Infographic: The big 5 personality traits in the job search

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 NeuroticismIn 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.

Infographic about the big five personality traits in the job search.
Infographic about the big five personality traits in the job search. Details of the infographic listed below.
Infographic about the big five personality traits in the job search. Details listed below.

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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