Answering key selection criteria is a challenging task, even for professional resume writers, like me. They are time bandits, challenging and need a lot of concentration to ensure the answer given does, in fact, make a strong and compelling answer that fits the question.

However with a little practice and preparation it does become easier and the rest of this article outlines 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 responded to for your application to be considered. Download any job descriptions and skim read everything, highlighting key words and phrases that appear to be the key to success for this role. 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 paragraph about the main requirements for success in the job. This will act as a guide 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 prepare the Key Selection Criteria. Highlight key words such as: Demonstrate; Experience, Knowledge of, capacity to acquire, qualifications, problem solving, team, leadership.

Step 4. To increase your confidence select the criterion you consider the easiest, this could be one about qualifications and experience, perhaps. Devise a brief statement 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 forms your outline response. If a more in-depth response is required include with an example of your experience.

Step 5. For all criterion you repeat as before. A great 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 create a story following one of these formulas. For example, if you are writing about problem solving - 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 outcome: Without this there would have been many returns and refunds due to late delivery. I have paraphrased the above and if I was responding to such a criterion I would add a little 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 using verbs and positive.

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

So now you have, 7 steps to answering key selection criteria that will keep you on track and should facilitate your success, as long as you do it.

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