Person specification

Formal Neutral

What it really means

A list of the skills and experience the employer wants, often split into "essential" and "desirable". In the UK, especially for university and public-sector jobs, your application is scored against this list.

Chinese explanation

任职要求清单，常分为"必备"（essential）和"加分"（desirable）两栏。在英国，尤其是高校和公共部门职位，申请就是按这个清单打分的。

Example conversation

A: My application was rejected without an interview. B: Did you answer every point on the person specification? They tick them off one by one.

A：我的申请连面试都没进就被拒了。 B：你有没有逐条回应任职要求？他们是一条条打勾的。

What you could say back

“I'll address each essential criterion next time.”

Related phrases

Job description Personal statement

Official sources

Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.

Go deeper

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Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team · Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake