Addressing Selection Criteria

Introduction

Many people don’t get past the first post with their job applications for Public Sector
positions because they haven’t prepared their application according to the requirements.

You cannot effectively write a job application for either short or longer term positions
without a job and person specification for the position, and remember job and person
specifications do change.
When writing ‘full applications’, i.e. includes a resume, responses to the person
specification of a job description and covering letter, you must always address the criteria
found in the Person Specification to ensure the best possible chance at selection for an
interview. You will find that Job and Person specifications vary across
agencies/departments, however, they are generally written in terms of ‘merit’ and
increasingly in ‘outcome’ terms.

What is Selection Criteria?

Selection criteria are a list of skills, experience, and knowledge that are considered to be
either essential or desirable in an applicant for them to successfully perform the duties of
the position.

Why are they used?

Under Equal Opportunity legislation it is illegal to appoint a candidate on the basis of

anything but their ability to do the job in question. So selection criteria are used to find
• the best person for the job; and
• as benchmarks against which each applicant is measured - keep panel focussed on type
of employee it should select. Each applicant is rated on how well or closely they meet
each of the criteria and then ranked against the other applicants.

These Selection Criteria are used to:

• indicate essential and desirable factors in successful job performance—for use
by applicants and selection panel members
• determine who gets shortlisted—e.g. anyone who does not satisfy the essential
criteria is omitted from interview
• determine the most appropriate types of selection methods
• indicate the areas of concern for interview questions
• determine the topics to be addressed in referee checks
• measure applicants by rating them against the selection criteria
• determine who has won on merit because they are the best person for the job
• compare and distinguish between applicants in terms of explaining and
justifying the panel’s decision
• give applicants’ focused and useful feedback
Why selection criteria must be addressed

The selection panel is required to assess each applicant in terms of how well they meet the
selection criteria.

However, it is not up to the selection panel, who may have 100 applications to assess, to
wade through your résumé and covering letter trying to find the relevant information about
you that relates to each criterion.

The onus is on you to clearly demonstrate your value—it is not up to the selection panel to
‘guess’ or ‘decipher’ this from your application. A panel often will only have time to read
your application once, therefore it must be well set out, easy to read, concise, clear and
relevant.

This will assist the panel to rate your application against the selection criteria and against
other applicants, and to decide who to shortlist for interview. Many good applicants are
overlooked because they don't clearly address the selection criteria and assume that the
panel will be able to “read between the lines” in their résumé.

Shortlisting of applicants is based on the applicant’s ability to convince the selection panel
that they can meet the essential and desirable skills necessary to perform the job.
Key expressions found in person specifications

The selection criteria or essential minimum requirements often use key phrases which
indicate the type of required skill or ability. Some of these are:
• Experience in, Proven ability in, Responsible for;
• Awareness of, Knowledge of, An understanding , Appreciation of;
• Ability To, Capacity To; and Contributes to;
• Well Developed, Demonstrated, Extensive, High Level of.
To write your responses, you must understand what these words mean, as subtle
differences can mean a different approach to wording your response. Following is a brief
explanation of the meanings of these phrases.

Background In
Background in is often used in reference to educational qualifications or areas of
specialisation (for example, accounting or marketing).

Experience In, Proven ability in, Responsible for

Experience in means you must have practical experience with the matter, have literally
done the work as distinct form observed it or only had training in it. For example:
‘Experience in the use of computer packages including word processor and spreadsheet
packages’, means you must show that you have performed jobs/tasks using a word
processor with spreadsheet packages.
Proven ability in means that you must be able to substantiate any claims to the
experience or skill, preferably indicating outcomes that you have attained. For example:
‘Proven ability in planning and organising skills’ means that you must write what you have
done and achieved in these areas.
Responsible for indicates a high level of accountability and once again, means must write
what you have done in meeting these responsibilities.

