How To Hire a Professional Selection Criteria Writer

If you have been applying for government jobs recently, then you probably already know how incredibly competitive the government recruitment process can be. To really stand out from the masses, to win government interviews, you have to give yourself every available edge possible. For those of you serious about securing a job in government, you should consider hiring a professional selection criteria writer.

But, how do you hire the best selection criteria writer? Not all selection criteria writers are equal in talent and experience. How do you make your choice? Below are a few guidelines to assist you with your decision.

Check their credentials

Anyone with a computer can put up a website, and start calling themselves a professional selection criteria writer. Unfortunately, there are many examples of unqualified people doing this and unknowing job seekers have been ‘burned’ by them.

Does the selection criteria writer you are thinking of hiring have a credible web presence? Do they belong to professional associations? Attend regular trainings and conferences? Have articles they have written or published books in the subject area? In short, not all selection criteria writers are equal, and those who are the experienced, respected experts in the field charge appropriately for their craft.

The fee range is pretty broad, but it would not be uncommon to pay somewhere in the $400-$1400 range to have selection criteria written for you. Generally, the complexity of your project will have an impact on the fee charged. Some charge more and some charge less, but if it is significantly less, you might want to ask yourself why that is. The really good writers tend to only schedule a few applications a week into their books, as selection criteria if written well, are very time intensive. Does the selection criteria writer really have the experience he or she claims to have? Be especially wary if you are only paying a fraction of the standard rate, as sometimes these projects are outsourced, or the ‘so called’ expert, is simply not writing to the standard required. Remember, this is your career and it is well worth the extra money to pay for the quality and experience of a true professional selection criteria writer.

Check References

There is a really valid and honest reason, why many selection criteria writers, don’t provide full references. Professional ethics and client confidentiality concerns prevent those of us who care about such things from providing the names of past clients. However, most professionals who are able to will post valid testimonials written by past clients, using just the clients’ initials, location, and job title or industry to help protect their clients’ identities. Be extremely wary of working with a professional selection criteria writer who is unable to provide you any references, or the testimonials and feedback sound fake.

Understand their guarantee

Since you will be competing against other applicants, including internal applicants, no selection criteria writer can honestly guarantee a job, or even interviews, as that process is completely out of their control. If they do guarantee an interview, be wary and read the fine print. Most of the good writers more realistically guarantee that you will be satisfied with the selection criteria written and that the application presents you in the best possible light. Whatever the guarantee, if any, be sure that you understand it.

Check terms and conditions

Check the selection criteria’s terms and conditions, and get a firm quote, that way, you can be sure that there is no misunderstanding about what is to be delivered and what the charges will be. Will you be given access to the computer files so that you can send your selection criteria electronically or make minor updates yourself, or adapt the selection criteria for other applications? Can the writer assist with future updates and what will be the cost? How does the writer gather information to write the selection criteria? What if corrections or changes are needed before you can use the selection criteria? What are the fees associated with all of this and what is the payment schedule? Make sure you know the answers to these questions before you hire a selection criteria writer.

Plan ahead

It is not a good idea to procrastinate! Don’t leave the application to the last minute. Remember, quality takes time and the truly good selection criteria writers are in demand and booked up in advance. (Warning: Unless the selection criteria writer has had a cancellation, then they won’t be able to turn over a last minute application. If they can, most likely they are inexperienced selection criteria writers building a new business, or turning out sub-standard documents). Give yourself time to research and select the best selection criteria writer for the job and then plan and notify the selection criteria writer, as soon as a government job gets published.