Contents of a Person Specification

A Person Specification describes the key skills, qualities, and qualifications required from a candidate to perform a job effectively.
It is a tool used by businesses during the recruitment and selection process, often accompanying a job advertisement.

Essential Traits

Essential traits in a job specification include the mandatory qualifications, skills, and knowledge a candidate must have.
This could include relevant work experience, academic or vocational qualifications, technical skills, or required understanding of specific subject areas.
These essential traits are typically determined by the business’s requirements for the role and the nature of the tasks that the employee will be carrying out.

Desirable Traits

The desirable traits section includes desired but not essential qualifications or skills which would benefit the job role.
These might include a certain level of hands-on experience, fluency in another language, or experience using a particular software.
A candidate possessing these traits may be preferred over others, and these traits can often be developed or trained after employment.

Personal Qualities

The personal qualities section outlines the person’s character traits needed for effective performance in the role.
These may include being a team player, good communication skills, the ability to work under pressure, creativity, or problem-solving skills.
These are often beneficial for the job role and can influence how well an individual fits into a team or work environment.

Physical Requirements

Some role specifications may state physical requirements such as the need for a clean driving license, physical fitness or proof of sight or hearing tests, depending on the nature of the job.
This is particularly common in roles that require manual labour, operate machinery, or involve travelling.

Understanding the contents of a person specification is important in the recruitment, selection, and employment process as it helps to match the right person to the right role, and provide a clear framework of expectations for both the business and the candidate.