Addressing the Selection Criteria of a position is important as it allows you to highlight areas of your experience that is relevant to the role. You can never assume that the Selection Committee will find all the information as achievements can be lost in the CV or excluded.

It will also make your application more competitive by drawing the Selection Committee's attention to relevant skills that you want to emphasise.

There are many techniques which you can apply to ensure you explain to the best of your ability how you meet the selection criteria:

1. Avoid Unsupported Self-Aggrandisement

2. Use verbs/action words

3. Address all parts of the selection criteria

4. Incorporate bullet points

5. Use English well

6. Be Results-Orientated

7. Avoid Credibility - Reducing Words

 1. Avoid Unsupported Self-Aggrandisement

• Provide evidence of how you meet each of the selection criteria.
• Give examples of achievements, work experience, projects you have managed and worked on etc.
• Draw examples from your work, education, leisure activities and community work.

 2. Use verbs/action words

• Highlight your contribution with direct / active constructions of verbs eg I negotiated, I achieved, I edited.

 3. Address all parts of the selection criteria

• Look at each criteria and isolate the elements within it
• Provide evidence of how you meet each element

 4. Incorporate bullet points

• Draw the readers attention to the most critical parts of your experience and achievements by using bullet points.
• Bullet points are not always appropriate but are effective in highlighting important evidence without the reader having to read through paragraphs of information.

 5. Use English well

• Write clearly and concisely
• Ensure spelling and grammar is correct - have another person with a good command of English look over your application
• Avoid technical jargon, terms or phrases that are limited in use. Express yourself in more general business terms

 6. Be Results-Orientated

• Where relevant, quantify your contributions; i.e. refer to them in terms of cost or time savings; value of grants received; productivity increases; recommendations implemented; processes simplified
• Include goals and achievements from previous performance/development reviews

 7. Avoid Credibility - Reducing Words

• Don't use language which suggests your work is perfect.
• Avoid using phrases like: 'I always provide superior customer service' or 'I never miss deadlines.'

It is also important to structure your response to selection criteria. Some helpful hints:

• Make a separate heading for each criteria.
• Structure your answers.
• Behaviour: how did you do it.
• Performance: how well did you do it, what challenges did you face and how did you overcome these.
• Effectiveness: what was the successful outcome.

Tips on writing your CV