognitions and personal and professional affiliations.

2. Flesh out each listed item with specific examples. Include details about problems you solved, new ideas you helped implement, committees you ran and research projects you headed. In particular, try to relate your responses to the specific job you're applying for. Do not simply describe skills, rather, explain what that knowledge helped you accomplish in previous positions, and how it will benefit you and your potential employer in the job you are applying for.

3. Continue to flesh out your expanded responses by going back and plugging in specific names, dates and locations related to your accomplishments and experience. Work as many key words from the job description into writing your customer service KSAs as you can. If possible, rephrase the question at the beginning of your response.

4. Add depth to your language by looking for ways to enhance the accomplishments and contributions you already outlined. Use strong adjectives that demonstrate your dedication, perseverance, expertise and leadership abilities.

5. Review your notes and narrow down your responses to the most impressive, most relevant entries. Keep your customer service KSAs to no more than one page, and write in the first person. Put each separate KSA on its own page and provide three to five examples for each.

6. Proofread your customer service KSAs and make sure you fully addressed each question posed to you in the job description and employment application. Ask a trusted adviser to read your customer service KSAs and provide you with feedback.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for ways to quantify your KSA examples. If your contributions saved your company money, or your research led to the launch of a new product line, emphasize the role you played in these successes.

• Never embellish or overstate your education, accomplishments or contributions. Resume fact-checkers usually catch these non-truths, which can have a long-lasting negative impact on your professional life.

References

• The University of Georgia Career Center: Written Statements About Your Skills: KSAs

Resources

• National Archives & Records Administration: All About KSAOs