Person Specifications

A Person Specification should give details of the skills and experience you expect from applicants for the post you are advertising. It should begin with a statement of the job title, group and or team within which the vacancy arises and the date the specification was prepared. The main section of the person specification should list the key criteria needed for the vacant post, specifying what would be essential and/or desirable for each.

List the key criteria for the vacant post under the appropriate key headings such as:

• qualifications and training

• work experience

• membership of professional bodies/associations

• skills and abilities

• technical skills

• job circumstances

Alongside each of the key criteria you should list which are 'essential' (that is, the minimum requirements you are looking for in any applicant). Be realistic and specific. You should also list any additional requirements that may be 'desirable' for an applicant to have.

For example, as an employer it may be essential for the applicant to have 'good interpersonal skills and communications'. Additionally it might be desirable for them to have 'supervisory experience'.