Nomination Guidelines

Get tips on how to write your nomination and explore the Employability Excellence Awards terms and conditions.

If you have any questions, please refer to the FAQs or contact the Careers and Employability team at careers-events@newcastle.edu.au.

Nomination writing tips Terms and conditions

Nomination writing tips

Start with who, why and how

Begin your nomination with a clear summary of who you are nominating, why they deserve recognition, and how they have made an impact.

Use personal examples

Illustrate your points with specific, real-world examples. This helps bring the nominee’s achievements to life and makes your nomination more memorable.

Plan, organise and structure your response using the STAR method

Effective nominations are well-organised and clearly aligned with the award’s selection criteria. Before writing, take time to plan your key points and group related ideas.

A helpful way to do this is by using the STAR method to structure your examples:

  • Situation – Describe the context or challenge.
  • Task – Explain the goal or responsibility.
  • Action – Outline what the nominee did.
  • Result – Share the outcome or impact.

This approach ensures your responses are focused, evidence-based, and easy for the selection panel to assess.

Avoid hyperbole

Steer clear of vague or exaggerated terms like “world-class” or “superstar.” Focus on facts and measurable impact.

Keep your audience in mind

Nominations are reviewed by moderators with expertise in the award category. Final decisions are made by a selection panel of senior staff and an industry representative.

Terms and conditions

Nominations
  • To be eligible, a nominator must be one of the following: a business, industry, or community partner; a University of Newcastle staff member; a current student; or a recent graduate who completed their studies in 2025.
  • An individual or organisation may nominate themselves.
  • Individuals or organisations can be nominated for more than one award category.
  • Nominees may request to be removed from the nomination process at any stage.
  • If additional information is required, the nominator may be contacted.
  • The University may disclose the identity of the nominator to the nominee.
  • Previous award recipients are not eligible to be nominated again in the same award category. However, they can be nominated in another category.
  • Unsuccessful nominees may be nominated again in subsequent years.
  • Finalists and recipients may have their profiles (including names, images, and biographies) published in any media format associated with the Awards or the University of Newcastle.
Selection
  • The Careers and Employability team will collate and provide all nominations to the moderators. Nominations will be shortlisted by moderators for each category. Recommendations will then be passed to the selection committee for final decision making and/or endorsement for each category.
  • Award moderators will be senior staff members with expertise relating to the award category.
  • The selection committee will consist of senior staff members and industry representation.
  • All decisions made by the selection committee are final. No correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcome.
  • The University reserves the right to withhold any award or decide not to make an award in any category, at its discretion.
  • No member of the selection committee may be nominated for an award or be a referee for a nominee.
  • Awards will not be granted posthumously, unless an exception is made by the University.
Awards presentation
  • Recipients will be advised in writing and invited to participate in the creation of multimedia celebrating their success.
  • Award recipients will receive a commemorative plaque and a multimedia profile showcasing their achievements at the Employability Excellence Awards celebration event on Tuesday 25 November 2025.
  • Award recipients will be announced publicly on Wednesday 26 November 2025.