Developing Selection Criteria - NSW Public Sector Capability ...

HR
Practitioners
Developing Selection Criteria
The public sector’s capacity to achieve its
business objectives depends on the capability of
the people who work for it, how well equipped
they are to perform their roles and their fit with
organisational culture.
The first challenge is to attract and select the
right staff.
This guide focuses on attracting and matching
the right person with the right skills to the right
job, by:
• setting selection criteria that reflect position
needs and labour market realities
• communicating effectively with potential
applicants through the advertisement and
information package, and
• making the recruitment process more
accessible for job applicants.
This critical first stage of the recruitment
process will, to a very large extent, shape the
final recruitment outcome.
What are selection criteria?
Selection criteria are benchmarks for selection, the
factors against which applicants are assessed to
determine their relative suitability for the position.
They comprise knowledge, skills, abilities and other
specific requirements such as specialised subject
expertise, qualifications, physical requirements
and licences needed to undertake the duties of the
position successfully.
Selection criteria are mandatory for recruitment to
NSW public sector jobs because they:
• make the selection process more transparent
• make the selection process more equitable to
people who are not familiar with the job being
advertised, taking the guesswork out of what to
focus on in the application
• provide a sound platform for the structured
interviews commonly used for selection
• make it easier for selection panels to shortlist and
rank applicants on merit, especially when there are
large numbers of applicants.
Selection criteria are developed from the position
description and are designed to reflect the needs
of the position. They should be expressed clearly,
concisely and in plain English to maximise the number
of suitable applicants.
Potential applicants must be advised of the criteria
against which they will be assessed. This information
may be presented in different ways in the job
advertisement.
March 2011 1

Vacant position = opportunity
Recruitment in the NSW public sector is positionbased
to provide a transparent basis for merit
recruitment.
Positions are linked to organisational objectives and
described in terms of outcomes/accountabilities,
capabilities or knowledge, skills and abilities, and
other requirements needed to perform effectively in
the role. Values and behaviours expected of public
sector employees are integrated into the capabilities.
Roles within an organisation are dynamic: they change
and evolve in response to changes in the organisation
and the operating environment, legislation, policy or
technology.
A vacant position, whether it is the result of the
incumbent winning another position, retirement,
resignation or a newly established position, presents
an opportunity to review the position from a broader
workforce planning perspective. This involves
reviewing current and future work needs and
considering such questions as:
• how does the work fit within the agency’s corporate
plan?
• is the work essential to the operation of the work
area and/or the agency?
• could the work be dispersed to other positions or
discontinued?
• what would be the best way to structure the work?
• what would be the best way to deliver it?
• if the work needs are changing, what action is
needed to address the changes?
• is this the right time to recruit?
• what is the best employment option?
The decision to recruit should be a trigger for updating
the position description if necessary.
This process may be controlled centrally in agencies
that use common position descriptions and selection
criteria for positions located throughout the
organisation or the state.
For positions managed on a unit basis it is important
for the manager and/or person responsible for
developing the selection criteria and advertisement
to look afresh at the job and not to be bound by
outdated position descriptions, the selection criteria
used previously, old advertisements or the particular
strengths or experience of the person most recently
occupying the position.
Useful reference material
• A range of employment options are described in Chapter 2 of the Personnel Handbook at
www.dpc.nsw.gov.au
• Guidelines, templates and tools are available on the NSW Public Sector Capabilities Website,
www.pscapabilities.nsw.gov.au to assist in updating the position description if required. These include:
– Job Design & Description Guidelines
– Position Description Template and Guide
– Job Design Worksheet
– Online Position Description Builder
– NSW Public Sector Capability Framework
• Developing Selection Criteria for Managers
– a slightly shortened version of the HR Practitioners guide.
March 2011 2

