Personality and Job Fit: Why it Matters More Than You Think
There was a great song by Lloyd Price in 1959 (before my time) called “Personality”. The chorus went…
‘Cause you’ve got personality,
Walk, with personality
Talk, with personality
Smile, with personality
Charm, personality
Love, personality
And plus you’ve got
A great big heart
In the current blog series “Are YOU The Right Fit?”, there are several characteristics and criteria being considered as an employer, and that you should consider as a candidate. That list includes Personality.
Why Personality Matters in the Hiring Process
Skills Get You Considered – Personality Gets You Hired
Job seekers often want their skills and experience to be the only thing considered for a hiring decision. However, that’s never the case. Any hiring manager or employer is always looking for the whole package.
Certainly “can they do the job?” is at the top of the list.
However, consciously or subconsciously they are also evaluating… Will they represent our team well to others inside and outside the organization? Will they improve my culture, or bring it down? Will they improve my team, or deteriorate it? Will I enjoy working with this person?
Many of these questions are wrapped around Personality.
So… what kind of personality should you demonstrate to get hired?
YOURS!
God-Given Personality and Purpose
God created each of us uniquely, with gifts, personalities, abilities, and talents. We’re to use them to serve others and bring Him glory. He made each of us with different purposes, and He gave us the personality and equipped us to complete the work He designed for us. Several scriptures allude to this…
Romans 12:4-6a – “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.”
Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Jeremiah 1:5 – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.”
There is No “Perfect” Personality
There is no singular personality that is right for every situation. And what feels like a wonderful work experience for one person, can be miserable for someone else! Each organizational culture, each manager, each person on a team has a unique personality.
Why Faking It Never Works
Trying to become what you’re not, will generally lead to an unhappy work experience for both you and the employer.
Your personality can change over time as it is influenced by our experiences, relationships, and age. It is possible to consciously change parts of our personality if we so desire, although it typically takes a great deal of determination and time.
Certainly, exhibiting some sense of optimism, energy, and friendliness will help in any situation.
If you normally exhibit a cynical, discouraged, low-energy or depressive personality, that can be a hindrance. No one wants to hire an Eeyore! Getting some help to become more positive might be warranted. However, over-doing a facade that isn’t authentic will usually become evident and you will always be hiding behind a mask.
What IS important is self-awareness!
The Importance of Self-Awareness in Your Career
Can you authentically describe your personality? Do you have a good sense of what kinds of people you thrive with, and what kinds you don’t? Have you examined your work experiences so far to identify where you’ve succeeded and why, and where you may not have done so well, and why?
Use Assessments to Gain Insight
Taking multiple assessment tests (many free ones can be found online) and looking for common themes that come up in your results can be a great way to gain some insight and ways to articulate your uniqueness.
Seek Feedback from Others
Sending some questions to people you’ve worked with to get their impressions of you, can give you further insight as well as greater conviction about how others see you (one of the 7 Steps of our Crossroads workbook includes a list of questions you can ask others).
Defining personalities and how you’ve interacted with people you’ve been able to work with most successfully can give you discernment for the kinds of people you want to work with in your next role.
Seek Wisdom Through Prayer
Seeking wisdom from scripture and in prayer to give you a true sense of how God sees you and made you, as well as clarity in seeing others accurately, can give you greater understanding as well.
When you are clear on your authentic personality and what kinds of people help you thrive, you can ask better questions and recognize those you want to align with and those you may want to avoid.
Recognizing the Right Match
While everyone would love an offer for each job they pursue, it’s often the employer that recognizes the personality fit isn’t right for the organization or the role. When you increase your self-awareness and ask better questions, you can spot the match or mismatch yourself as well.
Certainly there are times when someone may need to take a position that’s not a great fit in order to get a paycheck going. However, if it’s possible to wait for a better match to your skills, values, and personality, it is likely to be a much more successful experience.
Understand your personality and where you thrive and then look for the best match for you!
Harry Urschel has over 30 years experience as a Recruiter in Retained Executive Search and Executive Outplacement Coaching. Currently, he recruits roles for a holding company. He also leads the Minnesota Crossroads ministry out of Grace Church in Eden Prairie.
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