Understanding job descriptions and person specifications
Employers use these documents to ensure that only qualified applicants submit applications. Job Descriptions, Person Specifications or adverts may use words or phrases which are unclear or relate to the role – if you can, ask someone you know who works for a similar company if they can understand them.
A Job Description (JD) outlines the scope, duties, responsibilities and tasks of the role. If written well, it can help you visualise what it would be like to do that job. It also often forms part of your employment contract.
Job Descriptions are sometimes vague – the words “anything else that is reasonably requested” is often included in job descriptions as employers can’t always predict what might need to be done and don’t want to limit themselves
A Person Specification describes the qualifications, skills and experience needed to do the role. It will help recruiters to write job advertisements, and like advertisements can help you decide whether to apply or not.
Skills tend to be learnt e.g. use of a software package, whereas competencies are knowledge and behaviours. You will have competencies whether you’ve worked before or not.
The ability to learn is one of the most desired competencies in today’s workplace:
Showing that you can master new tasks, skills and techniques might negate the need to show that you can do everything today, as you’ve proven you can learn how to in the future