how does a person specification differ from a job description?

Question

for job recruitment and selection

Answer 1

Recruiting and interviewing

Writing a person specification and job description

Vacancies can't be filled successfully unless the job has been accurately defined in the first place. This is as helpful for you, the employer, as it is for potential candidates. Think about what skills, knowledge and experience you are looking for.


Writing a job description

Preparing a job description is not a legal requirement but it can be useful for deciding the scope of the work, advertising the job, and clarifying what applicants will have to do in the job. It can also help to assess a new recruit's performance and determine training needs.

A job description should include:

the job title
the position in the company, including the job title of the person to whom the employee will report and of those who will report to them, if any
the location of the job
a summary of the general nature and objectives of the job
a list of the main duties or tasks of the employee

The person specification

A person specification is not a legal requirement but will be useful when writing a job advertisment and defining the qualities you are looking for in a candidate. Include the knowledge, experience and skills you would like them to have, separating those which are essential for the job from those which are desirable. It's essential not to discriminate - see our guide on how to prevent discrimination and value diversity.

Managers
If you are recruiting a manager, you should identify what level of responsibility they will hold and draft the job description to reflect that.

The recruitment process should be structured to help you identify the candidate most able to do a job at this level, eg whether they demonstrate leadership and strategic thinking.

Directors (executive and non-executive)
The first directors are appointed when the company is registered. Subsequent directors should be recruited using a transparent and merit-based approach.

Make sure you select a director on the basis of merit, and not because of personal relationships or share ownership in the company.

For listed companies, the Financial Reporting Council's Combined Code on Corporate Governance recommends that a nominations committee should oversee the recruitment of new directors.

Answer 2

A job description will describe the tasks and responsibilities that go with the job.

A person specification will list the skills and attributes that someone wanting to fulfil the job description must possess.

Answer 3

a person specification is what the employers want in a person, for example qualifications needed, knoweldge needed, different things like that whereas a job description is what the job entails. what you have to do and so on.

Answer 4

A person specification refers to the personal qualities of the person such as eloquence, hardworking, reliable, trustworthy etc, whilst job description refers to the duties and responsibilities of the positon applied for.

Answer 5

The following link should help you write both a person specification and job description.

Good luck!

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sedu/recruitment/jobdesc/index.php