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Why Selection Criteria?

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Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

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!

119935_hpwku1 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

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Sample Selection Criteria

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Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Tips for Finding and Using Sample Selection Criteria

Selection criteria, for most candidates, are those dreaded list of qualifications, experience and personal qualities that are presented in a government job application description. They are essentially measures used to gauge a candidate’s suitability for a position and to choose the best applicant from a pool. On a positive note, however, the written application process can work in your favour and doesn’t have to be the object of anxiety and discomfort. With a little bit of knowledge and the right tools (such as selection criteria samples), you will have the written responses aced and be well on your way to landing that perfect job.

Good quality written examples can demonstrate how you should write a statement, however some may be of poor quality. You can take the guess work out by sourcing good quality written samples and learn by viewing appropriate formatting and styles that are well structured and easy to read. You won’t need to start from scratch when you use good quality samples to guide you.

Writing Effective Responses and Using Selection Criteria Samples

There are, however, many considerations when using selection criteria samples, such as:

• Before you begin the application, make sure you have suitable qualifications, experience and personal qualities for the position. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter how well you write your statement and how much help you have from written samples, you will not proceed any further

• Research the actual position and the organization you will be working for. This can often help you to tailor your criteria even further. Selection criteria samples can show you how to master this skill

• Before you actually start writing, pull apart all the selection criteria and roughly jot down as much as you can about it, such as where you performed the actual criterion and what it involved. Good quality samples can demonstrate this technique

• Once you start to write, present the selection criteria in a coherent structure, preferably the way that it is presented in the job application pack

• Be aware that sourcing written samples of someone else’s work requires editing to accurately reflect your own skills and strengths

Tips For Using Sample Selection Criteria

Tip 1 – Make sure the sample contains good use of language including positive and active keywords

Tip 2 – Compare the sample to the position you are applying for and replace keywords from the position description into the sample

Tip 3 – Be careful to edit the sample to accurately reflect your skills, strengths and experience

Tip 4 – Ensure that you add a bold bullet point summary at the end of the sample to make sure that panel members gain a clear picture of your key strengths and skills

Tip 5 – It is absolutely critical that actual practical examples be added to the sample that relate as closely as possible to each selection criteria statement. Make sure your choice of examples is relevant and provides clear evidence of your skills, experience and the positive outcomes you personally achieved

About The Author

Glenn Ayrton is an Australian nationally accredited workplace trainer and assessor with over 20 years experience in local and state government. He has performed a range of roles including project management, government recruitment and training including interview technique and job application writing.
He is also the designer and creator of Australia’s first software package that assists in writing government job applications called ‘Selection Criteria Writer’. For more information please visit http://www.selectioncriteriawriter.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Glenn_Ayrton

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Selection Criteria Examples

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Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

The Importance of Getting Selection Criteria Examples Right

Landing that dream government job can sometimes feel like it is out of reach. Continual job applications and persistent knock-backs can be disheartening.

Instead of finding the real source of the problem, we often look to ourselves and wonder what is wrong with our abilities. Forget this.

Have you ever considered that you are looking in the wrong place? Perhaps you have all the prerequisites for the role, but the problem likely lies in the writing of your selection criteria examples.

Are your examples letting you down?

Although there can be a number of valid reasons why that ideal job is eluding you, the fact is that often the writing of selection criteria examples may possibly be ruining your chances.

The most common reasons for this are:

1. Poorly worded examples
2. Insufficient written evidence
3. Wording that is unfamiliar with the panel members

As long as you have the skills, qualifications, experience and personal qualities, there is no reason why you aren’t, at least, being shortlisted.

The common reason applicants are not making it to the interview stage is because they’re not writing compelling examples and evidence that directly relates to the position description.

Providing those all-important selection criteria examples are one area that often lets candidates down. Well written examples must achieve the following:

1. Written using language that is familiar to the panel members
2. Provide rich examples that address principles, strategies and benefits
3. Clear description of the step by step strategy that is crystal clear

Well written examples demonstrate to panel members that you are competent and possess the skills and abilities required for the position. In short, the response you want to achieve with all readers of your examples is that ‘this person can do the job’.

Employers want to know candidates have either performed the necessary skills in a prior role; that they’ve the knowledge to do so; or, that they can easily pick up the new skill. This is shown by selection criteria examples.

The Importance of Writing Good Selection Criteria Examples

• Selection criteria examples form a significant part of the STAR (Situation, Task, Actions, Results) method of writing a selection criteria statement. Your selection criteria example should include in which role or situation you performed the skill; what you actually did; how you performed it; and, what the outcome of you performing this skill was.

• The examples you write must support your claims that you meet a certain selection criterion. As such, you need to provide actual examples that you can elaborate upon in the interview.

• Examples can be sourced from almost any aspect of your life – even if not from a similar role as the one you are applying for. Draw selection criteria examples from anywhere you’ve shown these abilities or personal attributes. The key is to use language that panel members are familiar with and talk their language.

• Written examples must clearly describe the positive outcomes and benefits achieved. What was the result of you performing this action?

Here’s a list of top tips to help you write high quality selection criteria examples:

Tip 1 Use their words in your examples

Tip 2 Make sure your language is specific and active

Tip 3 Clearly articulate the benefits achieved at the end of each example

Tip 4 Choose examples that are as closely aligned as possible to the role you are applying for

Tip 5 Research carefully both the department’s webpage and the position description in order to carefully select the most relevant keyword phrases to use in your written examples

Many government job applicants have been relieved to discover that there is a much better solution to spending entire weekends writing selection criteria applications by using software templates that can reduce and simplify the task significantly.

About The Author

Glenn Ayrton is an Australian nationally accredited workplace trainer and assessor with over 20 years experience in local and state government. He has performed a range of roles including project management, government recruitment and training including interview technique and job application writing. He is also the designer and creator of Australia’s first software package that assists in writing government job applications called ‘Selection Criteria Writer’. For more information please visit http://www.selectioncriteriawriter.com

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Selection Criteria – How to Write Effective Selection Criteria Responses

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Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Selection Criteria – The Australian Government Recruitment Process

Selection criteria are the list of requirements that are seen when reading through a job advertisement. Whether it is for a high-level government position or an entry level role in a private organisation, more than likely a number of criteria will be included in the advertisement.

The Importance of Effective Marketing

Candidates are required to describe their skills and experience and make claims about their skills, qualifications, experience and personal attributes that are required for the role. This is often called a selection criteria statement and is unquestionably the most important aspect of the recruitment process. It gets you noticed and assists in getting your foot in the door. A good or poorly written response can certainly be the difference between realising your dream job and losing out to a less qualified candidate.

Job specific criteria are used by both the employer and the candidate. An employer will use the criteria to guide their decision-making process when it comes to choosing or short-listing candidates. It provides an objective tool for employers to gauge a candidate’s suitability and their competitiveness against other applicants. It is essentially a tool for measuring how suitable one is for the position.

In addition to this, written responses are the perfect opportunity for a candidate to showcase their abilities and talents. It is one of the crucial times in the job application process where they can market themselves. Every successful product needs an effective marketing campaign. You are the product and the individual written responses are your marketing tools. A significant part of your marketing is providing sufficient evidence of your skills and abilities when addressing the specific requirements of the role.

TIP: Ensure you use clear active language when writing examples of your skills and experience.

The Categories of Selection Criteria

Sometimes these lists are quite lengthy and sometimes they are short. There are also different types of position related criteria, including:

• Previous Experience. This selection criterion often relates to past experience in a similar role or one aspect of the position. In this situation, the candidate can refer to prior roles in a dissimilar job. As long as the applicant performed similar duties and responsibilities, a reference to it is acceptable.

• Education and Qualifications. This type of selection criterion relates to the candidate’s level and type of education. Any professional recognition is relevant in this criteria type as well.

• Skills and Expertise. This denotes the actual level and type of abilities an applicant possesses. Candidates should include their proficiencies in both current roles and those that they have performed in the past.

