HOW TO PREPARE A
GREAT APPLICATION:
STAR TECHNIQUE
(SELECTION CRITERIA & INTERVIEW)
Core Competency 3

Learning outcomes…
• Enhanced ability to unpack a job ad to identify key
information
• Increased understanding of the STAR approach to
addressing selection criteria
• Opportunity to practice using STAR for an interview or
application
2

01 An over of today’s session….
02
PRESENTATION - EMPLOYER 1 – Benjamin Luton –
Experience of recruitment processes and how to
effectively use the STAR technique in interview
03
The Application Process
How to read job ads
What are Selection Criteria’s
04
STUDENT ACTIVITY 1 – What skills are you gaining
from TechLauncher
STUDENT ACTIVITY 2 – How to approach a question
or selection criteria by using the STAR technique
05
Types of Interviews
Any Questions?

Application process
Phases
Phase 1: Exploration &
Definition
Phase 2: Written Application Phase 3: Interview
Aim:
 Full picture
 Relate your examples
to the job – be relevant
 Get to the interview  Get the job
Strategies &
Tools:
 Informational
interviewing
 Dissect job ad
 Map out your skills
 Strategic observation
 Mind map
 Write everything down,
then prioritise
 STAR
 Proofread
 As for written application
 Manage nerves
 Practise, esp. your
“about me” & “why this
job”
 Prepare questions to ask
the panel
4

How to read job ads…
✅ Know my skills, interests,
values
✅ Know where the jobs I’m
interested in are advertised
✅ Know where else to look
✅ Have found a great job! 
Now what?
Research the job/organisation….
5
What is the organisations role?
Can you identify the organisations
values, mission?
Who are the organisation’s
customers/consumers?
What are the key duties of the
role?
What skills are they highlighting?
What do you think the day to day
duties look like?
Think about your experiences and how they could relate.

6
How to read a job ad
Duties & responsibilities
 Ensure they match your skills
and interests
The organisation
 Ensure they match your
values as well as interests

7
Selection criteria
 Collect strong evidence for
why your experience shows
you can do the job
 Transferable skills as well as
directly relatable skills

What are Selection Criteria?
Selection criteria are essential or desirable attributes
needed to successfully undertake the duties of a
position  a description of the ideal person for that
position
Written as statements which must all be individually
addressed
8

Examples of Selection Criteria
questions
● demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively
● good organisational and administrative skills
● proven ability to work as part of a team
● well-developed customer service skills
● proven ability to manage projects
9
Provide relevant examples from your work, study or community roles. Be clear
and to the point. If a word or page limit is set, make sure you stick to it, and edit
your responses for grammar, spelling and punctuation.

Whole Group Activity
What skills and learnings are you
gaining from working in your
TechLauncher group.
As a group lets list the skills…..
10
Activity 1:
Identifying skills
gained from
TechLauncher.
TechLauncher
Skills gained are:

11

Group Activity: Example STAR response
Using the STAR method, we’ve come up with an example of how you might plan and set out your
evidence.
– Situation: role as Research Support Officer at XYZ Bank.
– Task: needed to ensure that managers were kept informed of policies and procedures.
– Action or approach: initiated monthly newsletter, which was emailed to each manager. Took responsibility for writing
the main articles. This involved obtaining ideas and input from other stakeholders to ensure that the articles reflected
managers’ needs in terms of content and language.
– Result: led to improved lines of communication between managers and the Research Support Unit. Feedback was
consistently excellent. Received divisional achievement award for newsletter quality.
12 DD MMM YY

How could you use your experience to articulate a star using the
skills…..
In small groups we are going to put together dot points against a
selection criteria using the STAR approach.
Skills that are gained from TechLauncher are:
Team Work
Communication
Project Management
Technical skills
Customer Service
Managing stakeholder engagement
13 DD MMM YY
Activity 2

General / motivation
» Often icebreaker questions – “tell us about yourself” or “why did you apply for this role”
Behavioural
» “Tell us about a time when …”
» Be specific in your response – STAR
» Choose your examples well – relevant to the role and level
Hypothetical
» “What would you do if…” question – these are scenarios
» 5 steps: identify/analyse the problem, formulate a plan, implement the plan (showing
awareness of potential issues), monitor, evaluate/learn.
Theoretical / technical
» tests your skills – “can you do the job?”
ANU CAREERS | SKILL BUILDER SERIES: INTERVIEWS
14
Types of
interview
questions

General / motivation
» Set the scene, warm-up, but also “do you really want to do this job?”
» Your chance for your 2-min pitch
Behavioural
» Based on the idea that past behaviour can predict future behaviour
» Often linked directly to the selection criteria
Hypothetical
» “Often tests your ability to think on the spot / under stress as well as your logical and
analytical thinking capability
» Chance for you to show your lateral thinking and your ideas
Theoretical / technical
» Assess the level and depth of your knowledge
ANU CAREERS | SKILL BUILDER SERIES: INTERVIEWS
15
What’s
behind the
questions?

Assessing if an employer is a good fit
What is the main purpose of the organisation?
How is the organisation speaking about itself?
Who are its clients / customers?
What does the organisation see as critical to its success?
Does all of this speak to you? How?
Where are the gaps? Are you OK with that? Why?
Remember an interview is a two-way conversation –
observe and ask questions so you can make the best
decision you can.
ANU CAREERS | SKILL BUILDER SERIES: INTERVIEWS
16
Are You the
One?

17

THANK YOU
Contact Us
ANU Careers
T 6125 3593
E careers@anu.edu.au
W careers.anu.edu.au