5 Top Tips for Job Applications that Require Key Selection Criteria: 
1. If you don't possess the essential criteria, there is a strong chance your application won't be shortlisted and you won't get to interview stage. Be realistic about your skills and experience, do you have the main requirements they are asking for? 2. Every answer has 3 paragraphs, the introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction states you can do what ever is listed in the criteria, the body outlines your most relevant example that proves you have the skill, this example is explained in the STAR format. The conclusion states that you are confident you can transfer the skills, knowledge and experience into this particular department. Find out the maximum word count and our suggestion is to use every word to demonstrate your competency. 3. Make sure you interpret the key selection criteria as it relates to the department. Many departments use the same key selection criteria, but that doesn't mean you can use the same responses, as the examples you use must be relevant to the job you are targeting. Think about the day to day challenges you are going to face in this job, if you were successful in the application process. What skills and experience would help you get through the day, and overcome the obstacles that present on a routine basis? Now think of times where you have solved problems that are similar to what you may get in this new workplace. 4. Write in a professional businesslike tone, but remember you are telling a story, so it is okay to be a little conversational when giving the STAR example. Use direct, active verbs and address all parts of the selection criteria. Since the HR department may be reading your responses, use language that they will understand, and avoid using too much jargon or industry specific terminology. The Human eye LOVES bullet points, so we recommend you use them in at least 2 of your responses. 5. Read Your Response Aloud and you will very easily hear when a sentence doesn't flow or make sense. This is a great trick we use to proofread work, and you can easily adopt this before sending out any email or job application. Needless to say, don't rely on spell check as it don't pick up on all the grammar or spelling mistake, u know wot I mean? If you can, get some one else to read it too - Melbourne Resumes has always had a Quality Assurance procedure where another experienced writer needs to proofread every document that we draft for our clients. Part 2: How to Structure a Winning Response Video 2 Formatting Your Response Create a new document and list all the criteria, word for word, as they appear in the job application kit.
To make it easier, copy the Selection Criteria into your document, put it in bold and type in a line underneath. Name the document and make sure you include your own name at the top of the page. You can use a heading such as: Statement addressing selection criteria Selection criteria summary Responses to selection criteria Statement of claims, selection criteria
When it comes to naming documents, all your application documentation should have your name prominently displayed and it's best to name the electronic documents with your name, not just 'selection_criteria.doc'. This will make it easy for the receiver to identify your document from all the others that have also been submitted. Writing Your Response Your response will be rated on how you have responded to each element of the criterion, so every single key word needs to be identified and written about in your resopnse to get you through to the interview. 1. Introduction - States that you have the specific skills, knowledge and experience needed to carry out the requirements of this criteria. If you have more than 450 words, give another couple of sentences to outline 3 or 4 different scenarios where you have proven success in this area. 2. Give Your Most Relevant Example: When answering the selection criteria think about how you meet each selection criterion and list examples of relevant skills, experience, incidents, training and personal qualities. You need to make the link between what you can do, and have done in the past, and how it relates to the job. If you don't have any actual work experience, use other relevant experience such as something you have done at university, for a voluntary organisation or a club to illustrate your capacity to undertake the work required.
In every answer to the criteria, you need to demonstrate that you have developed and practised these skills in your past experience/s. Situation - Describe a situation of a time when you successfully demonstrated the requested skill set listed in the criteria. Give the reader the big picture of where you were working, how long ago the incident / project occured, how many stakeholders were involved and how much money or risk was involved. Task - Explain to the reader what your task was to do, give the overview or the ideal end result that you needed to make happen. Action - Provide a clear and succinct list of actionable steps that you followed which will describe in detail how you applied your skills. You can give this information in a bullet point format or in a flowchart if the responses are sent in a Word Document. Just make sure it is in a step by step format. Result - Describe how all the stakeholders benefit from the actions you took. Explain how much money was made as a result of you fixing the problem, or coming up with an innovatively solution, for example. Other great results include: - Creating greater efficiency within the office or business system / workflow.
- Identifying potential risk to the business or it's stakeholders and doing something about it that reduced the risk (always try and state how much you saved or what the worst case scenario might have been if you didn't take action).
- Introducing a procedure or idea that enhanced the product or service you were delivering.Enhancing the customer's experience in some way.
- Improving the quality of the product or service
No matter what the result is, it must be positive, and it should be defined in terms of how much money or time you saved them or earned for them. To pin point ideas on what your targetted organisation would like to read in your responses, talk about scenarios and results that are similar to what this organisation will experience or desire. 3. Closing Paragraph
Reiterate that you have the skills, knowledge and/or experience to the selection criteria and conclude by telling the reader that you have every confidence that you can apply these skills into this particular department and organisation (tailor the response by stating the actual department and organisation name).
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Be Clear and Concise. Try to get to the point, never pad out your responses because you will send the reader to sleep! If there is no word limit, keep the resopnse to less than a page. Make sure every single sentence promotes your skills or the knowledge and experience that underpins your competency to do the job.