Person Specifications?

rcool80

When a job application requires you to write a supporting statement and address how you meet to person specification what is the best way to write it out?

I have just been addressing each point in order and saying how I meet this skills. Eg.

Ability to Plan and Prioritise workload - I have an excellent ability to plan and prioritise my workload and work towards deadlines. I gained these skills whilst working towards my degree in which I had to allocate my time effectively and meet strict deadlines. I was successful in meeting my assignment deadlines without compromising the quality of my work.

Would this be ok? Also if the Person Spec says something like 'good sense of humour' or 'reliable and trustworthy' how would you demonstrate these?

Thanks

joolsybools

To your first point I say yes, address each point in a logical way such as listing the requirement then demonstrating it. Am not sure about how to demonstrate a sense of humour - I'm not sure I;ve ever been asked that in a person spec!

LittleVoice

rcool80 wrote: »

When a job application requires you to write a supporting statement and address how you meet to person specification what is the best way to write it out?

I have just been addressing each point in order and saying how I meet this skills. Eg.

Ability to Plan and Prioritise workload - I have an excellent ability to plan and prioritise my workload and work towards deadlines. I gained these skills whilst working towards my degree in which I had to allocate my time effectively and meet strict deadlines. I was successful in meeting my assignment deadlines without compromising the quality of my work.

Would this be ok? Also if the Person Spec says something like 'good sense of humour' or 'reliable and trustworthy' how would you demonstrate these?

Thanks

Ability to Plan and Prioritise workload - [STRIKE]I have an excellent ability to plan and prioritise my workload and work towards deadlines.[/STRIKE] I gained [STRIKE]these [/STRIKE] the skills of planning and prioritising to meet deadlines whilst working towards my degree when [STRIKE]in which I had to [/STRIKE]allocated my time effectively [STRIKE]and [/STRIKE] to meet strict deadlines. I was successful in meeting my assignment deadlines without compromising the quality of my work.

I'm wary of "good sense of humour". Why is it required? Is it so awful working in that environment that you have to laugh to get through the day?

"reliable and trustworthy" - mention positions of trust you have held, mention the deadline thing again too if you wish but once should be enough

bigspender1971

You sound like you are doing the right thing-matching and reflecting the main requirements of the person spec. Things like sense of humour are difficult to prove. I would just reword the phrase they have used regarding humour without any example.

rcool80

LittleVoice wrote: »

Ability to Plan and Prioritise workload - [STRIKE]I have an excellent ability to plan and prioritise my workload and work towards deadlines.[/STRIKE] I gained [STRIKE]these [/STRIKE] the skills of planning and prioritising to meet deadlines whilst working towards my degree when [STRIKE]in which I had to [/STRIKE]allocated my time effectively [STRIKE]and [/STRIKE] to meet strict deadlines. I was successful in meeting my assignment deadlines without compromising the quality of my work.

I'm wary of "good sense of humour". Why is it required? Is it so awful working in that environment that you have to laugh to get through the day?

"reliable and trustworthy" - mention positions of trust you have held, mention the deadline thing again too if you wish but once should be enough

Thanks for all your replies.

Little Voice - Can I ask why you made the chances you did? I'm not criticises as I think your version reads better, it would just be interesting to know where I'm going wrong and how I can improve.

I'm not sure why the person spec asks for a good sense of humour - I've never come across it before. The job does involve working with kids so maybe thats why.

Thanks

Ninja_Seb

Yeah, If I see 'Good sense of humour' or 'Bubbly' in a job description a dismiss it straight away. I just get visions of an office full of tarty stupid women..

LittleVoice

rcool80 wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies.

Little Voice - Can I ask why you made the chances you did? I'm not criticises as I think your version reads better, it would just be interesting to know where I'm going wrong and how I can improve.

It was using fewer words. Saying "I am good at [insert whatever the requirement is]" or similar seems a waste of space IMHO, better to explain what you mean by giving an example

RobTang

Try and qualify your statement whenever possible with actual examples of using the skill / competency.

try to avoid tautology whenever possible "I allocated my time effectively" is just another way of saying "Planning and priortising workload" it doesn't mean anything without the HOW.

A specific example is always easier to relate to than a general idea and its easier to write too because its somthing you've done rather than a abstract statement you have to make up (even if its true).

porlock

For 'good sense of humour' - if this was me, I might be tempted to just mention briefly how well I get on with my current colleagues. I manage a small team, and I pop in and have an informal chat with all them at least once a week - we're not rolling around telling jokes, but we're having a casual chat about how things are going outside of work, getting to know each other a bit, y'know.

If you were at Uni, were you in any Societies or clubs? Did you organise any events, albeit small-scale. Could fit this in with 'reliable and trustworthy' as well.

I can't help but read these as personality-based questions - if it was my vacancy and thse were qualities I asked for, then what I would really be after is someone who would fit in well with an already-existing dynamic - I'm looking for someone who likes a laugh, and is a likeable person.

Just my opinion, though.