What professional selection criteria writers is
Australia has a real industry of selection criteria and government application writers, many of them former panel members who know exactly what an APS or state government selection panel scores. For a senior role, a good one is worth what they charge.
Rates vary widely. Per criterion pricing commonly starts around A$85, and full government application packages frequently run from several hundred dollars to well over A$1,000 depending on the level. Quotes are per application, not per month.
Prices checked 25 August 2026. Vendors in this category change pricing often and several bill in four week cycles, so check before you rely on a figure here.
Side by side
| Feature | CVelo | professional selection criteria writers |
|---|---|---|
| Price | A$19 a month, unlimited applications on Pro | From about A$85 per criterion, often A$500 or more per application |
| Turnaround | Minutes | Days, sometimes longer at peak |
| Knows APS and state frameworks | Yes, built in | Yes, and often from inside a panel |
| Judgement on a senior or unusual application | No, it is a tool | Yes, and this is what you are paying for |
| Works from your real evidence | Yes, it asks you for it | Yes, usually through an interview with you |
| Useful for the next application too | Your evidence is saved and reused | You pay again |
| Interview preparation | Included | Usually a separate service |
Green marks where professional selection criteria writers is the better option. A comparison with none of those is an advertisement.
When to choose professional selection criteria writers
Pay a professional writer if the role is senior enough that the application decides a significant pay rise, if your career history is complicated in a way that needs judgement rather than structure, or if writing about yourself is something you genuinely cannot face. A good writer who has sat on panels brings something no tool has, and for an EL1 or director level application that can be the best money you spend.
When to choose CVelo
Use CVelo if you are applying for several roles, if the level does not justify several hundred dollars per application, or if you want to learn to write criteria responses yourself rather than outsource them every time. The cost difference is not marginal: one mid range quote from a writing service covers several years of CVelo, and your saved evidence makes each subsequent application faster.
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Check my CV freeCommon questions
Is it cheaper to use a tool?+
Substantially, for anything beyond a single application. A single professional selection criteria package often costs more than a year of CVelo, and the tool can be reused for every role you apply for.
Will a panel know I used AI?+
Panels increasingly ask, and several Australian government agencies now publish rules about disclosing AI assistance in applications. Check the specific agency's guidance and follow it. The safe approach either way is the same: every claim in your response has to be something you actually did and can talk about at interview.
Can I do both?+
Yes, and it is often the sensible order. Draft with CVelo, then pay a writer to review the one application that matters most, rather than paying for every draft from scratch.