Awareness Of, Knowledge Of, Understanding Of, Appreciation of

These expressions are often used in reference to government policies such as EEO and
OH&S, and specific responsibilities of the work area. There are subtle differences between
these four terms. Careful attention should be paid to the degree of skill or knowledge
required.
Awareness of involves perhaps the least amount of familiarity with a subject and can mean
little more than a realisation of a matter.
Knowledge of a matter refers to familiarity gained from actual experience or from
learning/training. For example; ‘demonstrated knowledge of project management’
suggests that you need more than a passing familiarity with this subject.
Understanding of is more than knowledge. It requires comprehension of the subject
matter and perception about the significance of it. For example, you may have knowledge
of an organisational policy in so far as you have read it and perhaps even applied some
sections of it. However, to understand the policy means you know why the policy was
established, who it serves, how and why it is important, and what the implications are for
related policies.
Appreciation of implies you have a deeper understanding about a matter. To appreciate a
matter you need both knowledge and understanding. For example: ‘an appreciation of
cultural barriers experienced by sections of the community’ would mean knowing what the
barriers are, understanding why they exist and how they operate, the impact they have,
what is or could be done to eliminate them, and having ideas to address this issue.
 Capacity To, Ability To

These words suggest degrees of ability.

Capacity can mean able to or qualified to perform a task. It suggests that you have the
necessary skill or quality but may not have demonstrated it to any major extent. This is
where transferable skills could be used to demonstrate capacity such as in Community
Service tasks undertaken.
Ability means having the skills, knowledge and attitude (competency) to do the task
required. For example if the job requires a person to handle sensitive information in a
professional manner, then the ability to communicate sensitively and display empathy may
be needed. Another example could be if a person was required to organise work and follow
through to completion, then the ability to manage time, prioritise, delegate, and set and
meet specific time-lines may be needed.
It is recommended that you check and clarify with the contact person any doubts you have
about the meaning/requirements of each criteria. You need to have a clear understanding
of what they are looking for, and require, before you can effectively write to each of the
criteria because as you can see, there are subtle differences between these phrases.
Added to these key phrases are other terms which distinguish the level to which they are
needed. These terms include well developed, demonstrated, extensive and high level
of. These terms indicate that any statements/claims that you make must be soundly
supported with concrete examples that show some breadth and depth of experience/and or
capability. (Villers, 2000, Chapter 7, beginning page 34)
Skills and Abilities Frequently Sought

The range of skills and qualities sought in applicants frequently include:

• work in a team
• work under pressure
• work with limited supervision
• attention to detail
• good management of time
• research
• communication
• problem-solve
• negotiation
• liaison
• organisation
• flexibility

This list is my no means exhaustive, however, it covers the key skills and abilities
frequently mentioned in Person Specifications that are currently considered essential and
desirable in employees.

The previous list can be divided into three broad headings:

! work as part of a team
! interacting with people
! managing your own performance

Work As Part Of A Team

Increasingly the team, rather than the individual or office group, is being seen as critical to
quality performance. Managers are seeking people who can work in and contribute to a
team, either as a participant or team-leader. As a member of a team you can generally be
expected to:
• take an active part in meetings and group discussions
• make objective and constructive suggestions about the teams goals and activities
• contribute to planning and determining outcomes
• produce results on time and within set budgets
• produce accurate work
• supervise and train others
• contribute to the teams performance, including providing suggestions for
continuous improvement
• work with a minimum of supervision
• organise, co-ordinate, plan and complete tasks, and follow-up outstanding
matters

As a team-leader you can generally be expected to:

• supervise, coach and train others
• provide leadership and direction
• set team goals and objectives
• manage human, physical and financial resources
• manage performance and provide feed-back
 • develop a participative and cooperative environment
• minimise conflict
• problem-solve

Interacting With People

Viller’s (2000, page 50) and many other researchers highlight that ‘Skill in building and
maintaining relationships with people will continue to be critical in most jobs.’ Increasing
attention is being placed on people skills and people management. These skills are needed
work as part of a team/office group, and to work effectively with people outside of the
team/office including other government agencies and people of the public, i.e. all internal
and external customers. Key skills in this area include communication and customer service
skills. Broadly you need to demonstrate such abilities as:
• being aware of cultural and diversity issues
• effective listening
• negotiate for win-win outcomes
• liase and consult with people
• co-operative and collaborate effectively
• convey information and ideas to people
• receive and understand information and ideas from others
• build a network of contacts

Managing Your Own Performance

There has been a strong move in the last decade to move away from being reliant on a
supervisor/manager for all instructions. This change has brought about the concept of
working in teams along with the ability to also be self-reliant, to take responsibility for
one’s own behaviour and to contribute to the workplace. This is supported and reinforced
by developments in enterprise bargaining, performance development and career
development. Managing your own performance means:
• demonstrating initiative and flexibility
• being productive and ethical (including confidentiality and honouring
commitments)
• completing to a high standard the work allocated to you
• being able to deal with conflicting priorities and multiple tasks
• managing your time
• following up on outstanding matters

