When you think of the attributes that would put you over the top in a job application or a promotion opportunity, what comes to mind? A degree from a more prestigious university? Being the most senior person to apply? Having the most hard skills?
Good—those are indeed all factors that could give you an edge! But believe it or not, your personality could play an outsized role, too.
Consider a software developer who delivers flawless code and brings smart ideas to the table at every meeting. Well … if that same developer is easily agitated and often lashes out at coworkers, a more affable applicant might have the edge in applying for a managerial position.
Today, I want to bring you up to speed with how your personality can affect your attractiveness as a job candidate, your earnings, and your potential for advancement. And I’ll do so with a heavy emphasis on the “Big 5” personality traits, which many employers consider in their hiring decisions, whether consciously or subconsciously.
What Are The ‘Big 5’ Personality Traits? [And How Do They Affect Income?]
Ever heard of a “personality hire?” These are employees who have been hired more so for their personality and approach to work, and less so for their experience or technical skills.
According to a 2024 Monster survey, nearly half of workers (48%) self-identify as personality hires. Traditional hires and personality hires agree that the most valuable attribute of personality hires is their skill of strengthening relationships among coworkers, clients, and customers. Personality hires also are praised for their ability to improve work culture and lift morale.
When judging a prospective employee’s personality, interviewers tend to look for signs of what’s known as the “Big 5” personality traits, which you can remember using the word “CANOE”:
- Conscientiousness
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
- Openness
- Extraversion
In short: Depending on which of these five traits you exhibit, and which traits your prospective employer sees as desirable, you might just earn a job … and a crisp high-five.
But these traits don’t just benefit job seekers. Your temperament can affect your likelihood of receiving raises and/or promotions in your current job as well.
Let’s look at each of these traits and discuss how they affect your employability.
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Conscientiousness
Do you have a nonchalant attitude about work? Do you frequently fumble your tasks or even leave them incomplete?
Well, if so, you wouldn’t be considered a very conscientious employee.
People who are conscientious care about doing their tasks correctly and thoroughly. Whether as a student or professional, these are the people known to “check their work.” And these types of employees are generally desirable.
Data from Germany’s Socio-Economic Panel shows that conscientiousness in the workplace has a positive effect on income and reduces people’s time spent unemployed. Meanwhile, per a 2022 Joblist survey, respondents in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia classified as “highly conscientious” were more likely to have a salary of at least $75,000 than anyone classified as having a high level of any of the other Big 5 traits.
Managers and department heads tend to score high on the conscientiousness scale, too, based on a 2024 Journal of Applied Psychology study of 263 occupations. Among the lowest in conscientiousness? Visual artists, electronics engineers, and graphic and multimedia designers.
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Agreeableness
Although the word agreeable has largely fallen out of popular vernacular, the trait itself is still prominent within certain professions. An agreeable person is usually known for being considerate, kind, and cooperative. We tend to trust these people and enjoy working with them more than those who are disagreeable.
And yet …
While agreeable people may have an advantage in being hired, that doesn’t necessarily mean their kindness is rewarded with a high paycheck. Quite the opposite: Agreeableness is often correlated with lower earnings. But it makes sense when you think about it. A person who wants to avoid conflict might not push for a higher salary when hired or for a raise later. If you’re too humble, it might hinder your ability to make more money.
Additionally, agreeable people might miss out on promotions. If you’re good friends with everybody at your workplace, upper management might worry you would struggle with disciplining employees or firing them.
Some of the occupations with the highest average agreeableness levels include electronics engineers, web and multimedia developers, and psychologists. Conversely, if you’ve ever encountered a pushy salesperson, it won’t shock you to learn that salespeople and real estate agents tend to score the lowest in agreeability, as do self-employed workers.
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Neuroticism
People with high levels of neuroticism are more likely to feel pessimism, anxiety, frustration, or jealousy. These feelings can be difficult in some types of workplaces, as they can result in procrastination and being more reactive to stress.
