According to researchers at the University of Western Sydney (UWS), personality type is more important than academic achievements when it comes to recruitment. They found that personality is a better indicator of career preference or aptitude than social or academic background. And if they're to be believed, that old chestnut about needing a ruthless streak to get on in the world may even be true.
UWS researchers looked at five different characteristics:
- openness to experience
- conscientiousness
- extroversion
- agreeableness
- emotional stability
They found that specific personality types were more prevalent in certain jobs. For instance, clerical workers tend to be conscientious but neurotic and prey to stress, while office workers are stable but less conscientious.
Managers, however. while especially conscientious and open to experience. are more antagonistic and suffer from 'lower agreeableness'. I'm not sure we needed a research project to unearth that little gem ....
While there's a certain amount of sense behind recruiting by personality, most jobs do still require a degree of skill and some relevant academic background. The dangers in ignoring this are twofold - first, that successful candidates have the attitude but not the skills needed. And second, that recruiters recruit in their own like, hiring people that they get on with. However nice it is to become friends with colleagues, it's very much the case that there need to be a few people in any team prepared to disagree with the majority, and to be happy to stand up and pick holes in the modus operandi.
So next time your manager's grumpy, it may be a case of putting up with it - for the greater good of the team.
