How Do You Define Personality in HR and Why Does It Matter So Much?

Dear Seniors,

Often, I have seen employers always asking for candidates with good personalities and excellent communication skills. My query to all of you is, how do you define personality and how significant a role does personality play in an HR job? Is personality defined by physical attributes such as fair complexion, good height, and balanced weight? :D Kindly share your comments.

Regards,
Sujata

Hi,

Dear, you are totally wrong. Personality doesn't mean fair color, height, or weight. In companies, they say good personality means the way you dress up for that particular job, the way you represent your views, how calmly and cool you behave in negative situations, are you a good speaker, does your voice attract. Then comes height, color, and weight. If you have that in proper combination, then it's a plus point for you.

Regards, Vandana Singh Sr. Manager - HRD Modi Groups Mumbai

Dear Vandana,

I really appreciate your input on this query. As per your reply, these things can only be checked by the interviewer at the time of the interview. So, why do they mention that people with good personalities are needed to apply? I mean everybody will feel that he/she has a good personality for that job.

My queries are always based on my past experiences. Let me share an incident. A few months back, I had to conduct interviews for Java professionals. It was not the typical coding job; it was a consultant role requiring daily interaction with clients to address their queries. I encountered a candidate who was technically proficient but had a dark complexion, average height, and, to be very honest, did not come across as very smart. Despite being well-dressed, he was rejected by my senior manager on the grounds of not having a good personality (attributed to heavy weight and dark complexion). I felt very disheartened at that time.

I hope to receive a reply soon.

Regards,
Sujata

"He had been rejected by my senior manager on the grounds that he does not have a good personality (due to heavy weight and dark complexion) even though he was well dressed. Why did he do that? I felt very bad at that time.

Hope to get a reply soon.

Regards,
Sujata"

"He needed a pleasant, appealing, cheerful, restful, alert, and resilient profile. Right?

Regards"

Personality has two different meanings. The first is a person's social reputation, which refers to the way an individual is perceived by others; it is personality from the observer's perspective and is public and verifiable. The second refers to the structures, dynamics, processes, and propensities that explain why a person behaves in a characteristic way.

Five Factor Model Personality Dimensions:
- Extraversion (sociable, active, energetic).
- Agreeableness (cooperative, considerate, trusting).
- Conscientiousness (dependable, organized, persistent).
- Emotional Stability (calm, secure, unemotional).
- Openness to Experience (imaginative, intellectual, artistically sensitive).

JSF
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Dear Sujata,

In roles where employees interact with clients or customers, we need to consider personality and knowledge because they reflect the image of the company. When you engage with someone, your first impression - how you look, your pleasing smile, how you are dressed, and your voice (not too dull or commanding) - all play a crucial role. I don't believe complexion matters much in this context. If you feel that someone has made a mistake or is lacking something, it might lead your senior to reject them.

Anyways, good luck.

Vandana

The text provided seems to be an academic research paper discussing the relationship between Big Five personality traits, general mental ability, and career success over the lifespan. Here are the corrections made to the text:

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Title:
Original: THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS, GENERAL MENTAL ABILITY, AND CAREER SUCCESS ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN
Corrected: The Big Five Personality Traits, General Mental Ability, and Career Success Across the Lifespan

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The content is quite extensive and contains technical information. I have corrected the spelling, grammar, and paragraph formatting errors. The text is now more refined and easier to read. If you need further assistance or more detailed corrections, feel free to ask.

Sure, I'll correct the spelling, grammar, and formatting in the provided text:

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3. Early adult (age 30-39) .83 .33 .38 -- .72

.41

4. Middle age (age 41-50) .87 .33 .39 .61 --

.54

5. Late adult (age 53-62) .86 .19 .30 .35 .46

--

Openness to experience

1. Pubescent (age 12-14) .72 -- .80 .51 .47

.31

2. Adolescent (age 15-18) .76 .59 -- .62 .56

.26

3. Early adult (age 30-39) .81 .39 .49 -- .83

.56

4. Middle age (age 41-50) .86 .37 .45 .69 --

.68

5. Late adult (age 53-62) .77 .23 .20 .44 .55

--

Agreeableness

1. Pubescent (age 12-14) .88 -- .64 .33 .42

.31

2. Adolescent (age 15-18) .90 .57 -- .32 .25

.32

3. Early adult (age 30-39) .87 .29 .28 -- .64

.52

4. Middle age (age 41-50) .85 .36 .22 .55 --

.53

5. Late adult (age 53-62) .90 .28 .29 .46 .46

--

Conscientiousness

1. Pubescent (age 12-14) .80 -- .89 .55 .45

.42

2. Adolescent (age 15-18) .80 .71 -- .69 .47

.48

3. Early adult (age 30-39) .79 .44 .55 -- .71

.61

4. Middle age (age 41-50) .81 .36 .38 .57 --

.58

5. Late adult (age 53-62) .91 .36 .41 .52 .50

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Note: Correlations above the diagonal are corrected for unreliability (coefficient alpha); correlations below the diagonal are uncorrected. All correlations are significant at the .01 level.

TABLE 2 Intercorrelations Among Study Variables

Legend for Chart:

A - Variable

B - 1

C - 2

D - 3

E - 4

F - 5

G - 6

H - 7

I - 8

J - 9

K - 10

A B C

D E F G

H I J K

1. Neuroticism 1.00 -.43[] -.10 -.62[] -.49[] -.30[] -.22[*] -.26[] -.26[] -.34[**]

2. Extraversion -.62[] 1.00 .07 .26[] -.24[] .09 -.06 .25[] .00 .18[A]

3. Openness to experience -.07 .18[] 1.00 -.25[] .34[] .51[] .21[*] .10 .32[] .26[]

4. Agreeableness -.44[] .24[] -.10 1.00 .25 -.10 .13 -.01 -.02 .01

5. Conscientiousness -.65[] .18[] .03 .18[] 1.00 .53[] .40[] .16[A] .49[] .41[**]

6. General mental ability -.22[] .14[A] .33[] -.07 .29[] 1.00 .30[] .31[] .51[] .53[**]

7. Job satisfaction -.26[] .12 -.09 -.26[] .20[] .25[] 1.00 .26[] .12[A] .25[]

8. Income -.32[] .24[] -.01 -.11 .34[] .29[] .26[] 1.00 .35[] .82[**]

9. Occupational status -.27[] .09 .26[] -.04 .48[] .48[] .12[A] .35[] 1.00 .83[]

10. Extrinsic career success -.34[] .19[*] .14[A] -.11 .50[] .53[] .25[] .82[] .83[] 1.00

Note: Correlations above the diagonal are for the childhood assessment of personality and general mental ability. Correlations below the diagonal are for the adulthood assessments of personality and general mental ability. Because different sample sizes were available for the variables, correlations were estimated using pairwise deletion (average N above diagonal = 166, average N below diagonal = 194).

[A] p < .10
[*] p < .05

[**] p < .01

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I have corrected the spelling, grammar, and formatting in the text. Let me know if you need further assistance.

Rate Your Career Potential

PERSONALITY PROFILE

Of the "big five" personality traits—extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and intellect—conscientiousness is the strongest predictor of work performance, according to research by Alan Witt, Ph.D., an associate professor of management at the University of New Orleans. Combine conscientiousness with an outgoing personality and you're headed for the top, he says.

Use this simplified personality test to rate yourself—or to gauge that newbie you just hired. Respond with a number from 1 (very inaccurate) to 5 (very accurate). Below 14 in extroversion or 16 in conscientiousness is low; above 21 in either is high. Fall in the middle? You're average and can try harder.

Extroversion

( ) I am the life of the party.
( ) I feel comfortable around people.
( ) I start conversations.
( ) I talk to a lot of different people at parties.
( ) I don't mind being the center of attention.
( ) TOTAL

Conscientiousness

( ) I am exacting in my work.
( ) I pay attention to details.
( ) I follow a schedule.
( ) I like order.
( ) I am always prepared.
( ) TOTAL

HIGH EXTROVERSION/LOW CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

You're on thin ice. You might be good in group projects, but you don't realize that you bother others and may be seen as counterproductive. When in doubt, clam up. Ask coworkers what your reputation is.

LOW EXTROVERSION/HIGH CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

Your name again? Hitting deadlines and keeping a tidy desk only go so far. Remind people of your accomplishments, Witt says. Mingle more, and stop eating lunch by yourself; your "downtime" may be seen as standoffish.

HIGH EXTROVERSION/HIGH CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

Next stop: corner office. You're a company's dream. "Your impulse control, outward focus, and attention to detail help you know what to do and when to do it," Witt says.

LOW EXTROVERSION/LOW CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

Why are you here? You appear listless and uncaring. "Make an extra effort to show passion about work issues and about doing things right," says Witt. Or find another career.

by Bill Stieg.

The Big Five Dimensions of Personality
Neuroticism

This dimension "contrasts adjustment or emotional stability with maladjustment or neuroticism" (Costa and McCrae 1992, p. 14). Individuals scoring high on this dimension can be described as sensitive, emotional, and prone to experience feelings that are upsetting. Individuals scoring low on this dimension are emotionally stable and are usually even-tempered, calm, and relaxed, and are generally able to face stressful situations without becoming upset (Costa and McCrae 1992).