This is a trait where low scores are considered desirable. Low scores indicate lower stress, higher self-confidence, and better adaptability. Meanwhile, high scores could be a warning of awkwardness, anxiety, and a difficulty in managing emotions.
Being highly neurotic can make it more difficult to earn promotions and subsequently a high salary. Based on the aforementioned Joblist survey, highly neurotic workers were the least likely to have senior or executive positions. Lower-level positions tend to have lower pay, so it may be unsurprising that these employees were also the most likely to have an annual salary of $34,999 or less.
Would you want your airline pilot to be extra anxious during an emergency? Probably not. Unsurprisingly, then, pilots, database and network professionals, as well as people in managerial roles, tend to have lower levels of neuroticism.
Don’t think being a bit neurotic makes you unemployable, though. The trait can sometimes fit well with jobs for creative people. Actors, visual artists, graphic designers, and musicians tend to score higher on neuroticism measurements.
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Openness
Imagine your boss starts a team meeting by saying, “It’s time for us to mix things up and take some more risks. Today I want to hear people’s ideas for how we can be more innovative and think outside the box!”
Did you just feel a sudden jolt of excitement? Or were you awash in dread?
Your immediate reaction could be a hint as to where you land on the openness scale.
People with high levels of openness are usually creative, imaginative, and adventurous. Joblist research finds that workers who have a lot of openness are also often open to switching jobs, though that was likely connected to the fact that it was common for highly open people to have low job satisfaction. If you consider yourself a very open person, it might serve you well to pick a career that aligns with that trait. Otherwise, you could end up making a career change later in life, which could hinder your earnings potential.
People with careers as visual artists, language teachers, authors, and psychologists tend to have high openness scores. Plant operators, plumbers and pipe fitters, and drivers tend to have some of the lowest openness scores.
Extroversion
You might already have a preconceived notion of whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. However, when thinking about introversion and extroversion, you might want to focus more on how social situations make you feel, rather than how you react to them or deal with them.
If being around people energizes you, you’re more of an introvert. If crowds zap your energy, you’re likely more introverted.
Joblist 2022 survey results showed that highly extroverted professionals were the most likely to have received a promotion in the past year. This may go hand-in-hand with the fact that highly extroverted people also scored the highest in believing they have a good relationship with co-workers and their immediate supervisor. Or it could be that extroverts tend to be outgoing, assertive, and able to articulate concepts better.
Some best-fit roles for extroverts include advertising and public relations managers, actors, and conference and event planners. And while some believe extroversion is highly coveted in just about every field, there are still plenty of high-paying careers for introverts. Some of the jobs that score lowest on extroversion are electronics engineers, software developers, and web and multimedia developers.
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Can You Change Your Personality?
In short, yes. While we might naturally have certain traits, they’re not all-or-nothing qualities—they’re measured on a scale. Which means that, if you want to tilt your own scale so that you have a bit more or less of a personality trait, you can absolutely accomplish it!
A great for-instance? Extroversion can be somewhat of a fake-it-until-you-make-it trait. By forcing yourself to spend more time with people and speak up more, you might become more naturally extroverted.
Is too much neuroticism limiting your employment prospects? Try practicing mindfulness through breathwork, a gratitude journal, or meditation. If your neuroticism has a highly negative effect on your life, therapy can be extremely helpful.
Even small personality adjustments might open the door to significantly better career opportunities and earning potential.
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Company Culture Matters Too
How your personality aligns with your chosen career isn’t the only factor in whether you’re hired and how much you earn. Whether or not a person fits into a specific company’s culture matters as well.
Does the idea of random Nerf gun fights at work excite you or horrify you? Businesses want their employee’s personalities to mesh well together and with the company’s mission.
Consider Elon Musk, Tesla’s current CEO, and Tim Cook, Apple’s current CEO. While both hold CEO titles, most people would agree the two have different personalities. Public perception of Cook shows him as much more agreeable and substantially less neurotic than Musk.
Although your personality is a factor in your career trajectory, don’t assume it’s a hard-and-fast rule as to the job you need to have and how far you might progress.
