To be successful, your application needs to be clear and concise as it is the first step to make your application stand out and to demonstrate your skills, qualifications and experience.
Applications are considered based on the essential and desirable requirements of the position. The selection panel reviews all written applications and chooses the best for interviews based on the selection criteria. Only applicants who can satisfy all/most of the selection criteria will be shortlisted, and if there are several applicants that satisfy the criteria, only the best few applications will be shortlisted for an interview.
Applications should include a cover letter, resume and a section where you specifically address the advertised selection criteria. These should provide information that demonstrates the following:
- Your knowledge and skills against the selection criteria citing relevant examples.
- Your experience and qualifications and/or your ability to develop the skills required.
Covering Letter
It is recommended that you include a short covering letter that introduces yourself and details the reasons that you are applying for the position.
Current Resume/Curriculum Vitae
A resume or CV is a history of your employment and work experience and should outline your employment history in date order, starting with your current or most recent employment including:
- details of the positions you have held, including employment dates, capacity in which you were employed (eg full time, part time, casual), where you were employed and a brief outline of the main duties and responsibilities
- your educational qualifications. This should include the title of your qualification, the year awarded and the title of the institution attended Copies of your academic qualifications should be attached as well as information regarding training courses or development programs that you have attended
- brief summary of relevant personal interests or memberships.
Selection Criteria
The selection criteria indicates the minimum level of knowledge and skills that individuals will need to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position. You must address each one in your application citing relevant examples on how you believe you meet or have the potential to meet the requirements. The criteria should also be addressed in terms of the major duties of the position that you are applying for.
To assist you in answering the selection criteria:
- Read the selection criteria carefully and identify the major factors in each.
- Determine how you meet each criterion.
- When making a statement on how you meet the criteria, cite relevant examples that detail how you were involved in a process, or how you applied a relevant skill or ability. In providing evidence or support of your achievements, explain how you were successful.
- Check that you have addressed the major factors.
- It is not sufficient to simply state that you meet the criteria without explaining how.
- The suggested length of response should be up to half-one page per criteria.
- As a guide the more senior the role, the more complex the selection criteria and the more detailed your response should be.