Understanding the job
Recruitment represents a significant investment by
the agency, not just in terms of the time, effort and
other costs associated with the recruitment process
but in the larger, ongoing costs of employing and
managing the person appointed. Recruiting the right
person adds value to the agency. Recruiting the
wrong person can have major adverse impacts on the
position and the team.
Tailoring the job advertisement and selection process
to reflect the job needs will achieve the best fit
between the recruitment action and the position.
A clear understanding of the job assists:
• the manager or selection convenor to set the
selection criteria, write the job advertisement,
develop interview questions, and assess the best
applicant for the job
• potential job applicants to decide if they should
apply for the job and to prepare for selection
processes.
General principles for setting
selection criteria
The pool of applicants attracted by the advertisement
will be determined to a large extent by the selection
criteria. It is crucial that the criteria accurately reflect
the requirements of the position and that they are able
to attract a sufficiently wide pool of applicants.
When setting selection criteria:
• focus on the key requirements of the job, although
organisational and strategic considerations may
also be taken into account
• capture the critical aspects of the job in no more
than eight criteria, and preferably in just four to
six criteria. A larger number of selection criteria
deters applicants and makes the assessment
process more complex
• give careful consideration to how specific or how
broad the selection criteria should be
• include only one requirement per criterion: not
multiple concepts or requirements
• explain the level of capability or type of experience
that is required
• use language that would be understood by people
from the industry targeted
• avoid public sector terminology, acronyms, jargon
or agency specific terms
• use precise language to describe what is required
by the job, rather than vague terms such as ’high
level’, ’exceptional’ etc
• only include criteria that are key to undertaking
the accountabilities of the position, not ’highly
regarded’, ‘preferred’ or ‘desirable’ criteria
• be clear and succinct
• include qualifications only if they are an essential
requirement of the job, to ensure that applicants
are not unnecessarily excluded
Factors to consider in setting
selection criteria
1. How broad or specific should the selection
criteria be?
Applicants usually decide to apply for the job on
the basis of the criteria. Broad criteria generally
attract a wider pool of applicants, but criteria
that are too broad make it difficult to distinguish
applicants who best fit the job.
2. What is the labour market like for this type of
position?
If there is a large employment pool of suitably
qualified applicants the selection criteria can
be very specific and demanding. If potential
applicants are scarce, the criteria may need to be
broader or even pitched at a lower level, which
means training may be required.
3. Location?
Jobs in some locations are highly sought after,
while others are hard to fill, regardless of how
many suitable people are in the labour market.
Better work conditions, incentives or alternative
ways of meeting job requirements may need to be
considered for jobs in some locations.
4. Are there specific organisational needs to
be met?
The selection criteria should be focused on the job
but specific organisational needs may need to be
considered. For example, a position description
may include several skills, knowledge and
experience requirements, one of which is a skills
gap for the team. This requirement could be a
strong focus when setting the selection criteria.
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5. What are the immediate and longer term needs
of the position?
If this is a short term position, with limited work
and funding, it makes sense to recruit for the skills
needed immediately. Broader criteria may be
appropriate if the position is permanent or likely to
change or if the appointee has prospects of moving
on to other roles in the organisation in the longer
term.
6. What qualifications and other requirements
should be included as criteria?
Mandatory requirements
Many positions have mandatory requirements, for
example:
• physical requirements such as height, vision,
hearing or fitness standards for police officers,
fire brigade personnel etc
• registration, certification,licensing, tertiary
qualifications or professional memberships e.g.
clinicians, auditors, solicitors, welders
• drivers licences
• ability/willingness to travel
These may be specified in various forms including
legislation, industrial awards, Department of
Premier and Cabinet Circulars or in the position
description. Such requirements should be
assessed for direct or indirect discrimination
before they are included as selection criteria.
Where possible, alternatives to tertiary
qualifications should be considered as evidence of
competence, for example work experience or work
samples.
Identified and targeted positions
For identified and targeted positions, include that
the candidate must be a member of an identified
disadvantaged group as a selection criterion.
Note that an exemption from the Anti-
Discrimination Act 1977 may be needed for
targeted positions where they have not been
identified as a strategy in the agency EEO
Management Plan.
Subject/technical knowledge and experience
The capabilities described in the NSW Public
Sector Capability Framework capture underlying
skills, knowledge and abilities that are either
integral to all jobs in the sector or that are required
in many public service positions. However, the
capabilities are broad and many positions also
have specific subject/technical knowledge and
experience requirements, such as accounts work,
asset management, media skills or aged care.
The relevant capabilities and/or specific
knowledge/experience requirements may be
included as selection criteria.
Years of experience
It is preferable not to be too rigid in prescribing
years of experience. Practical application of skills
is important for developing skill levels, but there
is a point beyond which more experience does not
necessarily add significantly to performance.
As with all stated requirements, qualifications
must be strictly job related.
March 2011 4

