Person Specification: Template, Examples and Essential vs Desirable Criteria (UK)

A person specification lists the qualifications, experience, skills and qualities someone needs to do a job, split into essential and desirable criteria. The job description says what the role involves; the person specification says who can do it. In the UK it is standard practice, especially in the public sector, schools and charities, and it does two jobs: it tells applicants what to show in their application, and it gives you a fair, consistent way to shortlist.

Person specification vs job description

	Job description	Person specification
Describes	The role: purpose, duties, reporting line	The person: what they need to bring
Typical content	Responsibilities, hours, location, salary	Qualifications, experience, skills, qualities
Used for	Explaining the job	Shortlisting and interviewing
Format	Paragraphs and duty lists	A table of essential and desirable criteria

Most employers publish both together. If you still need the job description, see our job description templates or the free job description generator.

Essential vs desirable criteria

• Essential criteria are things a person must have on day one to do the job. Anyone who does not meet all of them should not be shortlisted.
• Desirable criteria would help but can be learned. Use them to choose between candidates who meet every essential criterion.

Keep the essential list short, usually five to eight items. A long essential list shrinks your pool and often screens out people who would learn quickly. If you would still interview someone without it, it is desirable.

How to write criteria that work

1. Base every criterion on the duties. If you cannot point to the duty that needs it, leave it out.
2. Make it something you can assess. "Experience of handling customer complaints" can be checked in an application and at interview; "a good attitude" cannot.
3. Say how you will assess it. Add a column for application, interview, test or references.
4. Ask for skills and experience, not years. "Two years' experience" can unfairly rule out able people and may indirectly discriminate by age. Describe the level instead, such as "experience of managing a small team".
5. Check for discrimination. Under the Equality Act 2010, criteria that put people with a protected characteristic at a disadvantage must be a proportionate way of meeting a real need of the job. Avoid words like "young", "energetic" or "native English speaker"; ask for "fluent spoken and written English" only if the job needs it.
6. Only require a qualification if the job does. Where it helps, write "degree or equivalent experience".

Person specification template

Criteria	Essential	Desirable	How assessed
Qualifications	Qualifications or licences the job legally or practically requires	Further training that would help	Application, certificates
Experience	Experience needed to do the core duties	Experience in a similar sector or with specific tools	Application, interview
Skills and knowledge	Skills used every day in the role	Skills that would add value	Application, test, interview
Personal qualities	Behaviours the role needs, written so they can be shown		Interview, references
Other	Real requirements such as a driving licence for a driving role, or working some weekends		Application

Example 1: Office administrator

Criteria	Essential	Desirable
Qualifications	GCSE English and maths at grade 4 (C) or equivalent	Business administration qualification
Experience	Experience in an office or customer-facing administrative role	Experience in a small business or with accounts software
Skills	Accurate data entry; confident with email, Word and Excel; clear phone manner	Experience with a CRM or booking system
Personal qualities	Organised and able to manage several tasks to deadlines; discreet with confidential information
Other	Able to work in the office Monday to Friday

Example 2: Junior software developer

Criteria	Essential	Desirable
Qualifications		Degree in computing or a related subject, or equivalent experience
Experience	Built at least one working project in JavaScript or TypeScript, at work, study or in your own time	Experience with React or a similar framework
Skills	Understanding of HTML, CSS and JavaScript; uses Git; can explain their own code	Writing automated tests; basic SQL
Personal qualities	Asks for help when stuck; takes feedback well
Other	Able to attend the office two days a week

Using the person specification to shortlist

1. Score every application against the same criteria. A simple matrix, with candidates in rows and criteria in columns, keeps it consistent.
2. Check the essentials first. Anyone who clearly misses an essential criterion is not shortlisted. Record the reason.
3. Use the desirables to rank the candidates who meet every essential.
4. Keep notes. If a candidate asks for feedback, or you need to show the process was fair, your scores and reasons are your record.

This is where AI screening helps. SwiftShortlist reads each CV against your requirements, scores every candidate on the same criteria and shows the reasoning, so you can check the essentials quickly and spend your time on the best matches. Try it free on one real role.

Frequently asked questions

What is a person specification? A document listing the qualifications, experience, skills and qualities needed to do a job, divided into essential and desirable criteria. It is used to tell applicants what to show and to shortlist fairly.

What is the difference between a job description and a person specification? A job description describes the job: its purpose and duties. A person specification describes the person needed to do it.

How many essential criteria should a person specification have? Usually five to eight. Each should be something the person truly needs from day one.

Can I ask for a number of years' experience? It is better not to. Time served is a weak measure of ability and can indirectly discriminate by age. Describe the level of experience you need instead.

Do applicants see the person specification? Usually, yes. Publishing it with the job advert helps candidates show how they meet each criterion, which makes shortlisting easier and fairer.