Personality can matter as much as job skills, survey finds

Personality counts when it comes to landing a job, according to a new study. In the survey by Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll, 91% of hiring managers said personality matters as much as skills, while 86% said it can overcome a skills gap. Reliability, honesty and adaptability ranked among the traits employers value most, while 87% of hiring managers said they can tell from the first conversation whether a candidate will succeed at their company. Personality also matters after hiring, with 94% saying it shapes how employee performance is perceived and 99% saying a positive personality can accelerate career advancement.