Address Selection

Criteria

Employers use selection criteria to obtain consistent information on job applicants so they can evaluate them on
equal terms.

For many public sector and not for profit organisations you will be required to address selection criteria in a separate
document.

What do selection criteria look like?

You will find the selection criteria in the job advertisement or listed in the position description that you obtain from
the employer. Often they are clearly listed but they are sometimes embedded in complex paragraphs like these
criteria for a bank position:

Ideally, you will be tertiary qualified with a ‘can do’ attitude and aim to become a well respected risk professional,
have strong analytical, problem solving skills and work successfully in a dynamic team environment with strong
discipline in adhering to timelines and delivering to expectations …

To gain an understanding of what these phrases mean have a look at the tips sheet titled “Understand Job
Advertisements”

How to address selection criteria

First, isolate all the selection criteria – tertiary qualified, practical, ambition to advance, analytical and problem
solving skills, teamwork and meeting deadlines. Then decide whether to address the main criteria in your cover letter
or to develop a separate selection criteria document to cover them all. It might be helpful to check with the
employer before you make this decision. Identify the employability skills the employer is seeking – initiative and
enterprise, communication, problem solving, self-management, use of technology, teamwork, ongoing learning,
planning and organisation. Align the specific employability skills with the relevant selection criteria. Review your
work roles, volunteer roles or student experience for some evidence you have the required skills.

Criteria Skill Evidence examples

strong analytical, completing masters level assignments and projects

problem solving
problem solving data analysis tasks in part-time job
dynamic team contributing to group study projects
teamwork
environment liaising with other staff in high volume fast food job

balancing part time work and assignment deadlines

adhering to timelines self- management
maintaining customer flow as a bank teller

Now you can write a paragraph in your cover letter to show how you meet these selection criteria:

My problem solving skills are shown by completing my master’s degree assignments and complex projects to a high
academic standard. Teamwork skills are demonstrated by actively contributing to group study projects where I have
often taken a coordinating role. I have good self-management skills shown by successfully balancing study and part-
time work as a bank teller with XYZ Bank, Carlton. In this role I maintain good customer flow while ensuring my
administrative work is completed on time during the shift. My efficiency has been acknowledged by being named
Employee of the Month twice in the last six months.

You may need a second paragraph to cover more criteria. Keep it brief as the aim of the letter is to get you the
interview where you can elaborate on your skills more fully. When you’ve done all that you will have ‘addressed the
selection criteria’. If you have a separate selection criteria document you can elaborate more fully by using the STAR
approach – Situation, Task, Action, and Result.

Tailored to each application

Selection criteria for similar positions may differ substantially so it is important to tailor your application to each
application.