Australian CV guide

How to address selection criteria

Australian government agencies, universities, hospitals and some large employers often ask you to show how you meet a set of selection criteria, as well as sending a resume. Strong responses follow a simple structure and use real examples. Here is how to write them.

What are selection criteria?

Selection criteria are the skills, knowledge and qualities the employer has decided the role needs, such as “Strong written communication skills” or “Experience managing stakeholders”. The panel assesses each applicant against them, so your answers often decide whether you get an interview.

Read the advert and position description carefully. Some employers want a separate response to each criterion. Many Australian Public Service (APS) agencies instead ask for a “pitch”: a one-to-two-page statement showing how your experience fits the role as a whole. Follow exactly what the advert asks for, including word or page limits.

Use the STAR method

STAR gives every answer the same clear shape:

Situation: where you were and what was going on, in one or two sentences.
Task: what you needed to achieve, and why it mattered.
Action: what you did. This should be the longest part. Say “I”, not “we”.
Result: what happened because of your actions, with numbers if you can.

An example response

Criterion

Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.

Response

As a team leader in a council customer service centre, I was responsible for handling ratepayer enquiries while also preparing for a new online payment system going live in six weeks. I mapped every launch task against the team’s roster, moved routine calls to two experienced officers, and set aside two mornings a week for testing and training. The system went live on schedule with all 14 staff trained, and average call waiting times stayed under two minutes during the changeover.

How long should each response be?

If no limit is given, aim for about 250 to 400 words per criterion, or one to two pages for a pitch. Shorter, well-chosen examples beat long ones. Use a different example for each criterion where you can, so the panel sees the range of your experience.

Tips that lift your score

Echo the wording of the criterion in your opening sentence, so the panel can see straight away what you are answering.
Choose recent examples, from the last three to five years, at the level of the job you are applying for.
Be specific: name the system, the size of the team, the number of clients, the budget.
If the advert mentions a capability framework, such as the APS Integrated Leadership System or a state framework, read the description for the job’s level and show those behaviours.
Make sure your resume backs up every example, with matching roles and dates.