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Answering key selection criteria is an arduous task, even for professional resume writers, like me. They are time bandits, challenging and call for a lot of focus and attention to ensure they sell your skills inline with the question being asked

However with a little practice and preparation it does become easier and the rest of this article gives you a system that you can use that will help to provide the best possible responses you can, in answering key selection criteria.

Step 1. Ascertain that there are, in fact, Key Selection Criteria that need to be addressed for your application to be considered. Download any position descriptions and skim read from beginning to end, highlighting key words and phrases that appear to be the key to success for this position. Are there any KRAs - Key Results Areas? Is there an importance weighting on any aspects of the role? Is there a word or character count limit?

Step 2.Once you have finished step 1 pull together all the terms you have highlighted and use them to create a statement about the main elements for success in the position. This will act as a cheat sheet for your responses to the Key Selection Criteria. Are you required to answer each criterion briefly or in-depth?

Step 3. Now you can start to attack the Key Selection Criteria. Highlight key words such as: Demonstrate; Experience, Knowledge of, capacity to acquire, qualifications, problem solving, team, leadership.

Step 4. To build your confidence select the criterion you consider the easiest, this could be one about qualifications and experience, perhaps. Devise a short piece that outlines your qualifications and years experience and state your qualifications in full. If your experience includes titles that are particularly relevant include them too. This is your outline response. If a more in-depth response is required include with an example of your experience.

Step 5. For every criterion you do the same as before. A simple way to help you create strong examples is to use C, A, R - circumstance, action, result or S, A, O - situation, action, outcome. For each criterion construct a story following one of these formulas. For example, if you are writing about customer service - the circumstance might be: There was a backlog in getting Christmas gift mailings out on time. The action would be: I researched using express post parcels - this was still within the budget and the parcels arrived on time, with happy customers. The result: Without this there would have been many returns and refunds due to late delivery. I have paraphrased the above and if I was answering such a criterion I would add more detail, but not too much.

Step 6. Once you have created a story for each criterion, re-read and edit each one, making them only as long as they need to be. You want to make every word count. Remember also to keep your answers in the first person, action oriented - by making use of verbs and positive.

Step 7. Have someone else check the answers. Another idea is to even get someone to read them out loud to you, or just say it out loud yourself. This is an excellent way to check for clumsy language and any errors.

So there you have it, 7 steps to answering key selection criteria that will keep you on track and should assist in your success, as long as you follow it.

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