A larger number of clients make contact with me once they have had a look at the position description provided when considering applying for a government position.

I have noticed also, since the media onslaught of “mass sackings” and “lack of job security” that there has been a marked move from the private to public sector.  It seems candidates believe that in today’s employment market here in Australia (and across the globe for that matter) a move to the government sector is a safe bet.

But this proposed job security comes at a price.  That price is preparing selection criteria.  These can send a large percentage of the population into a panic.  This panic seems to stem from two sources:

• The complex language, jargon and sheer length of the position description;
• Lack of experience and expertise in addressing selection criteria.

After reading various online forums in this regard, it seems there a number of people out there who consider that having a professional writer prepare your selection criteria is not possible.  Even more startling to me is the lack of information out there in regards to the government selection process.  I’m unsure as to where their expertise is based, but I can only surmise that these comments are based on most people’s reaction; in the absence of information, a vacuum is formed, and into that vacuum go people’s own invention.

Just to clarify the matter here are some points in regard to selection criteria.  These are the most frequently asked questions put to me by clients, and potential clients, and the associated answers.  Please note that my answers and advice are based on 11 years of experience in writing selection criteria, as well as government tenders and contract.  In fact, in the last month alone I have written two tenders for two business clients, both of whom were awarded contacts.  One client was offered four contracts with a value of an extra $150,000!  This information is provided not to “blow my own trumpet” rather to establish the fact that I do know what I am talking about based on results.  I have lost count of the number of clients that I have secured job interviews for government based interviews based on my writing efforts.  Those that excelled in the job interview process ultimately secured the role.

Here are the questions and my answers:

1.     Do I really have to provide situational examples for each criterion?  How old should these examples be?

Answer: Yes, Yes, and Yes.  If you do your research on the web, including a good one created by the Australian Public Service Commission, you will see that these are a necessity rather than a luxury.  You need to talk about a situation or challenge, and the result of your actions.  More particularly, if the criterion is asking you to meet a criterion about your prioritisation and organisational abilities, you might for example, talk about a time when you were experiencing heavy demands on your time at work, the context of the actual situation, what you did specifically to resolve the situation, and then the result.  In this way you make it easy for the selection criteria to assess your application.  Assuming that the selection criteria panel will glean this information from your resume is a one way ticket to the waste paper basket, and often means your application will not be considered as highly as others that do address the criterion with evidence based answers.  I usually recommend describing situations from no longer than say three years ago, to keep them relevant.  One client asked me to write an application for him, and his examples were twenty years old!  Needless to say, I recommended he wait until a more suitable position present itself.

2.     Do the situations that I use as evidence within my criterion need to be from a position I held which is closely related to the position advertised?

Not necessarily.  For example one of my clients was the manager of a child care centre, and was applying for a position with the National Archives.  However, she still met the criterion, including having worked with voluminous amounts of confidential records.  Basically, as long as you can address the criterion all is well.  Keep in mind however that other applicants may have a background more relevant to the advertised position, and if they submit a well written selection criteria application this may mean they are considered more highly.

3.      How long should my answers be?

A contentious issue.  I usually recommend half a page to a page in length.  However, often the government department will stipulate the length with a word limit listed within the position description document itself.  However, if in doubt it is always safer to establish contact with the relevant contact person listed within the position description itself.

Apply these tips and recommendations to your application and you should be well on the way to preparing a well written selection criteria document.

All the best in your job search journey!

Andrea Drew formed Impressive Resumes in 1998 and the business has grown steadily over the last 10 years. It is an enjoyment of the English language, and a lifetime passion for writing, which she brings to the company, in the preparation and writing of resumes. In her spare time (between midnight and 7am) she has started writing her latest book/how to guide – “So, you think you can write?” stay tuned for further details With a background in Human Resources and Recruitment, Andrea has worked in helping people with jobs since 1992. Her roles included: culling CV’s, arranging interviews, assessing resumes; writing marketing material; writing tenders; editing, proofreading and rewriting large documents. Andrea delivers resume workshops at Victorian Eastern Regional libraries and is a member of Career Directors International and the Association of Online Resume and Career Professionals. For more information go to http://www.impressiveresumes.com.au