> Format and Layout > Structuring Answers > SC Statement Examples

Addressing Selection Criteria

Format and Layout

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

• Make it a separate attachment from your résumé and covering letter.
• Give the document a heading and include the following details:
  • title, eg: 'Statement Addressing Selection Criteria'
  • name of the position
  • position reference number (eg: 18/06)
• Address each criterion separately:
  • give each a title, using exactly the same wording as appears on the selection criteria form, eg: 'Excellent verbal communication skills'
  • list each criterion in the same order as the selection criteria form
  • indicate whether the criterion is essential or desirable
  • under each heading write one or two short paragraphs explaining how you meet that particular criterion (how to do this is explained below) - alternatively you may use dot points.

Structuring Answers to 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. When structuring your answers you may:

• Preface examples with a short overview which clearly indicates that you meet the criterion and which reflects your understanding of the relevance of that specific criterion.
• Give details of one or two specific things you’ve done that are good examples to show how you obtained the relevant experience or knowledge required. For example: ‘I was responsible for organising an event attended by… This involved…’
• Quantify your experience as appropriate, eg: number of years experience, number of staff supervised, sales achieved. For example: ‘I delivered a presentation to an industry forum with an audience of 80 people.’
• Where possible indicate how successfully you meet the criterion. You could 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.’
• Try to look at your application from the reader's point of view and ask yourself whether it:
  • creates a good impression
  • presents all the relevant information about you
  • talks in terms of what you can offer to the job rather than what it can offer you
  • demonstrates that you are a strong candidate for the position and worth interviewing.

The STAR Method

Most Selection Criteria will ask for tangible examples of your experience. Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action Results) method for example based questions. This approach is outlined below:

Task
What were the main issues involve with the situation?
What needed to be done?
What task/s needed to be achieved and what was the desired outcome?
What obstacles had to be overcome?

Action
What were the steps you took to complete the task?
This will include allocation of resources, people involved etc.

Results
What was the outcome?
How did it change things at work?
What lessons did you learn from this event?

Selection Criteria Statement Examples

Here are some examples of phasing in text and point form that illustrate how you can sell the benefits of your experience.

• You can respond to Selection Criteria using the STAR approach:
  
  Conflict Resolution
  I understand that from time to time there is conflict in work situations both with clients and within teams. I am also aware that many people do not like conflict and prefer to avoid difficult situations.

  I was involved in a situation on the telephone where a customer had not received the goods we promised by a certain date. This had happened before and this customer was furious. My task was to calm the customer down and explore her concerns. I listened first and then apologized for the delay. I explained that our courier had recently changed and was experiencing mechanical difficulties with their vehicles. I promised to follow up the whereabouts of the goods and phone the customer back in the next hour. I made sure I had their home number and mobile and that they would be available for the call. Although the person was still not happy, at least they were a bit calmer after about 10 minutes.

  I then contacted the courier and managed to locate the goods. He promised to deliver the goods by the end of the day and I called the customer back and passed on this information. I also logged this complaint into our complaints register and let the Manager know about this problem. The outcome was that the Manager addressed this with the new courier as there had been other similar complaints and a new system was implemented to speed up deliveries.

• You can respond to Selection Criteria in a text/prose format:
  
  High level interpersonal and communication skills
  In both my voluntary and paid work I have gained experience working and communicating with a wide range of people including research scientists, technical officers, administration staff and the public. This has included both consultative and advisory roles.
  
  Consultative
  In my role as research assistant with the Ecological Transformation Bureau, I was a member of the Gulf Seagrass team, researching seagrass in the Gulf of St Vincent. I organised three public meetings and was responsible for briefing participants and collecting and collating their contributions. This process involved phone calls, email correspondence, meetings and writing briefing papers.
  
  Advisory
  My part-time work as a guide with Mangrove Ecotours involves advising small groups of tourists on a range of practical and ecological matters. During the tour I deliver a short presentation on the ecology and history of the area and then deliver a PowerPoint presentation explaining fauna found in the region. Because of this experience I have also developed, on behalf of my employer, a training manual and work instructions to be used by other casual guides.

• Alternatively you can respond to Selection Criteria in dot points:
  
  Understanding of issues relevant to clients with a multicultural background
  • Coming from a multicultural background, I am very aware of cross-cultural issues and how they impact on the individual.
  • During voluntary work placement, I dealt with ethnic clients on a day-to-day basis and was involved in a pilot project that assesses the needs of the local community in the region.
  • I undertook study that focused on multicultural issues in an educational environment.
  • Having an interest in other cultures, I have traveled extensively in the South East Asia region.

Download a full example of a Selection Criteria Statement