Didn’t Get The Job? Your Personality Might Be To Blame.

Didn’t get that job after what you deemed a great interview? In the ever-changing minefield of hiring practices, it turns out your personality might be to blame. In fact, being your true self is one of the biggest interview mistakes candidates make.

Great communications aren’t limited to corporate PR efforts, they are a factor every time you interact with the public personally as well. I invited nationally regarded resume pro, Amanda Augustine back on my show to discuss which personality traits help you, which hurt and how to control them.

Personality Tops Biggest Interview Mistakes

For anyone who has ever asked “why can’t I get an interview” it’s helpful to know personality is a big deal. A whopping 70% of employers consider a candidate’s personality as one of the most important aspects that impact their hiring decision according to Augustine and data from TopInterview and Resume Library. How does that stack up? Consider when asked “…which of the following are the most important to you in a candidate?” education came in at 18% and appearance at 7%. But when considering personality, which traits specifically were the problem?

angry man
Exposing your bad personality traits is one of the biggest interview mistakes you can make.

When asked to break out which personality flaws were the biggest turn-offs, arrogance and overconfidence led the pack with 72% of HR professionals that viewed it to be a more serious problem than even dishonesty which came in at 39%! Staying away from personality flaws may help you avoid one of the biggest interview mistakes you can make and get that job, but it’s not just about controlling negative aspects of your personality, Augustine explained highlighting the positives help too… kinda.

Which personality trait actually helps get you hired?

When asked which aspects of a candidates personality are most attractive to an employer, authenticity and confidence nearly tied with authenticity being selected 46% of the time and confidence coming at at 42%. This is a fascinating juxtaposition when you consider the most negative trait of being overconfident and arrogant.

Amanda Augustine
Amanda Augustine

Augustine admitted the data points to candidates walking a tight rope when interviewing. Be confident, but not overconfident. Be authentic, but not TOO authentic. She explains that while being yourself is still important.

“‘Authenticity’ topped the chart of most impressive personality traits, yet this can be one of the most difficult qualities to convey in an interview. It’s hard to just ‘be yourself’ when you’re in a nerve-wracking situation.” Augustine explained.

To avoid one of the biggest interview mistakes you can make, it’s best to speak in terms of data and present yourself as objectively as possible. Also, make sure to highlight the positive aspects of your personality as much as possible.

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While it still considered good advice to be yourself, remember to dial it back — perhaps only be about 80% of yourself she states. Great communication is always a balance.

Listen to the interview with Amanda Augustine

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Photo Credz: Ryan McGuire 

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