BUS.HR7 Job Descriptions and Person Specifications in Recruitment

AQA 8132 · Calculators not allowed · about 30 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions in the spaces provided. Use the Sunny Lane Cafe scenario printed in question 3 where requested. At least some questions require full-sentence answers. Time suggested: 30 minutes.

Which one of the following is normally included in a job description for a vacancy?

A) A list of essential qualifications required
B) A list of the business's competitors
C) The reporting line for the role
D) A sample employment contract

(Total for Question 1 is 1 mark)

Which one of the following belongs on a person specification rather than on a job description?

A) Main duties of the role
B) The name of the line manager
C) Essential qualifications required
D) The start date for the job

(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)

Vacancy scenario: Sunny Lane Cafe is recruiting a part-time Supervisor. Job description excerpt: job title Supervisor; main duties include opening and closing the cafe, supervising three staff on shift, cash handling, and ensuring food safety standards; reports to the Cafe Manager. Person specification excerpt: essential: Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate, experience of supervising a small team, good numeracy skills for cash handling; desirable: barista training, availability on weekend mornings.
Identify two items from the scenario that belong on the job description and two items that belong on the person specification.

(Total for Question 3 is 4 marks)

State one reason why the reporting line (who the role reports to) is useful to include on the job description for the Sunny Lane Cafe Supervisor role.

(Total for Question 4 is 2 marks)

State two different kinds of criteria that appear on a person specification, using the Sunny Lane Cafe scenario as a guide.

(Total for Question 5 is 2 marks)

Explain why a Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate is included as an essential criterion on the Sunny Lane Cafe person specification. Give one developed reason.

(Total for Question 6 is 4 marks)

Explain why 'supervising three staff on shift' is an appropriate duty to include on the Sunny Lane Cafe's job description for the Supervisor role. Give one developed reason.

(Total for Question 7 is 4 marks)

Analyse whether the person specification excerpt given for the Sunny Lane Cafe Supervisor role is fit for purpose. The excerpt reads: essential: Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate, experience of supervising a small team, good numeracy skills for cash handling; desirable: barista training, availability on weekend mornings.
Analyse strengths and weaknesses and reach a conclusion about fitness for purpose.

(Total for Question 8 is 6 marks)

Mark scheme · BUS.HR7 Job Descriptions and Person Specifications in Recruitment

Question 1

B1 C cao
Answer: C

Question 2

B1 C cao
Answer: C

Question 3

B1 one correct job description item, e.g. supervising three staff, or opening and closing the cafe, or cash handling, or ensuring food safety standards, or reports to the Cafe Manager
B1 a second correct job description item, distinct from the first
B1 one correct person specification item, e.g. Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate, or experience supervising a small team, or good numeracy skills, or barista training, or weekend availability (desirable)
B1 a second correct person specification item, distinct from the first
Answer: Job description items: supervising three staff; reports to the Cafe Manager (or opening/closing the cafe; cash handling; ensuring food safety standards). Person specification items: Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate; experience supervising a small team (or good numeracy skills; barista training; weekend availability).

Question 4

B1 identifies a reason, e.g. shows who the Supervisor will be accountable to or who they will take instruction from
B1 adds a consequence, e.g. helps applicants understand the level of responsibility and where the role sits in the team
Answer: It shows who the Supervisor is accountable to, for example the Cafe Manager, which helps applicants understand the level of responsibility and where the role sits in the team.

Question 5

B1 one kind of criteria, e.g. qualifications such as Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate
B1 a second kind of criteria, e.g. experience or skills such as experience supervising a small team or good numeracy skills
Answer: Examples: qualifications (Level 2 Food Hygiene certificate) and experience or skills (experience supervising a small team; good numeracy skills).

Question 6

B1 identifies a reason, e.g. ensures the candidate knows how to maintain food safety standards
B1 develops the point, e.g. reduces risk of food contamination and helps the cafe meet legal or health requirements
B1 provides a secondary effect, e.g. protects customer safety and the cafe's reputation
B1 links to the scenario, e.g. the job description includes ensuring food safety standards, so the certificate shows the candidate can meet that duty
Answer: It shows the candidate understands food safety, which reduces the risk of contamination and helps the cafe meet legal health requirements; this protects customers and the cafe's reputation, and matches the job duty of ensuring food safety standards.

Question 7

B1 identifies a reason, e.g. clarifies the level of responsibility expected in the role
B1 develops the point, e.g. helps applicants understand supervisory duties such as allocating tasks and resolving staff issues
B1 provides a practical consequence, e.g. allows the employer to assess whether a candidate has suitable experience or leadership skills
B1 links to the person specification, e.g. connects to the essential experience of supervising a small team listed on the person specification
Answer: It clarifies the level of responsibility, showing applicants they will need to manage others, which involves allocating tasks and resolving staff issues; this lets the employer assess leadership experience and links to the person specification requirement for experience supervising a small team.

Question 8

Level 1 (1-3): Shows simple points about the person specification, for example naming one or two strengths or weaknesses, with limited development and little use of the scenario.
Level 2 (4-6): Analyses both strengths and weaknesses in a developed way, applies points to the Sunny Lane Cafe scenario and reaches a reasoned conclusion about whether the person specification is fit for purpose.
Indicative content:
- Strengths: includes relevant essential qualifications and skills, for example Level 2 Food Hygiene matches the job duty to ensure food safety, and numeracy skills relate directly to cash handling duties.
- Strengths: includes experience of supervising a small team, which is directly relevant to supervising three staff on shift and helps shortlisting identify candidates with the right background.
- Weaknesses: the person specification is brief and may miss other useful criteria such as customer service skills or flexibility in shift patterns, which could be important for a cafe role.
- Weaknesses: desirable criteria such as barista training and weekend availability are helpful, but the specification does not state how essential weekend availability is for shortlisting, potentially causing unsuitable applicants to be considered.
- Conclusion: overall the person specification is largely fit for purpose because it links to key duties, but it could be improved by adding explicit personal qualities or availability requirements to make shortlisting more focused.

Job Descriptions and Person Specifications in Recruitment - Worksheets, Questions and Revision