• Personal Qualities. This criterion relates to the applicant’s own characteristics.

TIP: When describing your previous experience, ensure you use words from the position description you are applying for

The Importance of an Effective Selection Criteria Statement

In terms of applying for and landing that dream job, you can’t go past recognising the importance of a well written selection criteria statement. The good news is that there are resources available to help you write that job-winning statement such as templates, guides and actual examples.

About The Author
Glenn Ayrton is an Australian nationally accredited workplace trainer and assessor with over 20 years experience in local and state government. He has performed a range of roles including project management, government recruitment and training including interview technique and job application writing. He is also the designer and creator of Australia’s first software package that assists in writing government job applications called ‘Selection Criteria Writer’. For more information please visit http://www.selectioncriteriawriter.com

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Employment: Resume and Interview advice

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Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Improve Your Resume “Simple Do’s and Dont’s”

The resume is a tool with one specific purpose, to win an interview. A resume is a brochure, nothing more, nothing less. It presents you in the best light. A good resume is a document that shows the real you — without embellishment — but most certainly in the most attractive light! In this highly competitive job market, your resume has to do more than provide a simple outline of your previous work experience – it needs to be strategically developed as a personal marketing tool.

To have the absolute best chance of getting that role, I recommend talking to a reputable resume writing consultant, someone who makes an art of creating the best resume.

The word resume comes from the French word “resumer” which means to summarise. So the exact purpose of a resume is to summarise your experience, knowledge, and accomplishments. Therefore, you must avoid being too wordy. Say exactly what you mean in the least number of words possible. The length of your resume is important. Resumes should be from 2 to 5 pages long. Don’t be tempted to make your resume longer than 5 pages, even if you have a lot to tell. Remember that a resume is supposed to be a summary. A resume that is too long simply will bore the reader. There will be so much material that nothing will stand out and be remembered.

Following are some tips that will help you improve your resume, get it through the screening process and make it more appealing to potential employers

Don’t lie. It’s that simple. And don’t be tempted to embellish the truth. Of course, you would be foolish to include in your resume anything remotely unflattering But the risks of fudging the truth in your resume far outweigh the benefits, particularly when it comes to specific facts, such as credentials and titles.

Objective Statement That Is Flowery or Too General. Many candidates lose their readers from the very beginning of the resume — the “objective statement.” The worst objective statements start with, “A challenging position that will enable me to contribute to organisational goals while offering an opportunity for growth and advancement.” This type of statement is overused and too general, and therefore wastes valuable space

Too Short or Too Long. Too many people try to squeeze their experiences onto one page, because they’ve heard that a resume should never be longer than one page. When formatting the resume to fit on one page, many job seekers delete their impressive achievements. The reverse is also true. Take the candidate who rambles on and on for pages about irrelevant or redundant experiences — the reader will easily be bored. When writing your resume, ask yourself, “Will this statement help me land an interview?” Only include information that elicits the answer “yes” to that question.

Too Focused on Job Duties. One of the most prevalent resume blunders is to turn a resume into a boring listing of job duties and responsibilities. Many people even use their company job descriptions as a guide to developing their resumes. To create a resume that is a cut above the rest, you should go beyond showing what was required of you, and demonstrate how you made a difference at each company. Provide specific examples of how the company benefited from your performance.

Typos! One typo can land your resume in the garbage. Two typos or more, and your chances are greatly diminished. Proofread, proofread, and proofread. This document is a reflection of you and should be absolutely perfect.

Use dates to show when you did things, not just the vague “one year”.

Many people include their interests, such as reading, hiking, snowboarding, etc. These should only be included if they relate to the job objective

Personal information, such as date of birth, marital status, height and weight, should normally not be included on the resume.

Make sure your resume is complete with an e-mail address as well as a phone number

In a short, your resume can be described as a thoughtfully organised personal “brochure” that summarises your experience and highlights your achievements. It should present your skills, capabilities and strengths in the best possible light, without resorting to embellishment

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Why Selection Criteria?

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Selection Criteria – How to Write Effective Selection Criteria Responses

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