The Job Description and Person Specification

1. The Job Description and Person Specification

2. What is a Job Description? • The Job Description describes • the job title • the duties or tasks involved in the job • responsibilities of the job • who managers the worker • who the worker manages • place of work • employment conditions (holidays, salary etc.).

3. Why prepare a Job Description? • Managers will understand the tasks involved in the job • Helps identify training needs of anyone doing the job • Helps managers judge the performance of the worker • Helps a worker understand their job • Helps ensure the right candidate is selected for the job

4. Person Specification • The Person Specification is based on the Job Description and describes • the skills required to do the job • knowledge of the industry needed • educational requirements, • experience required • physical attributes (e.g. for fireman) • aspects of personality that best suit the job

5. Why prepare a person specification? • it enables potential applicants to determine whether they are capable of meeting the requirements of the job, • it helps employers to identify what qualities are required to do the job • it can be used as a guide when devising job advertisements and application forms • helps managers compare one candidate with another • once a new employee has been appointed, the person specification and job description can be used as the basis for staff development, appraisals, or promotion