Guide · updated November 2026

The STAR method for selection criteria

STAR turns a claim ("I'm a strong communicator") into evidence. The APSC recommends it as a way to plan each example before writing it in full.

SSituation — set the scene in one sentence
TTask — your responsibility or goal
AAction — what you did, step by step, starting with verbs
RResult — what changed: numbers, feedback, recognition

Worked example (fictional)

As an administration officer supporting a busy regional office, I inherited a backlog of about 120 unprocessed requests with no tracking system. I needed to clear it while keeping up with new work. I set up a shared tracker with due dates and status, triaged the backlog by urgency, and blocked out two hours each morning for the oldest items. Within five weeks the backlog was cleared, and the tracker is still used to report weekly turnaround times to the manager.

Rules of thumb

  • Spend about 60% of the words on Action.
  • Start actions with verbs: wrote, set up, negotiated, trained, analysed.
  • End with a Result — ideally a number.
  • Use "I", not "we".
  • Pick examples that match the job ad's words.
WeakI am a team player who works well with others and always helps out.
StrongWhen two senior staff were on leave, I wrote a one-page guide to our five most common issues and ran two short sessions, helping a team of six clear peak workload on schedule.

Turn your examples into STAR paragraphs

Fill in S, T, A and R for each example — PitchReady assembles the paragraphs and checks length and coverage.

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Common questions

What does STAR stand for?

Situation, Task, Action, Result. The APSC describes it as one way of presenting information against selection criteria.

How long should a STAR example be?

In a 1,000-word pitch, around 200–250 words per example leaves room for an opening and close. Spend most of the words on your actions and results.

Source: APSC — Applying for an APS job: cracking the code.