Personality turn-offs that could cost you a contract

While it’s popular to say “you do you”, this may not be the case if you’re in an interview situation.

In fact, a recent report from CV-Library and TopCV (based on a survey of 200 employers) found that a huge 75% believe that personality is the most important factor when considering someone for a job, whether that be as a contractor or as a permanent employee. Just to put it in perspective, that’s compared to those who believed it was education (13%) or appearance (12%).

So, you could have all the skills and education, but if there’s a clash of personalities, you could well lose out on the contract.

Personality no-no’s

According to the report, there is a top ten of personality turn-offs that are almost guaranteed to get you taken off the recruitment shortlist. These are:

• Arrogance
• Dishonesty
• Being unreliable
• Close-mindedness
• Being immoral
• Ignorance
• A sense of entitlement
• Self-centredness
• A short temper
• Cruelty

The list of the most favored personality traits is somewhat self-explanatory. It includes being reliable, having confidence, honesty, being honorable, loyalty, friendliness, and being self-disciplined.

Careers Expert at TopCV, Amanda Augustine, had this to say on the results of the survey: “Historically, assessing job seekers was contingent on two factors – experience and skills – but our new survey reveals that more intangible qualities, such as personality, are determining which candidates rise to the top.”

Of course, the fact that personality traits are intangible can mean it comes down to personal preference, but there are things you can do to make sure you’re at an advantage.

How to make sure you come across at your best

When bidding for a contract, you have a relatively small space of time to convince the hiring manager that you’re the right person for this project. As well demonstrating your experience and skills, you also need to use the time to show off your sparkling personality. So, what do you need to do?

• Tread the fine line between selling yourself and coming across as arrogant and entitled
• Be open, transparent, and honest
• Arrive in plenty of time and prepare anything you said you would
• Show yourself to be open-minded and well-informed
• Be kind, polite, and pleasant – it costs nothing

While this might seem obvious to most people, it’s easy to get carried away in an interview environment, especially with the race-to-the-bottom business culture so often demonstrated on the likes of LinkedIn and in popular culture. It’s not necessary to be an awful person in order to get ahead and, as this report shows, it can actually damage your chances in very real terms.

Of course, there are other things that can also damage your chances at securing a contract and not having the correct contractor insurance is one of them. If you’re ready for renewal or need to buy for the first time, our expert team can help. Simply call 01242 808740.