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Whenitcomestojobapplicationsmanyjobseekersareputoffbypositionsthatrequire addressingselectioncriteria. qIttendstobemainlygovernmentroles,largeorganisationsandeducationalinstitutions thatrequireselectioncriteria,butmoreandmorecompaniesareintroducingitasa methodofassistingtostreamlinetheHRprocess.
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qInrealityyoushouldlookatselectioncriteriaasyetanotherstrategytodrawattention toyourselfandyoursuitabilityforthedesiredposition. qAsselectioncriteriaalsotendtobeallowedtobelengthier,infact,itvastlyincreases yourabilitytostrengthenyourcase.
qThekeyaimofanyjobapplicationwriteristodemonstratethatyoutheapplicantnot onlymeetalltherequirementsofthehirerbuttoensureyoustandoutfromthecrowd andintrigueyourpotentialemployerenoughtoofferyouaninterview. qTheinterviewthenbecomesyouropportunitytosellyourselfintothatposition.
Selectioncriteriaareusuallyalistoftheskills,knowledge,andexperiencerequiredto successfullydotheposition.
Employersuseselectioncriteriatocompareallcandidatesforthepositionagainstthe criterionandthenshortlistthemostsuitableforaninterview.
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qIfthejobapplicantprovidesastrongjobapplicationwritingthatoffersanoverviewof theirqualifications,skillsandexperienceandthenusestheircoverlettertopersonalise andintroducethemselves;providetheirreasonsforapplyingfortheposition;and demonstratestheirstronginterestinthepositionandorganisation-theaddressingof keyselectioncriteriaenablestheapplicanttoprovidemoredetailabouthowtheyhave demonstratedandacquiredtherequiredskillstoeffectivelyfillthejobrole.
qInmostcasesaddressingtherequiredselectioncriteriarequirescompilingaseparate documenttoyourresumeandcoverletter. qYoushouldalsokeepinmindthatyourindividuallytailoredresumeneedstoalsoreflect therequirementswithintheselectioncriteriaforthatjobrole.
qThemostcommonformatforaddressingselectioncriteriaistowriteeachcriterionasa headinginboldfontthenaddresshowyoumeeteachone. qFormatthedocumentbyincludingthejobtitle,referencenumber(ifapplicable)and yournameintheheaderandnameyourdocumentfilethatyouwillsubmitwhateverthe employerusesintheirjobadvertisement.
qAnswertheselectioncriteriaintheordertheyappearinthepositionstatementorjob advertisement. qEnsurethatifacriterionhasmorethanonepartyouaddressallparts-forexample exceptionaltimemanagementskillsandabilitytomeetdeadlinesrequirestwodifferent setsofskillsandcompetencies.
qEnsurethatyouaddressboththeessentialandthedesirablecriteriainyourresponse. Donotfallintothetrapofonlyaddressingtheessentialcriteriaandthinkingthe desirableisnotasimportant. qRememberthisdocumentisyourchancetogainaninterview-youmustimpressthe potentialemployerwithyoursuitabilityforALLtheirrequirements.
qThemosteffectiveandefficientwaytoaddresseachselectioncriteriaistousetheSTAR method.Situation,Task,ActionandResult.Youraimistoclearlyidentifyanddetail situationswhereyouhavedemonstratedtherequiredcompetency. qWhereverpossiblechooseexamplesthatarerelevanttothepositionstatementandthe employerorindustry.
qTrytoprovideexamplesthathaveoccurredrecently.Useactionwordssuchas accomplished,initiated,implemented,organised,anddevelopedespeciallythosethat areusedinthejobdescriptionandselectioncriteria.
qSituation–isthewhereandwhenandsetsthecontextforyourexample. qTask–isthetaskorproblemthatneededtobesolved. qAction–detailshowyousolvedtheproblem,fulfilledthetask,orhandledthe situation.Whatdidyoudoandhowdidyoudoit,thatdemonstratesthecriterionyou areaddressing?Thissectionshouldbeapproximately3/4ofyourresponse. qResult–whatwastheoutcomeyouachievedasresultofyouraction.Wherepossible quantifyyourresult.
qWhereyouhaveextensiverelevantexperience,knowledge,orskillsyoushouldbegin yourselectioncriteriastatementwithasummaryofyourexperienceandthenfollow withoneortwodetailedSTARexamples. qGiveyourselfplentyoftimetoformulateandaddresstheselectioncriteriaandtopolish andhoneyourresponsepriortosubmittingyourapplicationandthushopefullygainan interviewandthenyourdesiredposition.
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