WA public-sector applications: read the instructions before you write

The most useful application advice is sometimes the least glamorous: read the instructions, confirm your eligibility, provide what was requested and check the submission before the deadline.

Updated WA Government guidance published in March 2026 brings those fundamentals together with two issues applicants often overlook—reasonable adjustments and the careful use of AI tools.

The guidance is aimed at public-sector program applicants, but its core lessons are useful across many WA Government recruitment processes. The specific advertisement and Job Description Form remain the authority for each vacancy.

Start with eligibility and submission requirements

Before drafting, confirm the conditions that determine whether you can be considered. These may include qualifications, professional registration, education timing, citizenship, residency or working rights.

Then identify exactly what the application requires. Depending on the vacancy, this may include:

• an online application form;
• a resume or curriculum vitae;
• a cover letter;
• a written response to selection criteria or job-related requirements;
• work samples or qualification evidence;
• referee details; and
• answers to targeted questions.

Do not assume the document set will be the same as your last WA Government application. Agency and role requirements vary.

Read the advertisement and Job Description Form together

The advertisement tells you how and when to apply. The Job Description Form usually provides the duties, context and job-related requirements used to assess suitability.

The WA Department of Justice explains that job-related requirements may also be called selection criteria. Its guidance tells applicants to read the advertisement carefully and obtain the Job Description Form before preparing the application.

Build a short checklist:

• mandatory conditions;
• documents and file limits;
• criteria or requirements to address;
• duties that reveal the role’s immediate priorities;
• closing date, time and time zone; and
• contact details for genuine questions.

This step prevents a well-written but non-compliant submission.

Use real examples for selection criteria

Current WA Government guidance encourages applicants to use examples from work, study, volunteering, group projects or other relevant experience. An example does not need to be dramatic. It needs to show how you think, act and learn in a situation relevant to the role.

For each priority criterion, explain:

• the situation or task;
• what was expected of you;
• the action you personally took;
• the outcome; and
• what you learned where relevant.

The panel needs to assess your work-related qualities and capacity to perform the role. A list of duties or a claim that you are a strong communicator leaves that assessment unfinished.

Choose examples proportionate to the vacancy. An early-career applicant may draw on study, customer service, volunteering or a group project. An experienced applicant should usually show more recent evidence with suitable complexity, judgement and impact.

Make the resume support the written response

The resume should establish your employment history, education, relevant skills and achievements. It should also make the examples in the written application easy to place.

The Department of Justice recommends presenting work history from the most recent role and including relevant education, training and referee details. It also notes that the advertisement determines what must be included.

Tailoring does not mean inventing a different career for each vacancy. It means giving appropriate space and language to the experience most relevant to the job-related requirements.

Use AI as a drafting aid, not a substitute for evidence

The 2026 WA Government tips acknowledge that some candidates use AI tools to structure ideas or get started. The guidance is equally clear that the final application should remain the applicant’s own work, words, experience and motivation.

That is practical advice for any public-sector applicant. AI can help organise notes, test clarity or identify repetition. It cannot supply a genuine example, decide what you personally did or safely infer details that are missing.

Before submitting AI-assisted material, check every claim:

• Is it factually true?
• Does it describe my contribution accurately?
• Could I explain it naturally in an interview?
• Would my referee recognise the example?
• Does it use language I understand and would normally use?

Generic fluency is not evidence. Accuracy and authenticity matter more than polish.

Ask for reasonable adjustments when needed

WA Government guidance encourages candidates to request reasonable adjustments for access requirements during recruitment. Examples may relate to interviews, assessments or the format of the process.

A request for an adjustment is part of an inclusive recruitment process. Follow the instructions in the advertisement or contact the nominated person to discuss what will enable equitable participation.

Complete a final submission review

Before selecting submit, confirm:

• every requested document is attached in an accepted format;
• responses address the actual criteria and remain within limits;
• contact details and referee information are current;
• claims, dates and titles agree across documents;
• spelling, grammar and filenames are professional; and
• the application has been uploaded before the closing time.

Where possible, ask a trusted person to read the application. A reviewer should be able to identify the role you are targeting, the evidence supporting your fit and any sentence that is unclear or unsupported.

The takeaway

Strong WA public-sector applications begin with compliance and become competitive through evidence. Confirm eligibility, read the advertisement and Job Description Form, use real examples, keep AI-assisted content authentic and review the complete submission before the deadline.

The process is not about producing the most elaborate document. It is about giving the panel accurate, relevant information it can assess against the vacancy.

Guidance note: recruitment requirements vary across WA Government agencies and roles. Always follow the current advertisement, Job Description Form and agency instructions for the vacancy you are applying for.