Therefore, when responding to these criteria, think carefully about your performance and
behaviour in the workplace.
Time-management can be demonstrated by such things as punctuality, meeting deadlines,
prioritising and planning daily work according to what is urgent and important,
managing an in-tray etc.
Working under minimal supervision means you know who you are accountable to and
what the limits of your work are, you can be trusted to get on with you work without
constant supervision, you can work effectively and honestly in using and managing your
time, and you have a willingness to put in extra time if a deadline needs to be met.
Flexibility is a quality being increasingly sought since work life and work places are
undergoing continuous change. Those who are unwilling and unable to adapt to
different circumstances such as new work structures, new location, changing policies
and procedures, learning and applying new skills, and embracing technology to name a
few, will be left behind. To demonstrate your ability to be flexible and adaptable to
change you could include partaking in change processes (such as contributing positively,
developing plans/policies for new work practices and being on reference groups,
committees etc.) and at any time, making suggestions to improve work processes.
In summary, you need to have a good understanding of your abilities, strengths and
weaknesses. In order to gain a new position, you may need to consider taking on tasks
and jobs that ‘take you out of your comfort zone, i.e. they are new, challenging and
personally developing—sometimes these are the tasks that on the surface appear dull
and are avoided by others. So look out for these opportunities as they can be far and
few between! (Villiers, 2000, Chapter 9, beginning page 48)
How do you address selection criteria?

Your statement addressing the selection criteria needs to demonstrate how your previous
experience, skills, education and training have equipped you to meet the requirements of
the position.

Remember that the selection panel will generally only interview those applicants who
demonstrate that they meet all of the essential criteria of the person specification.
Therefore, to maximise your chances of being considered further, you must demonstrate in
your application that you:
• meet all the essential requirements of the person specification
• are capable of carrying out the duties of the position concerned
• can meet all or most of the desirable requirements of the person specification

The Key is:

• Demonstrate you have the skill by providing the evidence (quote from degree
studies, previous work experience, work in the community)

• Provide specific details (for example - if using your degree studies, give name of
subject where you most obtained the skills, or mention the specific duties in your job
where you gained the experience)

• where possible, include an indicator of success or a result (indicate the grade you
achieved for the project, the favourable comments made by your employer, or the
amount you raised as part of a fundraising activity)

If there are only one or two Selection Criteria specified in the advertisement, you could
address them in your cover letter.

However, where there are several essential and desirable criteria to address, it is better to
prepare a separate document. This document would accompany your resume and cover
letter.
6-Step Approach to Addressing Selection Criteria

There are a number of things you can do to make your selection criteria statement
effective and easy for the selection panel to read.

The first thing you need to do is to make it a separate attachment from your résumé and
covering letter.

This 6-step approach will help guide you in addressing selection criteria.

Step 1 Main Heading and opening sentence

Start with your heading, your name, and your opening sentence.

STATEMENT ADDRESSING THE SELECTION CRITERIA

FOR THE POSITION OF
RECREATION AND TRAILS OFFICER

Your name

The following information is provided as evidence of my ability to meet the

Selection Criteria for the above position.

Step 2: Subheadings

Use the ‘Essential Criteria’ and ‘Desirable Criteria’ as main headings, then under the
appropriate Main Heading, list each criterion as a subheading using exactly the same
wording as appears on the Person Specification form, eg. “Excellent verbal communication
skills”

Make sure you list each criterion in the same order as the selection criteria.

Step 3: Identify what they are looking for

Read each criterion carefully and highlight/underline each area of skill or experience
indicated as being required. Identify specific factors - underlining keywords may be useful
so you can break them down into meaningful components. For example, the word
‘communication’ can include meanings such as verbal, non-verbal, listening, negotiation,
questioning and feedback.
Step 4: Match the criterion to your skills set by brainstorming

For each skill set in each criterion brainstorm experiences from different aspects of life
that support your claims for the criterion. Think of specific examples, drawing on a variety
of experiences, for example:

• Previous and current employment • Recreational Activities

• Community Activities • Fundraisers
• Volunteer Work • Awards
• Placements/Work Experience • Publications
• Sporting Clubs/Team Activities • Educational Studies

Look for evidence of transferable skills and abilities. While you may have not carried out a
particular duty, you may have performed similar work but in a different context (for
example working in customer of service in the Hospitality Industry may give you
transferable communication skills that relate to liaising with corporate clients).

