While each Australian Public Service (APS) Department or Agency (and role within) has their own application guidelines, generally an APS application will take the form of some combination of the following:
- A cover letter
- CV or resume
- Selection criteria
- A statement of claims or ‘pitch’ describing how your skills, abilities and experience meet the job requirements
If you have been asked to provide a statement of claims, you will need to understand what is required.
What is a Statement of Claims?
These documents usually specify a word or page limit (often 1-2 pages, or 600 words, but could be more or less).
The application guidelines may ask you to provide something like this (note there are many versions of how this may be written):
- A statement of claims (maximum 2 pages) describing how your skills, knowledge, experience, and qualifications would make you suitable for this role, considering the selection criteria.
You may be asked to take the following into consideration when writing your response:
- The role description and duties
- The APS Integrated Leadership System
- Work Level Standards
- Key qualities, skills, experience
- Our ideal candidate
- Selection criteria
Your statement of claims should:
- Be clearly written
- Adhere to word counts or page limits
- Use clear examples in the STAR format
- Be specific to the job you are applying for
Why Does the APS Use Statements of Claims?
The APS employs statements of claims as part of its recruitment process for several crucial reasons.
- It aims to uphold principles of fairness and transparency by providing a standardised framework for assessing candidates against specific selection criteria. This ensures that all applicants are evaluated on an equitable basis, promoting equal opportunity.
- It encourages individuals to thoughtfully consider their skills, experiences, and achievements, and highlights what they can bring to the role.
Since many applicants tend to struggle with this task, mastering the art of creating a quality statement of claims presents a unique opportunity for candidates to stand out in a competitive job market, showcasing their abilities and setting themselves apart from the competition.
The STAR Method for Writing Your Statement of Claims
The STAR Method is a popular formula to help you write your application. It involves writing each example using this formula.
It stands for:
Situation: What role were you in?
Task: What did you need to do/ accomplish?
Action: What DID you do?
Result: What was the outcome of your actions?
Our 10-Step Process for Writing Your APS Statement of Claims:
Our tried-and-tested 10-step process provides a clear strategy for writing your own application:
- Research the job – review the position description and organisation (including values) and confirm you have the required qualifications and experience needed for the job.
- Review the selection criteria and application guidelines, including length and formatting guidelines. Highlight keywords.
- Download our FREE STAR document worksheet for use in Microsoft Word.
- Copy and paste each of the selection criteria into our STAR document.
- Use our STAR document to brainstorm your responses.
- Copy and paste your answers to each criterion into a new Word document. This will form the middle section of your statement of claims.
- Write a strong opening paragraph where you summarise what you can bring to the role.
- Write a strong closing paragraph, where you express your motivation for the role.
- Hone your responses, to meet length guidelines. Note you may not be able to use every example you developed in the STAR worksheet. Keep your BEST responses, that best highlight your suitability for the role you are applying for.
- Proof-read your statements, ensuring they are error-free and meet length and formatting guidelines.
Points to Remember:
- Be specific to what you did, personally.
- Use bullet points where necessary.
- You may not e able to use an example for every criterion, due to length constraints. Use your ‘best’ examples, that demonstrate your abilities for the role you are applying for.
APS Statement of Claims Example (APS3 Customer Service Officer)
Provide examples of relevant experience, qualities and skills that you will bring to the role (limit your total response to 600 words).
I have recently left my role with the (Agency), where I worked since 2012 as Customer Service Officer. In this role, I provided high levels of customer service during the implementation of the terms of native title claims and Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs), setting me apart as a candidate who can bring a wealth of expertise not just in customer service but also in my knowledge of Indigenous affairs.
In my role as Customer Service Officer, I liaised regularly with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Land Administration Team, executive assistants, land holders and native title holders and lawyers, providing accurate, relevant information in person, via phone and email. For example, a stakeholder requested an original Form 1 be sent to Brisbane from an archiving facility. I advised that I would be able to search the Geotrack database or Delegate’s records to provide the Form 1 from there, saving the expenses of retrieving the files from the facility and the cost of the courier and the time spent posting the document.
I have experience delivering presentations to large audiences and key stakeholders. I was recently involved in the Brisbane Strategic Planning workshop. I researched the local land councils and Torres Strait Regional Authority to learn about their priorities, and what new ways we could enhance our services to meet their operating needs and assist in resolving issues they may have e.g. Transfer of DOGITS, PBC disputes, new sea claims. This information was very well-received in the workshop, and enabled our team to identify several new ways to deliver service in our region. I received very positive feedback from Practice Leaders and the Practice Director regarding the material I prepared and my contribution to the workshop.
I have been able to demonstrate my ability to work in diverse teams. I was instrumental in a 2018 project which involved reviewing and fine-tuning a total of checklists used by our team. I managed a team of eight APS6 staff to complete this task. This involved reviewing individual checklists, ensuring these were compliant with the Native Title Act, ensure they were concise and effective. To do this task, I broke down the task into manageable sections, working on one checklist at a time. Initially there was some resistance in the team to this process, they felt that this process was cumbersome and did not understand its purpose. I listened to their feedback, and explained the reasons for the project, in terms of how it related to our daily work and outcomes. I ensured I related this back to the vision for our organisation. As a result, morale improved and the project was able to be progressed effectively.
I have been able to build and maintain my skills, undertaking professional development when required. Within my time at NNTT, the organisation underwent immense change. To successfully perform in my role as acting Practice Officer I needed to quickly understand and apply the new practices and procedures. I did this by engaging with members of the team and other sections to learn about and implement the changes, using the Tribunal’s resources (Practice Director’s emails, T2 and the Practice and Procedures library) to help assist in making correct decisions regarding the new practices. By educating myself about the changes that were taking place I was able to assist my team and other internal and external stakeholders as the new practices required.
I am passionate about making a meaningful impact to Indigenous communities and believe that my background and skills align perfectly with the responsibilities of this role.
We hope this APS Statement of Claims example helps you write your own application. If you need further assistance with your application, our expert selection criteria writers can help. Please get in touch for a quote.
