Person Description

There are two kinds of person descriptions. One is of you. The other is the kind of person you want as a personal assistant.

Person Description of You

A person description is a snapshot of who you are. It describes you as a person. It covers a lot of information about you in a short paragraph or two. Some topics it might cover are

Are you male or female?
Do you live alone or with your family?
Do you go to work?
Do you go to school?
What do you do for recreation?
What are your likes and dislikes?
What is your disability?
What help do you need?

It can help you in several ways. If you use flyers as ads you can include a good bit of it on the flyer. You can use parts of it for your 3x5 cards and newspaper ads. You can use it to describe yourself when you interview people on the phone. A prepared person description lets you present a clear, organized picture of yourself.

Sample Person Description

I am a 37 year-old woman who was injured in an accident. My life is full and active. I work part-time five days a week as a medical researcher, a job I love. In addition, I serve on a community board that meets once a month. I have season tickets to the symphony, the opera and the community theater company.

My friends are important to me so I entertain at home at least three times a month and I meet them for movies or dinner three times a month. I collect miniature animals and study Tarot.

My kitty is a character and has the run of the house. That translates to lots of furry dust bunnies on the floors and cat fur on the furniture. Still, I like to have my house sparkling clean.

My most important needs are personal care and getting me up, dressed and undressed daily and general housecleaning and laundry.

Another Sample Person Description

I am a 21-year old college student majoring in political science. I probably will go on to law school. I live in an apartment within two blocks of the campus.

I enjoy playing cards, chess, and talking with my buddies. We get together a couple of times a week to do these things and drink a little beer. We also go to all of the sporting events. We are definitely party animals.

My passion is oil painting. But no one knows I do this. I keep my paints and paintings hidden.

When I was twelve I developed a condition that left me very weak. I cannot lift much more than a quart of milk. I use a wheelchair to get around, but I can walk short distances. I mostly need help with laundry and housecleaning.

Another Sample Person Description

I am a seventy-year old man. I worked until my stroke a year ago. Recovery has been a slow process with a lot of physical therapy. My wife has been a great support. We would like to get our life back on track so we can enjoy our grandchildren and begin to be part of the community again.

I need help with bathing and dressing, and with range of motion exercises.

Person Description of the Kind of PA you want

The kind of PA that you want depends on your needs, your preferences, your personality and the way you live. You need to decide what minimum skills, experience and other qualities you want in your PA. A prepared PA person description can be used in two ways. You can use it to discuss the qualifications in the phone or in-person interviews. You can send it to PAs along with the job description before the in-person interview. You may be able to tell from the person's reaction to the qualifications whether or not you should offer him an in-person interview. The person may decide he is not right for the job after you give the qualifications.

Your most important requirements should be listed first.

Be sure that you don't discriminate against someone because of age, race, gender or disability. There are some exceptions. You may need to list a minimum age such as sixteen, eighteen or twenty-five for insurance purposes. Your vehicle insurance may require a driver to be twenty-five years old. You should not list a maximum age, as that would be discrimination. You may specify that the PA be a male or female if the PA will be helping you with personal needs.

Sample personal assistant description

My personal assistant should

be strong enough to lift and transfer 120 pounds
not smoke in my home
be willing to follow my directions
have good housecleaning skills
be aged 25 or over
be reliable
be trustworthy
be aware of time to get tasks done
be able to work without constant supervision
be friendly to my cat and dog
not wear perfume or other scented products
be able to tolerate my sense of humor

Another sample personal assistant description

My personal assistant should

be female
be willing to follow my directions
be able to tolerate my smoking
be reliable
be able to keep my personal information private
be able to work on her own
be willing to clean the birdcage
be a good cook or willing to learn

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Getting Started > Person Description