Strong selection criteria examples show how you used a skill in a real situation. If your draft says you are organised, communicate well or work effectively in a team, the next step is to show the reader what that looked like in practice.
This guide uses three illustrative selection criteria examples and a practical editing process for Australian job applications. The examples are invented for teaching purposes, not client case studies or statements to copy into your application.
1. Check the requested application format first
Read the advertisement, position description and application instructions together. Note which documents are required, the deadline and any word, page or character limits. Do not assume every government application needs a separate response to each criterion.
The Australian Public Service Commission’s application guidance explains that a written application may involve selection criteria or a short pitch. It also describes STAR as one way to organise evidence. Follow the specific vacancy’s instructions when deciding how to present your response.
2. Build a short evidence bank
Before drafting your selection criteria examples, make a note for each relevant project or incident: what needed to happen, what made it difficult, what you personally did and what changed. Include enough detail to distinguish your contribution from the team’s work.
For example, “helped with reporting” gives you little to work with. “Checked conflicting figures, asked the data owners to resolve differences and prepared a clear summary for the deadline” identifies actions you can explain. Use your own records to confirm dates and results.
3. Structure selection criteria examples with STAR
- Situation: the context the reader needs.
- Task: your responsibility or the problem to solve.
- Action: the steps you took and your reasons.
- Result: what happened and what the example demonstrates.
Use these prompts as a drafting tool. Your finished answer can read as a connected paragraph unless the employer requests labelled sections. Give the most space to the decisions and actions that demonstrate the criterion.
4. Selection criteria examples: communication, priorities and teamwork
Example A: communicating clearly
Weak starting point: “I have excellent communication skills and deal with customers every day.”
Illustrative response: “In an administration role, I noticed customers were arriving without the documents needed for their appointments. I was responsible for explaining the requirements before each booking. I reviewed the common questions, rewrote the confirmation message in plain language and checked the wording with my supervisor. During calls, I asked customers to explain which documents they planned to bring so I could clarify misunderstandings. My supervisor then adopted the revised message for the team’s bookings.”
Why it is stronger: the response identifies an audience, a communication problem, specific actions and an observable outcome. A real applicant should explain the communication channels and results they can substantiate, rather than borrowing this scenario.
Example B: managing competing priorities
Weak starting point: “I can multitask and always meet deadlines.”
Illustrative response: “While coordinating an internal training day, I also needed to finish the monthly attendance report. A venue change created extra work shortly before the event. I listed the tasks by deadline and dependency, confirmed the report cut-off with my manager and reserved time to check the figures. I delegated attendee reminders with a clear checklist and dealt personally with the venue and accessibility arrangements. The event went ahead at the replacement venue, and I submitted the checked report by the agreed deadline.”
Why it is stronger: it shows how priorities were assessed and communicated. It also makes the applicant’s judgement visible, instead of relying on an unsupported claim that they are good at multitasking.
Example C: working collaboratively
Weak starting point: “I am a team player who gets along with everyone.”
Illustrative response: “During a shared inbox handover, two teams were interpreting responsibility for enquiries differently. I gathered examples of the overlap and organised a short discussion with both team leads. I listened to their concerns, drafted a responsibility checklist and tested it against recent enquiries. After the leads agreed on the process, I shared the checklist and invited feedback during the first week. The teams then used one agreed handover process, with a named contact for questions that did not fit the checklist.”
Why it is stronger: collaboration is demonstrated through listening, checking assumptions and reaching an agreed process. The result is specific without inventing a percentage improvement.
5. Edit selection criteria examples against the exact criterion
Underline the parts of the criterion your example actually demonstrates. If it asks for both written and verbal communication, an example about writing a report may need additional evidence of how you discussed or presented it. If it asks for leadership, explain the direction you provided and the decisions you owned.
Replace vague phrases such as “various tasks” with useful details. Remove background that does not help the reader assess the skill. Check that the final paragraph fits the stated limit without shrinking the font or ignoring the requested format.
6. Check accuracy across your application
Compare names, dates, responsibilities and outcomes with your resume. Describe team results honestly and make your contribution clear. Do not add numbers just to sound impressive: a verified qualitative result is more useful than an invented metric.
If you are finding it difficult to identify outcomes, our guide to writing resume achievements offers another way to think about your contribution. The same evidence can inform different documents, but each response should answer its own question.
Final selection criteria examples checklist
- Does each example answer the skill or behaviour actually requested?
- Can the reader identify your actions separately from the team’s actions?
- Have you explained the outcome without adding unverified figures?
- Do the dates and responsibilities match your resume?
- Have you removed confidential names or business information that the employer does not need?
- Is the response within the advertised word, page or character limit?
- Have you checked the file name, document format and submission instructions before sending?
7. Get help shaping your own evidence
To develop your selection criteria examples with a writer, gather your resume, the full position description, application instructions, closing date and rough notes about relevant examples. Flag anything you are uncertain about so it can be checked before submission.
Our selection criteria writing services help you organise your experience into clear responses tailored to the role. Contact Resumes Done Right for a consultation and a quote based on your application requirements.
