As a workplace psychologist with extensive experience, Dr. Benjamin Granger specializes in helping organizations create positive experiences for their employees and job candidates. Through his conversations with executives and HR professionals, he has identified hiring good talent as a top priority for most organizations, with conscientiousness being the most desired trait in new hires. The five factor model, which includes openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability, highlights the importance of conscientiousness in predicting performance across various jobs.
Conscientiousness, characterized by qualities such as organization, responsibility, and hard work, is valued by employers for its universality in predicting success regardless of job tasks. During the hiring process, candidates can demonstrate conscientiousness through pre-hire personality assessments rooted in the Big Five model and effective interview responses that showcase their organizational skills and work ethic. Recruiters and hiring managers also observe subtle cues such as responsiveness to communication and professionalism to gauge conscientiousness in candidates.
To improve conscientiousness, individuals can reflect on their own traits and seek feedback from trusted sources. Those naturally conscientious can emphasize their diligence and work ethic, while those seeking to develop this trait can establish supports such as time management tools or boundary-setting techniques. Dr. Granger emphasizes the importance of being authentic to oneself in the job search process, as pretending to possess traits like conscientiousness can be counterproductive. By acknowledging areas for growth and actively working to develop conscientiousness, individuals can increase their chances of securing fulfilling job opportunities.
Dr. Benjamin Granger, as Chief Workplace Psychologist at Qualtrics, has extensive experience in building Experience Management programs globally. He leads thought leadership and research initiatives in Employee Experience (EX) and instructs in CNBC’s online course “How to Ace Your Job Interview.” This course provides valuable insights into what hiring managers look for, body language techniques, and effective communication strategies. By focusing on developing essential traits like conscientiousness, individuals can enhance their job search strategies and increase their chances of landing their ideal role.
