The significance of being able to describe your personality during an interview
When applying for a job, the job description may emphasize professional skills and achievements, but most roles also require personality traits. How the interviewer perceives your personality during and after the interview can mean the difference between getting the job or not. This article will go over how to answer questions about your personality in an interview, what to include in your answers, what to avoid, and several example answers to help you practice.
Answering Personality Interview Questions
Here are some tips for coming up with convincing responses to questions about your personality during a job interview:
Think about and identify your personal qualities.
The first step in effectively answering personality questions is to identify your personal characteristics that qualify you for the role. Because personality traits are subjective, identifying your positive and negative characteristics and how they apply to a role can be difficult. Workplace personality tests can help you identify characteristics that distinguish you from other candidates.
You can also think about and write down your best selling points that make you a good fit for the role. After you’ve identified the personality traits that qualify you for the role, consider how you can demonstrate those traits in an interview scenario to increase your chances of getting the job.
Look into the company.
You can predict personality interview questions by researching a company’s culture, structure, and employee programs. A lot of information is available on the company’s About Us page, social media pages, and recruitment sites. Examine reviews of the company’s recruitment process and, if possible, speak with current employees about what to expect at an interview.
Examine the job description thoroughly.
In the job description, employers typically outline a list of soft and hard skills required for their position. Examining the job posting can assist you in identifying relevant personality traits that the employer seeks in the ideal candidate. Once you’ve identified three key soft skills from the job description, try to incorporate them into your responses and explain how they helped you perform your previous roles.
Be genuine
Personality-related interview questions can be challenging to answer because they typically require you to provide real-life examples to back up your claims. As a result, it is critical to be truthful about your personal characteristics. You do not need to exaggerate or lie about your abilities; simply try to portray your most relevant characteristics in a way that interviewers can relate to the position. The more convincing your experiences, the more likely hiring managers will believe you have the right personality for the job.
Take advantage of third-party feedback.
Most personality questions help interviewers determine how well you work with others. To make your response more convincing, frame it in terms of your interactions with colleagues and others. For example, you can highlight your interpersonal skills by discussing how well you work in a team and how your leadership skills contributed to the success of a large project. Discuss your relationships with former team members and managers, as well as how your personal characteristics aided you in working effectively and fulfilling your job duties and responsibilities.
Choose your words wisely.
The way you phrase your responses to personality questions can also help you win over interviewers. Almost all employers, for example, value soft skills such as teamwork, integrity, adaptability, respect, and problem-solving abilities. Identify the keywords for the core soft skills that the employer is looking for in candidates and include them in your responses.
What to include in a personality questionnaire response
When responding to personality questions during an interview, you should ideally include the following information:
Reasons why you are a good fit for the company
Your responses to personality interview questions should emphasize how well you will fit into the organization culture of the employer. Use real-life examples in your response to demonstrate your ability to work and deliver results in the company’s environment. To effectively answer these questions, learn about the company’s history, organizational structure, and culture. Examine its former employees, the characteristics it values in its employees, products and services, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Remember to read the job postings to identify specific characteristics relevant to the role.
Your positive characteristics
When answering personality questions, emphasize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. This necessitates a thorough understanding of your personality and its relevance to the job requirements. Concentrate on your core competencies that will enable you to perform effectively if hired. If the hiring manager inquires about your weaknesses, don’t lie, but frame your response to reflect your willingness to step up and acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver results.
Personality-descriptive action words
A suitable response to a personality question should include strong words that hiring managers are looking for. Shrewd, risk-taker, observant, energetic, creative, and organized are some of these words. Others are brave, honest, driven, result-oriented, positive, orderly, methodical, and adventurous, to name a few. If possible, research the words that employers like to use to describe their employees and include them in your interview responses.
What to avoid when responding to personality questionnaires
When answering personality interview questions, avoid the following:
Personal information that is irrelevant
When responding to personality interview questions, it is critical to avoid mentioning personal information that is unrelated to the role. For example, when a hiring manager asks you about yourself, limit your response to only job-specific professional information that can help you get the job.
Personal characteristics that are detrimental
While it is not advisable to lie about your personal qualities, you should also refrain from discussing any unprofessional characteristics. When asked about integrity or honesty, for example, your response should not include instances when you were dishonest. Even if you have some undesirable personality traits, your response should demonstrate a desire to improve yourself.
Long or boring responses
Keep your responses brief, interesting, and pertinent to your job duties and responsibilities. Topics that are excessively long and uninteresting increase the risk of losing the interviewer’s attention. If your responses are too long, you may veer off topic. Keep responses brief and to the point for maximum impact.
Answers to personality questionnaires
Here are some examples of personality interview responses:
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
David is my name. I live in Key Largo, Florida, and have been working in the automotive industry for the past five years. I’ve worked extensively in automotive mechanics, automotive electronics, and HVAC systems. I’ve worked on a variety of vehicle makes and models over the last four years, including major American, Japanese, and German brands. I am confident that my extensive industry experience and technical skills qualify me for your automotive technician position.
In five years, where do you see yourself?
In the next five years, I see myself in a more senior and challenging position. I’m working on three advanced certifications that will allow me to take on more specialized and difficult technical responsibilities. I already have a project management certification and am on my way to becoming an SCRUM Master. These abilities and competencies will enable me to take on more management responsibilities and contribute more to the organization’s success.
What would your coworkers say about you?
The majority of my coworkers and colleagues regard me as humble and supportive. David, my team leader for the last two years, can attest to this. He knows I will always be there for my team, even if it means working extra hours. David knows he can always count on me to deliver projects on time, even when we’ve had to beat a deadline or finish a job on short notice.
How do you deal with the stress of your job?
Stress is an unavoidable component of this job. I deal with stress by focusing on the positive aspects of our work. Our products and services have an impact on the lives of millions of people. When I’m under pressure, I simply visit our social media fan page to see what our customers are saying. That almost always cheers me up. During the office break, I also go for a quick 15-minute walk to get my mind off work. That allows me to unplug and recharge my batteries.
Knowing how to describe your personality is an important factor in interview performance and success. Before attending interviews, it is critical to identify your personality traits, understand how they relate to the position, and practice using them in responses to interview questions.
