You have met all the requirements for that new position; your hard skills are checked one by one on your CV. All things being equal, what personality traits do you need to have to tilt the decision in your favour?
Traits are different from skills. Skills are what is on your CV. Hard skills could be your university degree or a programming language you know or industry-specific experience you have; soft skills include leadership, teamwork, and communication within the corporate environment. Personality traits on the other hand are the qualities that turn up during the interview. It’s the impression you leave through your attitude and how you compose yourself from the second you walk in the door.
Success happens when preparation meets opportunity!
Be prepared ahead of time to include examples that demonstrate these personal traits. Don’t say “I am loyal”. In fact, avoid the word altogether, but that would be the summary of a two-minute example that clearly demonstrates your loyalty.
Here are the top 10 personal traits valued by employers:
- LOYALTY
Employers want to hire someone who will be loyal to the team and the company. Loyal employees contribute more to the business. It is critical to the success of team spirit and is how a company maintains a continuous culture.
- INTEGRITY
Consumers are looking more closely at companies and are judging their corporate integrity. In turn, businesses look for this trait in an employee. They want the employee to have moral integrity.
- SINCERITY
Sincerity is hard to measure because it is subjective. It boils down to an impression an employer gets during an interview and if they really believe what the person is saying. Employers want employees who are friendly and honest. It’s not a trait you can rank objectively on a scorecard; it basically comes down to human judgement.
- ADAPTABILITY
In 2020, companies learned that the best-laid plans don’t always turn out. As a result, employers are looking for candidates who are flexible, can roll with punches, tackling new problems and opportunities and are able to adapt.
- PERSISTENCE
This trait feeds into adaptability; you need the persistence to follow through. Whether you are innovating or overcoming challenges, sometimes you can’t complete it in a day. Persistence is ultimately about goals, either at the micro-level or at the macro level with strategic goals.
- KINDNESS
Building a team that works well together and avoids unnecessary conflict requires hiring personable fellow members. To work closely together, employees need to build trust. Being unkind is detrimental to building trust.
- PATIENCE
Another trait needed to work with colleagues is patience. If you or a coworker has a bad day, you’ll need patience to deal with them politely and efficiently. So many jobs have an element of customer service, whether it’s external with customers or clients, or it’s treating others within the organization.
- EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
This trait is particularly important with leaders who need to read others’ emotions to communicate effectively. To respond appropriately you need to understand the person’s motivations. There are plenty of bad bosses out there, and to be a good boss you need emotional understanding and compassion. Employees aren’t robots. Teams are made up of unique individuals with unique traits and qualities.
- TOLERANCE
There is a lot of intolerance in the workplace due to personal characteristics and prejudice. Hiring an intolerant employee can create an untenable environment and employers want to avoid its negative effects.
- OPEN-MINDEDNESS
Employers also look for open-mindedness, which can be someone who is willing to try new ways of doing business and new methods of working. This also feeds into tolerance. It’s also being open-minded to different cultures, religions, and political backgrounds. You don’t have to agree to be open-minded and tolerant.
HOW EMPLOYERS IDENTIFY PERSONALITY TRAITS
First impressions can be valuable, but employers will often dig deeper to confirm their instincts. Many will turn to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, to find personal information. Employers won’t find that information on LinkedIn. If you are looking for a job, make sure your social profiles are cleaned up.
Employers also rely on behaviour tests. More and more companies use psychological profiling techniques to identify candidates’ personality traits.
While social media and personality tests dig deeper, if your first impression isn’t good, an employer may not choose to move forward. The bottom line for a job seeker is to be mindful of your demeanour from the second you walk in or log into the videoconference. Phone calls and emails can also help to form that impression.
Speak to current friends and colleagues to find out what impression people have of you. Look at the 10 key personality traits and determine how you can improve on those. How you come across is critical.