Writing the selection criteriaStep
Step 1 Use the selection criteria worksheet to
identify and prioritise selection criteria
• Selection Criteria Worksheet
• Selection Criteria Worksheet – Tips
Step 2 Consolidate
1) Start a new list with the selection criteria
2) Rationalise the list, especially if there are more
than 8 criteria.
Check if:
• the criteria are duplicated
• the criteria are too narrow e.g. ability to write
reports rather than the broader capability of
communication
• the criteria may be ranked in order of
importance
Step 3 Write the selection criteria
Draft the criteria for advertisement, following the
General principles for setting selection criteria on
page 3 of this guide. Then check your draft using the
Selection Criteria Quality Checklist.
If the information package includes a position
description that uses the public sector capabilities and
levels you should add the following statement in the
advertisement:
Please note that the selection process only
requires you to respond to the selection criteria
above, not to the full range of capabilities listed
in the position description.
Using public sector capabilities in
developing selection criteria
The NSW Public Sector Capability Framework
(PSCF) is a useful resource for a range of workforce
management activities, including recruitment, it:
• allows for more precise description of
capabilities and capability levels than traditional
generalisations like ’high level’ or ’excellent’
• supports a behavioural approach in selection
criteria and interview questions which taps into
the applicants’ abilities, actual experience and
attitudes.
Capabilities and capability levels drawn from the
PSCF will progressively replace descriptions of
’key skills, knowledge and experience’ in position
descriptions. The capabilities describe broad generic
skills, knowledge and abilities that are commonly
required across the public sector. They do not cover all
capabilities, nor replace all selection criteria, as some
jobs may require specialised content knowledge, skills
and experience.
When formulating selection criteria you need to
consider the whole of the position description: the
‘key outcomes/accountabilities’ and ‘key challenges’
as well as the ‘capabilities’. In some cases, broad
capabilities will be enough to select the person you
need for the job; in others you will need to be more
specific in your selection criteria.
Capability levels should NOT be quoted in selection
criteria or job advertisements.
Giving candidates several pages of behavioural
indicators or a link to the Capability Framework with
instructions to interpret and apply this information
when preparing a job application is likely to:
• overwhelm candidates, particularly those who are
not knowledge-workers
• perpetuate the impression that applying for public
sector jobs is very complex
• discourage potential candidates from applying for
the job
Ways that the capabilities may be used in selection
criteria
1. Quoting directly from the NSW Public Sector
Capability Framework, with minor editing to
sharpen the text. The quote could be a title, all or
part of a capability description or a behavioural
indicator.
2. Modifying a capability or behavioural indicator to
focus on the specific requirements of the position.
3. Writing your own selection criteria, using the
appropriate capability and behavioural indicators
as a model so that the language and level are right
for the position.
4. Combining related capabilities. This means putting
like with like, not putting two unrelated capabilities
into a single criterion.
March 2011 5

EXAMPLE 1
Position Title
Key Outcome / Accountability
Capability
Customer Service Officer, Accommodation
Respond to customer service enquiries via email, phone and face-toface,
assessing client needs, providing information and resolving service
problems to achieve customer satisfaction.
Customer focused: Keeps the customer (internal or external) as the focal
point of all activity; strives to address customer needs and concerns.
Helps customers (and business partners) to achieve their goals through
the application of own skills, behaviours and knowledge.
Element & level Demonstrates service orientation Level 2
Relevant behavioural indicators
Selection criteria
Direct quote with minor editing
Modify to focus on specific
requirement
Write your own
Combining related capabilities/
indicators (Customer focused Level
2, Solves Problems Level2)
• Interprets customer needs in providing quality
customer service
• Focuses on customer satisfaction
The successful applicant will be….
Customer focused. You strive to address customer needs and concerns.
Focused on providing quality customer service to address customer
accommodation needs and concerns.
Committed to good customer service and able to understand and satisfy
customer needs.
Able to understand customer service needs and resolve day-to-day
problems.
EXAMPLE 2
Position Title
Key Outcome / Accountability
Capability
Senior Performance Analyst
Mine operational and financial data to identify blockages in organisational
performance, analyse the causes and develop solutions.
Analytical thinking and problem solving: Identifies and analyses situations
and/or issues, considers options, develops solutions, and decides on,
implements and monitors appropriate solutions.
Element & level Undertakes analysis Level 4
Relevant behavioural indicators
Selection criteria
Direct quote with minor editing
Modify to focus on specific
requirement
Write your own
Combining related capabilities/
indicators (Undertakes analysis
Level 4, Influences and negotiates
Level 2)
Applies sophisticated information and data analysis techniques
Identifies likely causes and consequences
The successful applicant will demonstrate the ability to:
Apply sophisticated information and data analysis techniques
Apply sophisticated information and data analysis techniques to identify
performance blockages
Mine organisational data using sophisticated information and data
analysis techniques
Use sophisticated analysis and convincing presentation of information to
influence management action.
March 2011 6

