Infographic: The big 5 personality traits in the job search
- by Buoyancy Works
- |
- — 5 min read
Employment personality testing is a common but frustrating practice. It’s often used by employers to determine our value or simplify who we are. However, these assessments can also be valuable tools for job seekers looking to learn more about themselves.
The Big 5 is the most researched, written about, and reproducible personality test. It has five personality categories that we all exhibit to varying degrees: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism. In the Buoyancy platform, we use this evidence-based assessment to help illuminate how you might “show up” when embarking on your job search.
This week’s infographic explores each trait and how it might impact job search behaviours. It also identifies strengths and potential challenges of each trait- in the context of navigating your search.
The big 5 in the job search
Openness to experience
If you’re high in this trait you might:
- Enjoy taking on creative and innovative approaches to the job search
- Be more flexible and open to new opportunities and experiences
- Struggle with repetitive tasks like submitting applications and revising resumes
If you’re low in this trait you might:
- Find it easier to make career decisions
- Persevere in the face of rejections or lack of response from applications
- Be adverse to taking risks or be less open to trying new approaches
Conscientiousness
If you’re high in this trait you might:
- Do well at setting and adhering to deadlines & timelines
- Take an organized, disciplined and detail-oriented approach to the job search
- Be challenged when your outcomes don’t align with what you’ve planned
If you’re low in this trait you might:
- Deal well with uncertainties you encounter in the job search
- Be flexible and respond well to unanticipated plan changes
- Have difficulty setting and adhering to deadlines
Extroversion
If you’re high in this trait you might:
- Feel comfortable and confident with interviews
- Be great at networking
- Find it challenging to find a job independently
If you’re low in this trait you might:
- Require less outside support, instead, you find that support within
- Be very self-reflective and aware of your areas for improvement
- Find interviewing and following up with potential employers difficult
Agreeableness
If you’re high in this trait you might:
- Integrate well into many company cultures
- Have a lot more patience towards the job search process
- Be overly accommodating of certain job demands and/or expectations
If you’re low in this trait you might:
- Be a great self-advocate, as you’re not willing to compromise your values or ideals
- Have high levels of productivity when job seeking
- Tend to be overly competitive, comparing your journey to others’
Neuroticism
If you’re high in this trait you might:
- Have more realistic expectations
- Be a forward thinker who’s well prepared for negative outcomes
- Not work well under the stress of being unemployed, and may need some extra emotional support
If you’re low in this trait you might:
- Work well in high-pressure situations
- View challenges in the job search optimistically
- Not consider and therefore be unprepared for negative outcomes
Uncover about the big 5 with Buoyancy!
We use “The Big 5” in the Buoyancy App, to inform our support approaches. By offering a variety of surveys, we help you uncover unique insights about yourself and your drivers!
At Buoyancy, our mission is to support job seekers and career changers in a more personalized way. We’re challenging the “one-size-fits-all” approach promoted by career coaches and blogs, knowing the journey looks different for everyone.
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