KEY SELECTION CRITERIA & STAR TECHNIQUE
What is Key Selection Criteria and how do you address it?
The key criteria for a job are usually spelled out in a list of qualities, knowledge and skills needed for the job.
If an advertisement asks you to address the key selection criteria , you NEED to.
If not you will probably be overlooked.
1: Understand the process. Employers use key criteria to compare applicants on the same measures.
2: Study the key criteria. Take your time and think about what the employer is really looking for. Break it down into bullet points to answer
3: Do your preparation. The more preparation you do, the better your answers will be. Look up the companies website.
Use your network to find out more about the culture. This will help you stand out from the other candidates.
4: Match criteria. Print out your Resume and compare it with the key criteria. Can you see matches? It’s perfectly acceptable to give examples from extracurricular activities such as sports or charity work.
5: Keep the layout simple. Bullet points and short sentences are best. Time poor recruiters are looking for the key points in a few words. Less is more when it comes to job applications
6: Give STAR responses. Applicants with relevant and credible examples of the key criteria are more likely to make it to the top of the pile.
7: Substantiate your claims. Rather than say: “I worked in a team”, be specific about what your role was in the team.
8: Choose your words carefully. A recruiter is likely to spend 30 seconds or less scanning your application. If the right words jump out, your application will be worthy of further attention. Where possible use the same words and the language that is used in the key criteria.
9: Get someone to proofread your responses. A fresh set of eyes is best to ensure that you have answered the questions and used correct spelling and grammar.
STAR Technique
The STAR method has always been a popular way of structuring statements against selection criteria.
STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result and applicants are told that they should write their selection criteria as follows:
Situation: describe a work situation that you were faced with.
Task: describe the task that you had to complete.
Action: describe the action that you took to complete the task.
Result: describe the result of your action
The STAR technique can also be useful when answering questions during the interview process.