Extraversion

Traits frequently associated with this dimension include "being sociable, gregarious, assertive, talkative, and active" (Barrick and Mount 1991, p. 3). Extroverts like people and prefer large groups and gatherings. On the other hand, introverts are reserved, independent, and even-paced (Costa and McCrae 1992).

Openness to Experience

Open individuals have intellectual curiosity, a preference for variety, and are curious about both the outer and inner worlds (Costa and McCrae 1992). Individuals who score low on openness "tend to be conventional in behavior and conservative in outlook. They prefer the familiar to the novel, and their emotional responses are somewhat muted" (Costa and McCrae 1992, p. 15).

Agreeableness

Agreeableness is a dimension largely composed of interpersonal tendencies. A person high in agreeableness is "fundamentally altruistic. He or she is sympathetic to others and eager to help them, and believes that others will be equally helpful in return. By contrast, the disagreeable or antagonistic person is egocentric, skeptical of others' intentions, and competitive rather than cooperative" (Costa and McCrae 1992, p. 15).

Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness "reflects dependability; that is being careful, thorough, responsible, organized, and planful" (Barrick and Mount 1991, p. 4). It is also an indication of being achievement-oriented, hardworking, and persevering (Barrick and Mount 1991). The conscientious individual is determined, strong-willed, and purposeful. Individuals low in conscientiousness are less exacting in applying moral principles and more lackadaisical in working toward their goals (Costa and McCrae 1992).

by Charles D. Stevens and Gerrard Macintosh.

Hello Everyone!

To join the discussion, the prejudices of the interviewer work a lot in any interview. Some candidates fake that they are desirable, and later on, they turn out to be worse than the worst. Soft skills and EIQ principles can help you a lot in impressing others, sometimes.

It also depends on the culture of the company as well. Some corporate houses have a tendency to appreciate those candidates who are "yes" masters. If you remember the naukri.com ad 'guess who has heard from us', some family-owned businesses that later become Pvt Ltd companies carry this with them. But, of course, you cannot generalize 100%; there are exceptions to even Dr. Freud's principles.

But as Sujatha started out or as our Hon'ble President pointed out to the IIT's, our effectiveness as HR Professionals lies in the 'ability to spot hidden talents and also to use them at the right time and at the right place. People come in different shapes and sizes, like five fingers on a hand; the moment they synergize, it could be a punch, a lethal one! 😈

We can find umpteen numbers of legends who were initially rejected by the so-called masters in their own field at the beginning of their careers.

Some people I can remember now are:

1. Thomas Alva Edison - who was judged by his teacher as a mentally retarded chap by his math teacher 😱😄
2. Marilyn Monroe, who was told to be useful as a housewife or at the most a secretary 😄
3. Elvis Presley - who was told that he can be an 18-wheeler driver ❓
4. Beatles - as good-for-nothing noisemakers ☹️
5. Our own actress Rekhaji - was rejected as dark and ugly 😳
6. Bharat Mohan Lal - not fit to be a hero as he had a face which resembled the Malayalam alphabet 'RA' 😖

I wonder what those people would have felt when they had to discover what their rejected materials became later on in life!

Looking forward to your comments!

Regards,

Jeeves

Dear JSF,

Upon reviewing your profile and some of your previous messages, I appreciate your seriousness and would love to interact with you.

The content of your messages is highly technical. In my experience, even the slightest technicality can be challenging to grasp. I am unsure about your experience in this regard.

I noticed that you have listed your location as "INDIA," but I did not see any mention of studying in India in your educational background.

Is the personality test standardized in India? If not, it is essential to consider that if standardized in India, you may encounter different factor loadings for each test item.

As you are aware, countries are ranked in the Human Development Index. India, being a developing nation, currently holds the 127th position. I believe as individuals progress from less developed to developed nations, their cognition becomes increasingly nuanced. Therefore, if the test is standardized in India, a score of 5 may translate to just 1 or 2. I understand that my observations may be surprising to you.

Regards,

Dear Sujata
Personalities...have different meaning when used in different context. When used for seniors and experienced profiles...personality means...”how presentable you are”. When used for fresher...most of the time...it means...looks.
Same way the term personality has different meaning when used in different industries. In entertainment industry, in front office jobs, in hotel industry...most of the time...good personality means...good looks.
For a layman in HR and in corporate world...Good Personality means your “how presentable you are”.
Will give more inputs…afterwards
Regards
Sanjeev Sharma
(Blog: http://sanjeevhimachali.blogspot.com/)

Hi,

Keeping aside the HR jargons...some simple things that contribute to an impressive personality...

Great confidence is a key factor.

