Choosing the right Resume template for your selection criteria is essential when applying for jobs in the government sector or any job for that matter. The right selection could be the difference between getting that first interview and being thrown in the bin with the rejections.

So you should know the different types and why you should choose them. For an easy to use software solution check out the Selection Criteria Writer which generates Cover letters as well as your resume.

There are three different types of Resume

Functional
Chronological
Combination or Hybrid

Function Resume – A functional resume groups your work experiences by skills and abilities rather than specific positions. This is the type of Resume you would go for if you have been a job hopper or been out of work like back to work mums.

The reason for this is because you are highlighting your skills and abilities rather than your employment record, this makes it harder for your prospective employer to find gaps in your employment. Further down the page is an example of a Functional Resume and a template you can download, if you use the template please let us know what you think by leaving a comment.

Chronological Resume – This is the preferred Style of resume as it presents your employment history in reverse chronological order, with your most recent job being first. This makes it easier for the panel or potential employer to see a natural progression in your career. This is the best format for you to use if you feel that there are a good natural progression, don’t use this format if you are over qualified or have employment gaps. There is also an example and download for the Chronological Resume template further down the page.
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Combination or Hybrid Resume – As the name suggests this style if a combination of both Chronological and functional styles. This format highlights your strengths by presenting your skills, abilities and experiences at the beginning and towards the end you finish with your chronological list.

Functional

FIRSTNAME LASTNAME

Street address | suburb state postcode | phone number | mobile number | email address

OBJECTIVE/

Write a paragraph or two that summarises your career objective.

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Outline a summary of your key qualifications
That relate specifically to the position you are applying for
This is where you focus on the key skills
That will be of benefit to the position
And organisation that is offering the position

PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Field or area of accomplishment e.g sales and marketing

Duty / responsibility / achievement
Duty / responsibility / achievement
Duty / responsibility / achievement

Field or area of accomplishment e.g leadership and management

Duty / responsibility / achievement
Duty / responsibility / achievement
Duty / responsibility / achievement

Field or area of accomplishment e.g financial budgeting

Duty / responsibility / achievement
Duty / responsibility / achievement
Duty / responsibility / achievement

Chronological

Name
Address 1 Address 2 Address 3		Home Phone Mobile Phone Email address
SUMMARY
Include two or three sentences of a summary about who you are, your employment history, your key skills and what you can offer.
Areas of Expertise
E.g. Business management E.g. Financial administration E.g. Budget analysis Dot point Dot point Dot point
	COMPANY NAME Dates of Employment Position Title Brief 1-2 sentence description of your role including why you were recruited / what your main priority or goal was / what your main achievement was. Responsible for ….(introduce responsibilities): Responsibility / achievement Responsibility / achievement Responsibility / achievement

COMPANY NAME Dates of Employment

Position Title

Brief 1-2 sentence description of your role including why you were recruited / what your main priority or goal was / what your main achievement was.

Responsible for ….(introduce responsibilities):

Responsibility / achievement
Responsibility / achievement
Responsibility / achievement

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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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dawn_Richards
http://EzineArticles.com/?Getting-a-Government-Job—Top-10-FAQs-About-Answering-Selection-Criteria&id=1533687

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