Article From: CareerOne.com.au

Applying for a job involving selection criteria is something of an art.

CareerOne Editor Kate Southam advises that there are specialist books on the subject that you can buy or ask your local library to get in for you.

The Selection Criteria Toolkit by Dawn Richards and published by Woodslane is a good example. A CareerOne contributor, Dawn’s latest book is Get that Government Job.

Amanda McCarthy of AJM Solutions is another CareerOne contributor. A few years back Amanda kindly wrote a detailed article on selection criteria that you will find below. It is very long but still relevant so take a look.

Background

In the private sector the resume is commonly used to cull and shortlist candidates for jobs. In the public sector, the most important thing is how well a candidate addresses the selection criteria.

If your written responses don’t address the requirements you may not get an interview even if you have the most dazzling resume.

It’s generally a requirement for public sector panels to use at least one “screening” and one “selection” tool to assess candidates against the selection criteria. The most common selection tools used in the public sector include the written application and the interview.

Selection criteria are standards that measure a candidate’s “abilities”, “skills” and “knowledge”. They are generally contained within the job description or may appear in the online advertisement. Both the selection criteria and job duties outline the minimum requirements necessary to do the job.

There are two types of selection criteria “essential” and “desirable”

Read the full article @ CareerOne

Applying For a Government Job – How to Nail Your Cover Letter For Positions With Selection Criteria
By Dawn Richards

Applying for a government job is a bit like doing a jigsaw puzzle. It’s sometimes difficult to work out how to fit the pieces together to create the right picture. Many organizations require you to complete a Cover Form or Application Form, so do you need to supply a cover letter as well?

YES, you do!

This is because a cover letter provides another opportunity to ‘sell’ yourself. It provides the chance to highlight your achievements and show the employer how your experience and skills can help them to achieve their goals.

Here’s an easy step-by-step guide for writing a cover letter for a role that includes selection criteria:

1. Put the job title and vacancy reference number under the date in bold, e.g. Re position: Customer Service Officer (A03) VRN: 335/06.
2. Find out the name of the person who will be reading your application and personally address your letter, checking that you have the correct spelling and title. (If you don’t know the person’s name, use ‘Good morning’ as the greeting rather than the deadly dull ‘Dear Sir or Madam’.)
3. In the first paragraph state where and when you saw the advertisement, the reason for the letter and what you are including in your application. e.g. I wish to apply for the position of ‘Customer Service Officer’ as advertised on the Careerone website on 25 August 2009.[ad#Google Adsense]
4. In the second paragraph, state what you are including in your application. e.g. To support my application, I have included my responses to the selection criteria, a copy of my résumé and three referees who can vouch for my work performance.
5. In the third paragraph, refer to your qualifications, skills and experience to explain how you match the requirements of the position. e.g. I hold a Diploma of Frontline Management and have five years’ experience in customer service roles.
6. In this paragraph, include a few of your key achievements and use a quote from ‘secret sales documents like appraisals and written references to build credibility and ‘sell’ your claims. e.g. I am confident that I have the skills and experience to be an asset in this role. In my last appraisal, my manager states: ‘Mary has built strong relationships with our clients, resulting in a 43% increase in sales.’

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7. Finish with a strong close, as if you expect to be selected for an interview. e.g. I look forward to discussing this position with you in an interview.
8. For hard copy applications, personally sign your letter and type your name below your signature. For online applications, you can use a different font to indicate you’ve signed your letter or use a digital signature.
9. Add ‘enc.’ at the bottom of your letter. This means ‘enclosure’ and is used if you are adding other documentation such as a résumé and selection criteria statement.
10. Proofread for errors in spelling, grammar, typos, phone numbers, email addresses, postal addresses, job titles, and so on. Your application must be 100% error- free.
11. Keep the letter to one page in length.

Dawn Richards is a popular guest speaker at Careers Expos and is the author of best-selling career books, ‘Selection Criteria Toolkit’, ‘Get That Government Job’ and ‘From Fired to Hired’. She uses her background in marketing to teach applicants how to sell themselves in their applications and at the interview. For free articles on all aspects of careers, visit http://www.smartstartmarketing.com.au.

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Getting a Government Job – Top 10 FAQs About Answering Selection Criteria
By Dawn Richards

Relax! We’ve got it covered. It’s really quite easy once you get started…

1. Do I need to complete Selection Criteria for non-government jobs?

For most private sector applications, you will need only a Resume and Letter of Application. However, many private sector organisations (universities, hospitals, etc.) now use Selection Criteria for appointment and promotion of staff.

2. Is a ‘Statement against the Selection Criteria’ the same as ‘Responses to Selection Criteria’ or ‘Summary of Responses to Selection Criteria’?

YES! This is a document in which you respond to Selection Criteria using concrete workplace examples to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and abilities in relation to the selection criteria.

3. What’s a Selection Criterion?

‘Criterion’ is the singular form of the word, ‘criteria’.

4. How much do I need to write for each Selection Criterion?

You need to write enough information to convince the selection panel that you have the knowledge, skills and ability to perform the job. Quality is more important than quantity. A rule of thumb is to write between half a page and one page in length for each criterion. In some cases, you are advised regarding word length required.

5. How long does it take to answer Selection Criteria?

This varies depending on your written skills and experience in writing applications. It usually takes many hours – even days – to write a professional application. People who say: ‘I’ll just throw together an application and see how I go’ rarely succeed.

6. How do I answer when there are double or triple barrel questions?

Each selection criterion may have several elements (eg oral and written communication skills and negotiation skills). Each section of the selection criterion must be addressed: Oral + Written communication skills + Negotiation skills.

7. If I can’t answer a criterion, what should I do?

Remember when you skipped a question on your exam paper at school and you scored zero points? Similarly, an unanswered criterion is worth nothing. If you don’t have the specific experience required, state how you have similar experience.

8. How many applications are usually received for each position?

It varies widely, but for positions such as an Information Officer, you may be competing with hundreds of other applicants for two or three available positions.

9. What is short-listing?

The selection panel develops a short list of applicants to be interviewed, based on how well their written applications meet the Selection Criteria or other selection tasks.

10. What is ‘weighting’ of criteria?

The selection panel nominates the rating of each criterion according to the requirements for performing the job. There’s no such thing as an unimportant criterion. Even one weighted at 10% deserves 100% effort and may be the difference between being selected for the position and being the ‘runner-up’.

Now, you have a basic understanding of what’s involved in applying for a government job. Remember when you learned to drive a car? It was really difficult trying to remember how to change gears … and steer…at the same time. But, soon you worked out how to do both tasks automatically.

Similarly, applying for a government job involves learning a range of new skills. In particular, you need to learn how to ‘sell’ yourself in your application, while supplying workplace examples that demonstrate your skills and experience. Keep working at it – it’s a worthwhile journey.

Dawn Richards is a popular guest speaker at Careers Expos and is the author of best-selling career books, ‘Get That Government Job’ and ‘Selection Criteria Toolkit’ (hard copy and new electronic version for immediate download). She uses her background in marketing to teach applicants how to sell themselves in their applications and at the interview. For free articles on all aspects of careers, visit http://www.smartstartmarketing.com.au

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