Today I’m going to show you exactly how to use the Star Method for Selection Criteria, including the essential star selection criteria.
In this comprehensive STAR Selection Criteria guide I’ll cover:
- General Star Method advice
- Star Method for Addressing Selection Criteria
- How to write a Star Method response
- Details of the courses available to you to learn everything you need to know to write your own selection criteria responses
For comprehensive support in using the STAR Selection Criteria model and all the most common selection requirements for government and public sector roles, check out my short online course ‘How To Write Selection Criteria’.
If you want qualified information on the Star Method for selection Criteria, you’ll love this guide. Let’s get started.
Time to do Better – Introducing AIMED for STAR Selection Criteria
Align with the role/organisation
Start by explaining how your example relates directly to the job or criterion. Why this example? Why does it matter here? Every word should move in one direction: toward the job you want. Address the selection criteria clearly, use keywords, and show how your experience fits their needs.
Individualised
No copy-paste jobs here. Every response is tailored to the role, the employer, and your unique experience. You’re not generic — so don’t write like you are.
Map to the Framework
Connects your example to the known government framework, excellent for higher-level applications where assessors compare against standards. Mirror/reflect what the role needs, language, behaviours, responsibilities. Build perception of fit and alignment with the role and the environment.
Evidence-based
Ground your claims in examples. Use examples that are concrete, recent, and relevant — ideally structured using SAO (Situation, Action, Outcome).
You see STAR is still relevant (again my preference is SAO but tomato/tomatoe) it’s just part of something bigger.
Differentiate yourself
What makes your approach, insight, or outcome unique? This final step shifts the focus back to you — helping you stand out and be remembered.
In my training course I say that sometimes the differentiating factor between two applicants in the final recruitment decision is the one who aligned themselves best to the role and the organisation and its goals.
That is what AIMED does.
Not discarding the STAR selection criteria method; building out around it.
- STAR method gives you structure; AIMED gives you strategy.
- STAR method gets you to think about how to layout a story; AIMED gets you to think about what story to tell, why and how to stand out.
The STAR model is still there to structure your story “I was at S doing T when something happened. To deal with this I did A and the outcome was R” this just makes your whole application resonate with the reader.
Review
- S/T/A/R gave you storytelling structure.
- AIMED sharpens it:
- Aligned
- Individualised
- Mirror
- Examples
- Differentiate
- STAR taught you to tell the story; AIMED helps your story hit the target.
AIMED – the evolved STAR method
I think it’s fair after 50+ years for a fresh set of eyes over the STAR method is due. Some consideration for the fact times, jobs, competitiveness, skills, employers and recruiting have all evolved.
AIMED helps you:
✔ Stay focused
✔ Avoid vague, wishy-washy content
✔ Show real impact
✔ Connect your experience to the job
✔ Stand out with confidence
Staying Focused versus Vague, wishy-washy content
When I was finishing school and university, I remember training about resumes and job applications. It was encouraged to talk about yourself, give a full picture of who you are. Include things like:
- You enjoy reading books
- You volunteer at the RSPCA
- Like walks on the beach
- Like hiking
- Whatever it is.
Can I say on behalf of all recruitment panels in 2026, if they are still teaching that – I don’t have time for it. Recently we had a temporary administrative assistant job for 12 months and 680 (yes, six hundred and eighty) people applied.
Were they all genuinely interested in it? I have no idea. Probably not. It makes no difference because we still need to shortlist from all 680 regardless of whether someone just chucked an application in to meet a mutual obligation responsibility. They don’t put that on their cover sheet, so we assume they’re interested.
If you’ve done my completing selection criteria course, you know I talk about the panel experience and making yourself easy to pick. When there are 680 people to choose from for one role, 0.1% of the applicants are getting the role. The odds are stacked against you, and I can guarantee the deciding factor in who gets the role is not going to be because someone said they like walks on the beach.
The only thing I want to be reading about is why you are the most suitable for the role, why are you the 0.1%!