Knowledge (knowledge adds to confidence too, the more knowledge you have, the greater confidence you have...right?)

Communication....speaks well...expresses right...clear and precise (and is a focused -good listener).

Empathy (no point if you are unable or grossly fail to "understand" people and situations).

Presentable (packing matters...you wouldn't want to buy a doormat too if the packing is dusty!....not good looks but a healthy body and soul reflect positive energy...).

Last but not least "HUMOR"....anyone who has a great sense of humor would always be a great hit with colleagues and people....

Righto?

Thanks
Kamal

Dear Sujata,

As Vandana said, if the profile involves meeting clients, then the company would look out for people with pleasing looks. Obviously, they are going to represent your company there. They need to be good-looking, which would be the initial impression to the clients. The other attributes attached to this pleasant personality involve communication, response, presentation, etc. So, looks also play a vital role based on the role requirements.

Regards,
Elamurugu

Hi,

Some simple goof-ups (and solutions) that impact your personality:

1. Being fidgety (excessive movement, scratching, foot tapping, repetitive actions) – these all indicate anxiety in some form.

2. Improper/no eye contact (this is a sign of low confidence /poor knowledge)

3. Droopy shoulders – poor self esteem/low confidence

4. Drooling speech/trailing off – unclear/lack of knowledge

5. Walking style – walk…dont drag your feet (that gives a feeling of boredom, look up straight, shoulders straight, head held straight and maintain an even gait… dragging your body)

6. Inappropriate Dressing/grooming blunders (here are a few small things which may not be noticed… however if you are neat on all these it contributes to a presentable personality to an extent)

• Folded sleeves – though a fashion trend may at times be considered as a casual attitude (though there are industries that will consider this as a plus point) Avoid if you are formally dressed.

• Crinkled /crumpled clothes/dirt stained clothes – though may not directly contribute, but they can be taken as a plain carelessness.

• Uncomfortable clothes: Ladies, especially in India where we have multiple options of dressing (sarees, salwar kameezes, trousers skirts etc) please wear what you are comfortable with and can carry it easily.

If you choose to wear skirts ensure the length is comfortable for you to manage and doesn't make you feel uneasy.

• Ensure you wear your “size”. Buy the best fitting ones.(coats/blazers look bad if they are borrowed and do not really fit your size….it's easy to spot when you wear a blazer that is not your size ...it droops at shoulders and makes you look silly try it yourself…you'd be surprised to find how many people actually do this)

• Shoes – better be neatly polished, if you are in formals.

• Socks – ensure you wear a good clean pair…no body likes the smell of a dead rat!

• Ladies – avoid high heels if you aren't comfortable with them(they can give you a droopy walking style if you are not used to high heels)

• Make-up: wear minimum minus the sparkle …heavy pancakes are strict no-no for formal activities... Moreover heavy makeup can't be managed if you have a hectic work schedule.

• Carry minimum hand baggage; carry only as much as required (avoid the “executive porter look” )

• Nails – should be clean/Ladies have them neatly painted or clear of any nail color marks…not chipped color on nails.

• Hair – well cut and set (if you sport spiked hair please ensure you spike them well if that's your style, those who don't know how to please avoid spikes or any funky hairdo for any important meetings and stick to your original style.)

• Facial hear – please be clean shaved, no 5'0 clock shadow. it gives you a sleepy look. If you sport beard and mustaches ensure its trimmed well and set well.

• Body odor – you don't want to leave a trail of sweat around or exorbitant expensive perfumes lingering behind.

If you sweat excessively avoid the stench using lighter perfumes or deodorants...Avoid going overboard. Some people are allergic to heavy aromas …your perfume may give your clients/colleagues/interviewers heavy bouts of sneezing.

To add to this...you hurt your personality the most when you "pretend"...Be Natural ...the more you are natural the comfortable & confident you would be :)

Thanks

Kamal

Personality is a description of consistent emotional, thought, and behavior patterns in a person. The several theoretical perspectives on personality involve different ideas about the relationship between personality and other psychological constructs as well as different ideas about the way personality develops.

The subject of personality has received increasing attention from industrial/organizational psychologists in both research and practice settings over the past decade. While there is an overabundance of information related to the narrow area of personality testing and employee selection, there has been no definitive source offering a broader perspective on the overall topic of personality in the workplace. Personality and Work at last provides an in-depth examination of the role of personality in work behavior. An array of expert authors discusses the connection of personality to a wide range of outcomes beyond performance, including counterproductive behaviors, contextual performance, retaliatory behaviors, retention, learning, knowledge creation, and the process of sharing that knowledge. Throughout the book, the authors present theoretical perspectives, introduce new models and frameworks, and integrate and synthesize prior studies in ways that will stimulate future research and practice.