How to write a selection criteria response

Claim the skill in one sentence, then prove it with one recent example in STAR form, within the job ad's limit.

By Thanh Tran, PTE and IELTS coach
Updated October 2026

Check your selection criteria answer

Paste one criterion and your answer. You get every part of the criterion checked and the one fix that matters most.

What is a selection criteria response?

A selection criteria response is your written proof that you have a skill the job asks for. Government, university, health and many not-for-profit employers list the skills as criteria and ask you to address each one. A panel reads your answers to decide who goes to interview, so each answer needs one real example, not a claim.

Situation
Where and when was it, and what was your role?
About a tenth of your words
Task
What were you responsible for?
About a tenth of your words
Action
What did you do, step by step, and why?
More than half of your words
Result
What changed? How many, how much, how fast, or what did someone say?
About a fifth of your words

Each answer is one example in STAR form. Read the STAR method guide

How long should each answer be?

The limit in the job ad always wins. Without one, the usual length depends on the format the employer asks for.

A statement for each criterion
Where
Universities, health services, NSW schools, SA, WA, many not-for-profits
Usual limit
150 to 300 words, or half to three-quarters of a page, for each criterion
Source
NSW Health GradStart, NSW Department of Education, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and University of Sydney
A pitch or statement of claims
Where
Australian Public Service, ACT Government
Usual limit
1 to 2 pages, often 650 to 1,000 words, with one or two examples that cover every criterion
Source
Australian Public Service Commission, National Archives of Australia, Department of Agriculture and ACT Government
Targeted questions or a cover letter
Where
NSW public sector, Queensland, Victoria
Usual limit
The cap the agency sets for each question; a cover letter of 1 to 2 pages
Source
NSW Recruitment and Selection Guide 2025, Queensland Government and Careers.vic

The three formats of a selection criteria application in Australia and their usual limits, from government and university guides
Format	Where	Usual limit	Source
A statement for each criterion	Universities, health services, NSW schools, SA, WA, many not-for-profits	150 to 300 words, or half to three-quarters of a page, for each criterion	NSW Health GradStart, NSW Department of Education, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and University of Sydney
A pitch or statement of claims	Australian Public Service, ACT Government	1 to 2 pages, often 650 to 1,000 words, with one or two examples that cover every criterion	Australian Public Service Commission, National Archives of Australia, Department of Agriculture and ACT Government
Targeted questions or a cover letter	NSW public sector, Queensland, Victoria	The cap the agency sets for each question; a cover letter of 1 to 2 pages	NSW Recruitment and Selection Guide 2025, Queensland Government and Careers.vic

Long answers can cost you: NSW Education says applications that go well over the page limit may be excluded. Reviewed October 2026.

Can you apply on a temporary visa?

Often yes, but not for most government jobs. Read who can apply in the job ad before you write.

Most government jobs need citizenship or permanent residency

Universities, health services and not-for-profits are often open on a temporary visa

Sources: Department of Education and WA Public Sector Commission.

How do you write each answer?

Six steps, one criterion at a time.

Split the criterion into its parts
"Written and verbal communication" is two skills. Plan evidence for each.
Choose one recent example
From the last two or three years: work, study, volunteering or a casual job.
Open with a claim
One sentence that uses the criterion's key words and says how you do it.
Tell it in STAR order
A short Situation and Task, a long Action with "I", then a Result you can measure.
Link it to the role
End with one sentence on how you would use the skill in this job.
Check it
Every part covered, within the limit, short sentences, past tense for the story.

See the shape in ten selection criteria examples, and what assessors look for, each with its source.

Write in plain English

Panels read many answers. The Australian Government Style Manual asks for short sentences and everyday words.

Short sentences

About 15 words on average, and none over 25.

Past tense for the story

"I wrote", "I asked", "I checked": what you did, not what you do.

Explain every acronym

Write the full name the first time. The panel may not know your old workplace.

Australian spelling

Organise, colour, centre, program.

Can you use a checker or writing tool?

The Australian Public Service Commission's 2026 principles allow tools that give feedback on your own draft. They do not allow tools that invent or inflate your experience.

Allowed

Feedback on the grammar, structure or format of your draft
Help making your own ideas clearer
Mock interviews

Not allowed

Making up or inflating your skills and experience
Copying a generic answer into your application
Pasting confidential information from a workplace

Our checker gives feedback on what you wrote. Its stronger version keeps your facts and leaves gaps for numbers only you know.

Sources

Keep going

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常见问题

How long should a selection criteria response be?

Keep to the limit in the job ad: it always wins, and long answers may be excluded. When no limit is given, 150 to 300 words for each criterion is common. A pitch for an Australian Public Service job is usually 1 to 2 pages for all the criteria together.

Do I need a separate example for each criterion?

For a statement against each criterion, yes: one example each works best. A one or two page pitch is different, and one or two strong examples can cover all the criteria.

What is a pitch or statement of claims?

A short piece of writing, often 1 to 2 pages, that shows how you meet the job's needs as a whole, instead of one answer for each criterion. The Australian Public Service and the ACT Government often ask for one.

How do I answer a criterion with two parts?

Split it, and give evidence for both parts. For "written and verbal communication", show something you wrote and something you said. An answer that covers one part leaves the other unproven.

What if I have no work experience in Australia?

Use any real example: study, a group assignment, volunteering, a casual job, or work in your home country. Assessors judge the skill you show, not where you showed it.

Can I use the same example twice?

Try not to. A new example for each criterion shows a wider range. If you must reuse one, tell a different part of the story for each criterion.

Can I use a checker or writing tool?

Yes, for feedback on your own draft. The Australian Public Service Commission's 2026 principles allow help with drafting, grammar and structure. They do not allow tools that invent or inflate your experience. Everything you send must be true and your own.

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