How to Address Selection Criteria

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 25, 2021 References

If you’re searching for jobs, you’ll notice that many job listings have what are called “selection criteria”: a series of skills and abilities that you should have in order to meet the job’s requirements. When you’re writing a cover letter to apply for a job, you’ll need to address each of these criteria specifically. Doing so will not only show the hiring manager that you’re a good fit for the job, but it will demonstrate that you are well-suited to fulfill the specific job requirements that the selection criteria ask for.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:
Analyzing Selection Criteria

1
Read the job advertisement closely to find the selection criteria. In many job postings, the selection criteria will be clearly labeled as such. You’ll see a bold heading with the words "Selection Criteria," and 4–5 bullet points written below outlining the criteria. In other ads where the selection criteria aren’t broken out, you’ll need to do a little digging to find them. As you read the job ad, ask yourself: what specific skills is the job going to require me to have?^{[1]
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- For example, an explicit selection criteria may read: “Applicants should be able to write clearly and expressively.”
- A more implicit criteria may say something like, “Writing skills are important in this position, and we’d like our ideal applicant to be able to express themselves clearly and succinctly.”
2
Note the specific wording used in the selection criteria. The way that a job ad words their selection criteria will give you a good idea of how you need to word and structure your responses. Read the keywords and verb phrases that the company uses to describe the selection criteria. Common phrases include: “demonstrated capacity,” “well-developed skills,” “knowledge of,” and “experience using.” Each phrase requires a slightly different approach.^{[2]
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- For example, if the company wants applicants with “knowledge of” social media, they’re only asking for a demonstration of your knowledge, not hands-on experience.
- But, if they request “experience using” social media, you’ll need to provide anecdotal descriptions of your professional social-media usage, not just your intellectual understanding.
3
Look at the employer’s website to see what employee traits they value. Perusing websites and social media accounts is a great way to see how a company presents its own employees. From that, you can learn what sorts of skills they’ll expect you to bring to the table. Think of this as an informal way to glean selection criteria.^{[3]
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- If, for example, their website makes a big deal out of celebrating employees who are “team players,” you’ll know that the company is looking for employees who work well with others and don’t mind serving on group projects and committees.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:
Structuring Each Response

1
Write your response to the selection criteria in a separate document. In nearly all instances, your written responses to the job’s selection criteria should be on their own document. In most cases, you’ll submit this document digitally to the hiring manager. If the application is online, you can copy/paste your answers into the given text field. Single-space the document with 1 inch (2.5 cm) margins, and don’t let it exceed 1 printed page.^{[4]
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- Read the job ad closely. Some jobs may ask that you discuss the selection criteria in your cover letter and do not include a separate criteria-focused document. Or, they may want you to address the selection criteria briefly in your cover letter and in more detail in a separate file.
2
Address each selection criterion directly in a single paragraph. You should write a short statement in response to each selection criterion that the job ad provides. Each statement should only be 60–120 words long. While it may be tempting to address all of the criteria in 1 long paragraph, the hiring manager will be looking for multiple, brief paragraphs. So, plan to write 4 or 5 of these, each addressing 1 criterion.^{[5]
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- Keep in mind that the paragraphs can be brief; they don’t need to exceed 8-10 sentences. It’s better to be concise and to the point than to seem long-winded.
3
Craft an opening sentence that addresses the selection criterion. Don’t be coy in the opening sentence of each of your criteria paragraphs. If the selection criteria asks for applicants that can “write clearly and expressively,” the opening sentence to the paragraph addressing that criterion should clearly describe the excellent writing skills that you’ll bring to the position.^{[6]
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- For example, you could write something like, “Over the course of my 10 years of work experience, I have developed strong written communication skills.”
- Or, say the selection criteria asks for a good “team player.” You could write, “I possess strong interpersonal communication skills and have managed over 40 projects during my career.”

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:
Developing Your Responses

1
Brainstorm professional anecdotes you can use to address the criteria. Before you begin writing your responses, take 30 minutes to brainstorm relevant workplace experiences in which you demonstrated excellence in 1 of the selection criteria. These anecdotes or descriptions of your experiences will help ground your selection-criteria statements. They’ll also show that you have reliable, genuine experience writing copy or managing projects, and not just abstract knowledge.^{[7]
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- For example, if the job ad states that they’re looking for someone with experience managing social-media accounts, you could mention how you successfully ran Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for a large car dealership.
- As a general rule, all of the professional experiences and anecdotes that you describe should come from the last 2–3 years.
2
Provide a detailed example that shows how you meet the criteria. Follow up your opening sentence with a professional example or anecdote that demonstrates that you have experience in the area that the criterion mentions. Take 4–5 sentences to describe the experience. If you can think of a number of experiences you’ve had that relate to the selection criteria, choose the 1 that you think sounds the most impressive or that was in a field closely related to the job you’re applying for.^{[8]
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- For example, say you used to work at a large marketing firm, and drafted copy for a number of high-profile ads. You could write something like, “In my position at ABC Co., I wrote copy for a dozen ads that were featured in nation-wide periodicals. As a result of my copy writing, sales increased by 10% over a 3-month window.
3
Describe how you responded and acted in the anecdote you provide. Focusing on your own professional responses to workplace challenges allows you to present yourself as an ideal job candidate who fully meets the selection criteria. It may be helpful to remember the acronym “CAR” when you’re fleshing out the descriptions of your professional qualifications.^{[9]
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- C: Context. Mention the context in which your actions took place
- A: Action. Describe the specific action you took (e.g., writing copy, initiating a new committee, or engaging in customer service)
- R: Results. Lay out the results of your actions and how it benefitted customers or your company.
4
State how your professional experiences make you a good candidate. Don’t leave the hiring manager guessing about how your experiences and anecdotes make you an ideal job candidate. In the last sentence of your paragraph, explicitly state how your skills and work experiences will allow you to excel in the position you’re applying for.^{[10]
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- Say something like, “My years of high-level copy-writing experience and noted professional successes will enable me to train junior copywriters and provide polished, engaging copy in this position.”
5
Ask a friend or co-worker to proofread your responses. It’s easy to introduce typos into a written document, and a second pair of eyes can catch syntax or wording errors that slipped past you while you were writing. If you’re having a co-worker edit your selection-criteria responses, once they’ve finished their proofread, ask them, “Would you hire me for this position?”^{[11]
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- If they say “no,” ask them what changes they’d recommend you make to make yourself seem like a better fit for the criteria.