What Are Personnel Qualifications?

Personnel qualifications include formal education, training, skills, and experience obtained by a company's employees. Many organizations establish standards for hiring and promoting employees based upon skills they have demonstrated in previous or current positions. A few professions, such as teaching, may have very specific education and licensing requirements that all employees must maintain. Some types of qualifications may be based on workplace behaviors and personality characteristics, such as being detail-oriented, assertive, and an effective communicator.

College degrees are one of the types of personnel qualifications that companies use to select applicants for skilled positions. The type of degree, including whether it is undergraduate or advanced, may have a direct influence on whether an individual can apply for a job. For example, an administrative assistant position may require an associate's or bachelor's degree while a position as a college professor may require a doctorate degree in a specific subject matter. Many organizations establish both minimum and preferred qualifications for job positions in order to select the best possible candidates.

In terms of personnel qualifications, skills and knowledge gained from job experiences can be more valuable to employers. This tends to be more prevalent with mid- to senior level positions, but is becoming increasingly common with entry-level jobs, as well. Skills are methods that an individual develops through practice and might be related to computer software, hardware, communication, writing, researching, and managing inventory. Some skills are inherent or exhibited through a person's natural ability, such as creative thinking, singing, and performing.

Training programs are designed to enhance or fulfill personnel qualifications that may be required by national and local regulations. Companies that provide services for clients may also need to ensure that employees receive training for certain skill sets. An example would be an automotive repair shop that is regulated by a local licensing board. The managers may need to make sure that all of their repair technicians are certified prior to the date of hire.

Certain industries and professions establish unique personnel qualifications for individual positions. For instance, casting directors for television shows, movies, and theatrical plays often determine qualifications for different roles based on the characters' natures. Height, hair color, gender, age, and personality preferences will usually represent the director's interpretation of each character. The airline industry also establishes some of the qualifications for flight attendant and pilot positions based on characteristics such as manual dexterity and physical proportions.