An example - your rough notes

“Highly developed oral and written communication skills.”

• Completed topic in communication skills at university.
• Three years customer service experience at Transport SA
• Delivered presentations to X agencies on X issues.
• Committee member IPAA (elected position)
• Experience in the preparation of reports, briefing papers.
• Research and preparation of university assignments and reports.

Step 5: Expand on your brainstorming ideas - provide the evidence

Expand on the points you have jotted down as part of your brainstorming activity in Step 4.
You will need to be very specific and write down exactly what you did in order to
demonstrate convincingly that you can meet each criterion.

! Use an introductory assertion or opening sentence such as ‘I possess a high level of skill
in…’ ‘My communication skills are demonstrated by..”

! You should then support this statement, by highlighting your relevant skills and
experience by describing your major responsiblities in current or previous employment.
Such as ‘In my role of …, I have …’ This is an example of a previous situation where you
have demonstrated a particular skill or ability giving consideration to what tasks were
involved, or how you would apply the skill or ability.

! Indicate the extent of your experience in relation to a particular criterion, e.g. number
of years' experience, number of staff supervised, etc. For example:

! 'I have over four years' experience using Microsoft OUtlook on a daily basis.
I am able to use advanced features of the program, such as ....'
! 'I am responsible for supervising the day-to-day work of five staff ....'

This is very useful if you want to emphasise that you have lots of experience. If your
experience is limited, you may prefer to be vague about how much you have!
! Briefly give details of one or two specific things you've done that are good examples of
your ability to meet the criterion. For example:

! 'I was responsible for organising a large seminar attended by 100 staff. This
involved ....'

! Expand your previous statement by describing (step by step), what was involved in the
process. Where possible, mention the same kinds of tasks and responsibilities as are
listed in the advertised duty statement. For example:

Selection Criterion: Prepare agendas, minutes and reports for the XYZ
Committee.
'I have been project officer to a number of senior level committees. My
responsibilities have included organising meetings, researching background
information, taking minutes, and preparing and distributing agendas,
reports and minutes.'

! Where possible, indicate how successfully you meet the criterion, by providing support
or evidence of achievements, such as ‘the attached statement from …’; ‘this resulted
in…’; ‘I have improved…’ You could also do this by referring to feedback you've
received from others, or things you've set up that are still being used. For example:

! 'A report I wrote about .... was well received by the .... Committee, and
circulated as a discussion paper.'
! 'The accounting spreadsheet system I introduced two years ago is working
effectively and staff say that they find it easy to use.'

! Mention any relevant qualifications and training you have, particularly if your
experience is limited. These might include:

! details of any relevant training courses you've attended, such as ‘Proofing

and Editing Documents’, or 'Dreamweaver'
! subjects studied as part of award courses, such as Occcupational Health
and Safety, Project Management, etc.

As a Guide to help you to be specific, try the STAR method as follows:

S = Situation – brief outline of the setting

T = Task - what you did
A = Approach or Action you took - how you did it
R = Result - outline any outcomes

Deal with each brainstormed idea in this manner.

Make sure you use positive, strong, specific language

Avoid using the passive voice as in “My ability for detailed work has allowed me to spot
omissions and inaccuracies before information is published or distributed” (passive voice).
Instead, use the active voice and say: “As the person responsible for editing final copy, I
have become adept at spotting omissions and inaccuracies”
Avoid vague words and expressions like assisted, was involved in or helped. These don’t
say what you specifically contributed or did. So rather than “I helped produce a
newsletter” you might say: “I formatted and edited the newsletter”.

This sounds much more positive and outlines your specific contribution.
Step 6: Check Your Work

You should have someone else read your responses, checking for clarity of expression,
correct grammar and spelling as well as how accurately you have responded to each
criterion.

Consider the following:

Is the language active, strong and specific?

Have you undersold, or oversold yourself?

Have you avoided unsupported claims about your abilities?

“There is ample evidence of my excellent communication skills in my resume. I
have no doubt about my ability to effectively communicate with superiors and
subordinates”

This claim is based on your personal opinion and doesn’t offer any supporting
evidence.

Have you addressed all aspects of the criterion?

For example, with this Selection Criterion - Well developed conceptual, analytical
and research skills – you will need to provide evidence of your ability to meet all
three elements.

Have you given the information that shows you are the best candidate for the job?

Proof read for grammar and spelling.

TIPS

Imagine you are a selection panel member reading your application; how does it
sound—convincing, irritating, off-putting? Would you be keen to interview this person?
What assumptions are you making about this applicant? Are you keen to meet and
interview this person?

Content
! Don't be too concerned about any overlap of examples you use for the criteria, but try
to provide a different slant in each case.
! When you come across a selection criterion that you cannot satisfy, don't just ignore it –
your failure to address it will 'stand out like a sore thumb'! Be prepared to write
something about your understanding of the relevance of the criterion – convince the
employer that you possess the potential to satisfy it.
! Preface the examples you use with a short overview statement which clearly indicates
that you meet the criterion, and which reflects your understanding of the
relevance/importance of that specific criterion. For example, ‘In preparing for any
exhibition, working to a deadline is important, and this is a skill I have demonstrated on
numerous occasions throughout my tertiary studies and tourism sector experience.’

Layout
• Where appropriate use dot points in your answers to help with clarity – it will make
your application easier to read. Remember some points will need to be expanded on in
more detail.
• If your responses are lengthy, place each selection criterion on a separate page with
the selection criterion stated at the top of every page.

Length
• Although there are no hard and fast rules, the suggested length of the response should
be between 1 to 3 paragraphs per selection criterion, although this will depend on the
level of the position being applied for, and how many factors make up the criterion.

Other Presentation Tips

• Put your name, vacancy reference number or title and page number on each page.
• Ensure there are no errors (eg. telephone numbers and e-mail addresses) and that your
sentences are grammatically correct.
• If applications are to be sent via e-mail avoid the use of fancy fonts that may not be
part of the recipients library.

Providing Additional Information

At the end of your selection criteria statement you may like to add any extra information
that you believe is relevant to the job. Alternatively you could refer to it in your covering
letter. Examples of things you could mention include:

• skills and abilities which you think are important and which haven't been mentioned
in the selection criteria, e.g. 'flexibility', 'ability to maintain confidentiality'

• knowledge or experience you have which you believe is important to the job, e.g.
knowledge of particular University systems, policies or procedures.

Make sure that any information you include is directly relevant to the position.
SAMPLE ANSWER
Let’s have a look at a selection criterion common to many roles. The wording may vary and
depend on the level of the position applied for.

‘Well developed oral and written communication skills as evidenced by the ability to
liaise with a range of clients at all levels.’

Many answers received by selection panels are not sufficiently detailed for panels to make
a full assessment of the applicants’ claims. Generally a three or four sentence response
would not be considered sufficient. Here is an example of a response which would not be
sufficient based on the above selection criteria.

‘I possess well developed oral and written communication skills which I have utilised
throughout my working career. At XZY Corporation I was required to liaise regularly
with people at all levels ranging from senior managers to staff, on a range of
recruitment and procedural matters. I have written a large number of documents
including memos and articles in an office newsletter.’

In this example, the broader view has been taken without the applicant outlining how they
specifically met the criteria.

Using the 6 Step Process described earlier, let’s try to improve this answer so the applicant
has the best chance of being invited to interview.

Let’s have a look at the reworked answer.

‘I possess well developed communication skills which I have gained throughout my

working career. In particular, in my role as Human Resource Officer at XZY Agency,
I liaised on a daily basis with senior managers, staff at all levels, other agencies
and members of the public. Most of the communication was face to-face, email
and by telephone and I was frequently commended for the professional manner in
which I carried out these duties.

For example, one of my key responsibilities was to organise temporary support

staff for various areas within XZY Agency. Managers would phone me to request a
temporary staff member and I would personally meet with them to discuss their
requirements. I would update the job description and brief the agency on all
aspects of the job to ensure they understood our requirements.

This process required well developed communication skills to ensure I acquired an

accurate understanding of the job and clearly communicated this to the agency. As
a result, highly suitable staff were hired .

My written communication skills are also well developed and I have utilised these
skill in writing the following documents:

! Updating job descriptions;

! Writing articles in a monthly newsletter; and
! Writing memos to office staff.

As Human Resource Officer I was required to keep managers informed of policies

and procedures. To do this, I initiated a monthly newsletter. I wrote an article in
each publication and encouraged other staff members to submit an article or I
obtained their ideas and input. Feedback received in relation to this newsletter
was excellent and resulted in improved lines of communication between managers
and the Human Resources.’
The above response shows how the applicant gained relevant skills, give examples and
outlines detailed of what they did. The response also gives successful outcomes for all the
people involved. This response could continue by expanding upon further examples.