Companies hire candidates for many reasons – experience, specialized skills, academic background, and your fit within the company. While your personality has always been a factor, our headhunters in Toronto have come across a new social media trend in recruiting – the personality hire.
Below I get into the nuts and bolts of the persona of the personality hire – who they are, why companies hire them, if it’s a good thing to be a personality hire, and the top signs you may be a personality hire.
What Is A Personality Hire?
A personality hire is a person who is hired primarily based on their personality, interpersonal skills, or charisma, rather than strictly on their technical skills, qualifications, or experience. This type of hire typically occurs when a company believes that a person’s cultural fit, positive attitude, and ability to build relationships will benefit the workplace environment and team dynamics. Companies also hire people based on personality because they believe the individual can be taught the required skills and knowledge on the job.
Why Do Companies Make Personality Hires?
Companies may choose to fill a role with a personality hire for five main reasons:
- They Are A Great Cultural Fit: The candidate’s values, communication style, and work ethic align well with the company culture.
- They Can Help Improve Team Chemistry: The person is seen as someone who can easily build rapport with colleagues and contribute to a positive, collaborative work atmosphere.
- They Excel At Customer Interactions and Service: For roles that involve client-facing duties, a personality hire might be made because the person is especially good at building strong relationships with customers.
- They Have A Lot of Growth Potential: Companies may believe that, while the candidate may lack certain technical skills, they have the right attitude and are coachable, meaning they can develop those skills over time.
- The Role Has A Soft Skills Focus: In some roles, soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence are more important than technical skills, making personality a key factor.
What Are The Signs You May Be The Personality Hire? Here’s 7:
Are you a personality hire? Here are 7 signs that you were hired for your personality:
- You got the job even though you don’t meet all the requirements
- There was a big emphasis on soft skills during the hiring process
- The hiring team mentioned your great attitude and high energy – they talked about you being a great cultural fit
- Your role is focused on customer or internal team interactions
- You have loosely defined responsibilities that are focused on boosting morale
- The job is a newly created position
- Skills development and growth opportunities are baked into the role
Is Being A Personality Hire A Good Thing For Candidates?
So, you’re the personality hire. But is that a good thing? It can be a fantastic opportunity for you. It can be good because your personality fits well with the company culture. This can lead to long-term growth opportunities and job satisfaction. However, it can also be a challenge if you have significant skill gaps or there could be limited direction and growth opportunities in some organizations.
Being a personality hire can be a good thing, especially if you’re entering a role that heavily values interpersonal skills or culture fit. However, it’s important to balance personality with professional development to ensure long-term success in your role.
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