If you’re struggling to write selection criteria, you’ve come to the right place. Selection criteria answers that have all won interviews for my clients are available on my main Blog page and corresponding sections (Addressing Selection Criteria Category and Monthly Archives since 2009). Access all of them here: 200+ FREE EXAMPLES »

Addressing selection criteria is challenging and time-consuming. Research has continually proven that writing selection criteria for one application can take the average person 20+ hours to prepare. Writing selection criteria is a requirement for roles in government across all levels (federal, state, local); tertiary sector (universities, RTOs); not-for-profit organisations; and sometimes, large corporations.

The STAR model/method stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. STAR is the most popular model to prepare selection criteria examples and is a term used interchangeably with CAR (Circumstance, Action, Result); SAO (Situation, Action, Outcome); CEO (Circumstance, Evolution, Outcome). CAR, SAO and CEO models are succinct variations of STAR.

Strong applications are those that address selection criteria examples using STAR model (or CAR, SAO, CEO) :

  • Situation: Start by outlining a situation that demonstrates the particular knowledge, skills or abilities of the criterion.
  • Task: Outline the overarching task you were assigned in the context of the situation.
  • Action: Outline up to three functions you performed to help deliver on the task’s objective. Think about how you applied your experience, skills, qualifications, knowledge. Be specific in terms of what you did.
  • Result: Finally, outline the result(s), outcome(s) or benefit(s) due to your actions. How they impacted (positively) the team, unit/division, organisation, customer/client or other stakeholders.