What’s the role of a ‘personality hire’ in the workplace?
People are questioning online whether they’re a so-called “personality hire.” But is that a good thing?
Some people would describe a personality hire as someone who excels in boosting company culture and navigating interpersonal dynamics, while others would consider them slackers who compensate for their lack of skills by bringing good energy to the workplace, thereby boosting culture.
And rather than be sheepish about how they might have been hired predominantly for their personality, rather than their ability to excel in a role, they’re OK with it — with some even celebrating it online.
What’s more — their colleagues seem grateful for this trait, regarding it as a valuable and necessary quality in their coworkers. TikTok creator @viennaayla shared a skit about this kind of work dynamic, which showed two coworkers stressing over a looming deadline, where the personality hire arrives late to work and offers to call the CEO, who then offers them an extension and even a lunch invitation.
The video received over 1 million likes and 6 million views with comments from people raving about the personality hire. “Personality hire and anxious overachievers are THE dream team,” wrote one viewer in a comment that received over 100,000 likes, and “the personality hire is also the client whisperer,” another one wrote, while another said: “the personality hire is critical to the social equilibrium of the workplace.”
“Who doesn’t like a personality hire?” questioned Kate Walker, executive consultant and human resources expert. “People like folks with high energy who are likable, sociable and bring school spirit to the workplace. Personality hires take pride in this. It’s not about getting the job done, it’s about injecting energy and positivity.”
Walker warns though that this can quickly turn into a situation where other colleagues become resentful. That’s why recruiters say there is actually a science behind nailing the best personality hire that walks the line of boosting company culture while also exercising the needed skills to succeed in more ways than just socially.
Wesley Lieser, vp, demand generation and marketing search for recruitment firm Versique Search & Consulting, says that a personality hire really does add to the culture of an organization. And employers searching for candidates have often asked him to find people who have experience in the hospitality industry, or in customer-facing positions, because they have strong communication and service skills that can prove so valuable when interacting with the rest of their colleagues.
Another key indicator that someone would help boost company culture is if they have a history of getting involved at their previous organization. For example, Versique, has a “fun committee,” that helps drive different initiatives around workplace culture. ”That adds value to the organization as well,” said Lieser.
And during an interview process, Lieser says there are a few ways to determine if someone has a personality that the hiring organization is looking for. If they need someone competitive, that could mean determining if they have been an athlete in their life.
“Those are things we look for from the onset when we present candidates,” said Lieser. “It’s something we vet out right away if we don’t think they are going to be a cultural fit for the organization.”
And for company culture fits at large, be on the lookout for questions like “what’s your favorite show?” It might seem low stakes, but it could actually be a way to see if you have similar interests to other people on the job.
But Lieser says he’s never placed anyone where their only job is to bring good vibes, and that it’s actually a lot more rare to see that today, especially when labor markets are tight and employers are looking for the most productive employees. He does think that personality is an important part of the hiring process though, for all parties involved.
“If we make the wrong hire just because they can do the job but they don’t fit in with everyone else, they’re going to leave in six months anyway and we’ll be right back here filling this position,” said Leiser. “There’s been much more of an emphasis in the last 18 months on this. Before that, it was ‘we want the right person, and if they fit in with our culture, it’s an added bonus.’”
Walker agrees this is key and prompts recruiters to ask questions like what is the intention behind a personality hire? Are they expected to do just that or what are their other key roles?
“I’ve interviewed thousands of people, and it’s nice to come across someone with a pleasant personality with energy and enthusiasm,” said Walker. “However, it also depends on the type of work you need to be getting done. If the responsibility is to be on the computer all day crunching numbers, do we need that kind of personality anyways? … They have to do work. Every successful company needs to make a profit and have the job done.”
And with personality hires, it’s a slippery slope for hiring managers to lean into unconscious biases, which could leave them with a homogenous workplace that could stifle diversity, equity and inclusion goals. That’s the main worry for Barbara Palmer, founder of Broad Perspective Consulting.
“Personality used to be much higher in the ranking — would you like to have a beer with this person after work, travel with them, or be locked in a room nailing down a pitch?,” said Palmer. “That has its place in a hiring process, but the whole thing is a process, and there should be a scorecard. How we weigh personality should be one of the factors, but we have to be careful. If you want to spend time with this person, are you finding someone like you, and all of a sudden does the workforce look and say all of the same things?”
Naturally, “no one should hire assholes,” she stressed, but that it matters way more how the person will be in their role versus whether or not you want to get lunch with them.
“It’s a good opportunity to talk about diversity,” said Palmer. “It’s important to understand different points of views. Maybe we should be looking for someone who complements us and challenges us in all the best ways.”