EXAMPLE 3
Position Title
Key Outcome / Accountability
Capability
Element & level
Relevant behavioural indicators
Selection criteria
Direct quote with minor editing
Modify to focus on specific
requirement
Write your own
Combining related capabilities/
indicators (including information
from: Understands business basics,
Level 6)
Manager, Corporate Communications
Lead the planning, development, design and other work required to
develop and maintain the organisation’s unique brand through marketing
material, signage, presentation, web and other work.
Commercial Acumen: Builds and maintains a wide knowledge and
understanding of the business environment and applies commercial
expertise including concepts, processes and strategies to achieve
business objectives.
Applies commercial and general financial and economic knowledge at
Level 6
Understands and applies strategies and techniques to differentiate and/or
promote the services of the organisation
The successful applicant will demonstrate the ability to:
Understand and apply strategies and techniques to promote the services
of the organisation
Understand and apply marketing strategies and techniques to promote the
organisation’s brand and identity
Lead innovative marketing management including brand development,
direct marketing and e-commerce media campaigns
Identify key business success drivers to determine effective marketing
strategies and techniques to promote the organisation’s brand and identity
EXAMPLE 4
Position Title
Key Outcome / Accountability
Capability
Registered Nurse
Communicates sensitively with patients / clients using interpersonal skills
to identify their needs and advocate on behalf of patients/clients and their
families as and when required.
Client Engagement: Identifies and anticipates the needs of clients,
delivers services that meet and exceed client expectations and commits
to continuous improvements in planning, process and services.
Element Demonstrates professional empathy at Level 2
Relevant behavioural indicators
Selection criteria
Direct quote with minor editing
Modify to focus on specific
requirement
Write your own
Combining related capabilities/
indicators (Demonstrates service
orientation level 2, Demonstrates
professional empathy level 2)
Applies appropriate sensitivity and interpersonal skill to manage
interactions and effectively advocate for client outcomes.
The successful applicant will...
Use appropriate sensitivity and interpersonal skill to manage interactions
and effectively advocate for client / patient outcomes
Use appropriate sensitivity and interpersonal skill to manage interactions and
effectively advocate to achieve individual clinical outcomes for clients/patients,
Communicate sensitively to identify needs and advocate for patients/
clients to achieve individual clinical outcomes.
Build trust with clients/patients by being honest and apply appropriate
sensitivity and interpersonal skills to manage interactions and effectively
advocate for client/patient outcomes
March 2011 7

Deciding what selection methods
to use
Selection methods and selection criteria are interrelated.
Selection methods are the tools and techniques used
to measure a candidate’s performance against the
selection criteria.
Selection panels are encouraged to consider a range
of methods for assessing and selecting the most
meritorious applicant. Different selection methods
work better for different kinds of work. Combining
a number of different methods may increase the
predictive validity of the selection.
The selection method chosen will depend on the
selection criteria. There is no point in setting a
selection criterion that cannot be assessed effectively.
Job applications
It has been standard practice for many years in NSW
public sector agencies to ask applicants to submit
a written statement addressing each of the listed
selection criteria with their application. There is no
legislative or policy requirement to do so. Rather, this
practice may pose a barrier to effective recruitment.
Agencies are encouraged to
• invite applicants to address the selection criteria
either by submitting a written statement of claim
addressing each criterion, or by providing sufficient
detail in their covering letter and resumé to show
how they meet the criteria
• set limits on applicant responses (e.g. a 300 word
limit for responses to individual selection criteria if
an applicant chooses to make a statement of claim,
a one page covering letter and a three page limit
for resumés)
e-Recruitment pre-screening questions
A pre-screening question function is available in
the e-Recruitment system. This function allows
questions to be asked and answered online as part of
the application process, resulting in a more efficient
recruitment process. Pre-screening questions can:
• be used to filter mandatory and other yes/no
responses, rather than having the applicant
include the response in the cover letter or claim for
the position.
• be used for multiple-choice type responses
For example, the question could list a number of
software applications with a range of skill levels,
and ask the applicant to identify their skill level for
each application.
• ask for a narrative text response.
For example, asking an applicant to provide further
explanation or examples of their skills or experience
against a specific selection criterion.
While text or narrative responses cannot be scored
by the e-Recruitment system it can help the hiring
manager to draw the information from the applicant,
without the need for a lengthy statement.
The system may assist selection panels to shortlist
applications by automatically sorting applications on
the basis of the pre-screening questions. Selection
panels must still verify that applications have been
sorted correctly.
Contact the e-recruitment consultant in your agency
for further information on the pre-screening capabilities
of the NSW public sector e-Recruitment system.
Advising applicants
Potential applicants should be clearly informed about the:
• selection criteria against which their application
will be assessed
These should be clearly stated in the advertisement.
• way in which they are to address the selection
criteria in their job application
For example, if they:
– can address the selection criteria in their
covering letter or in a resumé
– need to submit a written statement addressing
each criterion separately
– are required to apply for the job online
– have to attach the information in a separate
document
These instructions may be presented in different
ways, such as in the job advertisement or in the job
information package.
Copyright © 2011 Department of Premier and Cabinet
The Department has no objection to this document being copied, in whole or in part, provided there is due acknowledgement of any material quoted from it.
Public Sector Workforce | Department of Premier and Cabinet
T: (02) 9228 4444 | F: (02) 9228 3522 | E: workforceplanning@dpc.nsw.gov.au | W: www.pscapabilities.nsw.gov.au
March 2011 8