Candidate Persona: What Is It, And How To Create One (Plus Checklist And Template!)

We don’t want to bring up any bad memories, but think back to the last time you used a dating app. When you were writing your profile, you probably had a pretty solid idea of the type of person you wanted to attract when you were listing your hobbies, interests and personality traits.

Now, imagine applying the same concept to finding the ideal employee for a new job opportunity. In both cases, the aim is to understand and connect with the right match. In dating, you want to find someone who aligns with your values and preferences, while in recruitment, you want to identify candidates who fit the company culture, have the necessary skills, and share the same goals and values as the hiring organisation.

Enter: your candidate persona.

What is a candidate persona?

A candidate persona is a concept borrowed from the ‘buyer persona’ in marketing. Just as buyer personas help marketing teams evaluate potential customers, candidate personas are semi-fictional profiles that define all the characteristics and traits of an ideal candidate. They’re intended to help recruiters and hiring teams better understand and target the specific people they want to attract and hire for a particular role.

Why is a candidate persona important?           

Ultimately, the goal in recruitment is to find the ideal hire in as short a time as possible, and developing a persona can help you do just that, in the following ways:

Precision targeting: A candidate persona helps you precisely target the qualifications, skills, and attributes you’re looking for in an employee. This focus saves time and resources by narrowing your search to the most suitable people.

Effective communication: With a well-defined persona, you can tailor your job descriptions and interview questions to resonate with the candidates you want.

Team alignment: A candidate persona serves as a common reference point for your hiring team. It ensures everyone is on the same page regarding the qualifications and qualities you’re looking for, reducing misunderstandings and improving collaboration.

Efficiency and productivity: It can streamline your recruitment process, helping you avoid unnecessary detours and focus your efforts on candidates who are more likely to be a great fit.

Higher success rate: Ultimately, a well-crafted persona increases your chances of finding and hiring the best person for the job. By targeting your efforts effectively, you’re more likely to discover the talent that will contribute most to an organisation’s success.

How do I write a candidate persona?

We’ve already run through exactly what a candidate persona is and why they can be so important for the hiring process. Next, let’s take a look at how to create one!

Creating a candidate persona is a bit like crafting a character for a novel. You’re the author, and your ideal candidate is the protagonist. To bring your character to life, here are the key areas you’ll want to delve into:

Demographics: the basic character sketch

Where does your ideal candidate live? What’s their educational background? These details form the foundation of your persona.

An important note here: It’s best not to dwell on demographics that are too heavily associated with personal characteristics such as age or gender, as these aspects are less important than other characteristics and you run the risk of ending up with a discriminatory recruitment process. Processes such as blind CV recruitment can help prevent this and enhance your efforts to be fair and inclusive.

Professional background: the origin story

What industries have they worked in? What roles have they held? Have they climbed the career ladder steadily, or do they have a unique career journey? This backstory helps you understand their skills and experiences.

Skills and qualifications: superpowers and strengths

Are they a coding wizard, a marketing maestro, or a financial guru? These qualities are what set your character apart.

Goals and motivations: the quest they’re on

What drives your ideal candidate? Are they seeking career growth, work-life balance, or a meaningful mission? Understanding their goals and motivations is like unravelling the plot of their story.

Challenges and pain points: the character arc

What obstacles do they encounter in their job search or career? What’s holding them back from achieving their full career potential? Recognising these challenges helps you tailor your approach to meet their needs.

Company culture fit: the world they thrive in

Think about the kind of work environment where your candidate would flourish. Are they suited for a fast-paced startup, or a structured corporate setting? This helps you gauge their cultural fit.

Persona name: bringing your character to life

To make your candidate persona more relatable, give them a name. This helps you and your team connect on a personal level when discussing and strategising.

Feedback and iteration: refining the character

Creating a candidate persona is an ongoing process. As you gather more information and engage with candidates, refine your persona to ensure it remains accurate and relevant.

Candidate persona example template

Let’s try this on a role from the accounting and finance sector.

Job Title: Financial Controller

Demographics

Location: Urban or suburban areas near UK financial hubs such as London or Birmingham.

Education: MSc in Finance

Professional background:

Over a decade of experience in accounting and finance

Previous roles include Senior Accountant and Finance Manager

Experience in both corporate finance and public accounting firms.

Skills and qualifications:

Expertise in financial planning and analysis

Strong knowledge of accounting principles and regulations (GAAP, IFRS)

Proficiency in financial software and tools (e.g., SAP, QuickBooks, Excel)

Proven ability to manage financial teams and projects.

Goals and motivations:

Seeking career advancement to a leadership role

Aspires to contribute to a company’s financial growth and strategy

Values opportunities for professional development and continuing education.

Challenges and pain points:

Balancing the demands of financial reporting with strategic financial planning

Staying updated with changing accounting standards and regulations

Finding a company culture that aligns with their career goals.

Company culture fit:

Thrives in an environment that encourages innovation and growth

Values transparency and open communication within the organisation.

Persona name: We’ll call our Financial Controller candidate persona “Alex” to make the profile more relatable.

Finally, remember, crafting a candidate persona should be a team effort. If you’re a recruiter, that means holding detailed discussions with key stakeholders such as hiring managers, other members of your team, and perhaps even conversations with the team the employee will be working alongside. If you’re a hiring manager or a business owner, crafting an employee persona is too important a job to try to take on alone – you’ll want to enlist the support of specialist recruiters within your industry. They’re the ones who are speaking to jobseekers in your sector day in, day out, and will have extensive knowledge and experience that can greatly contribute to crafting an accurate and effective persona.

Looking for help to attract your ideal candidate? You’re in the right place!  We specialise in recruiting for just about every industry and sector, from engineering and manufacturing and IT, to human resources and marketing. You can search all our divisions here, or leave us a message and we’ll get back to you in no time.