If you’ve scrolled through #CorporateTikTok lately, you’ve probably encountered the personality hire: someone who was hired for their temperament, rather than their technical skills.
While personality has played a role in hiring since… well, forever, this trend offers a new take on the practice, inviting self-proclaimed personality hires to laugh it off, or even celebrate it as a badge of honor. And it’s sparked quite a bit of conversation.
Whether you love it, hate it, or are it, let’s unpack this latest TikTok craze.
A personality hire is someone who landed their job based on their positive energy and interpersonal skills, versus their technical prowess. The value they provide has more to do with creating a positive work culture than with doing the work itself.
Some may be unaware that they’re the personality hire, while others may intentionally use those traits to make up for a lack of other “hard skills.” Either way, the writing is on the wall when it comes to the personality hire: they’re becoming more and more needed within the workspace, primarily because they’re seen as bridge-builders and cooperative colleagues.
Randall Peterson, professor of organizational behavior at the London School of Business, notes that, “The pandemic really showed people the value in being this kind of even-tempered, cooperative type rather than the star who wants to put themselves in front of everybody.” He further explained:
“The basic truth is if you have one competitive person and one cooperative person, the competitive person will always win,” he says. “However, two cooperative people will outperform two competitive people every time.”
As the world of work changes, it only makes sense that hiring practices and role functions need to evolve, too.
Companies have long recognized the importance of the “culture fit” when it comes to hiring. Interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, teamwork… these are all abilities that can help set one candidate apart from the rest.
But on TikTok, the idea is played to the extreme for comedic effect, showing friendly teammates cheerleading or distracting their colleagues and doing very little else.
And, of course, that has critics calling BS. Because while the videos may be designed as satire, many of us know all too well just how real they can be – not to mention the people who serve as the personality hire AND the person who does a lot of work … those unicorns deserve a post of their own.
There’s no shortage of hashtags and trends about corporate life, so why did personality hires suddenly take off?
For many, the videos are validating. Plenty of people feel a little lost or out of place at work—especially early on in their career. For years, we’ve talked about imposter syndrome and “faking it ‘til you make it.”
By owning the title “Personality Hire,” employees who may have otherwise felt ashamed about relying on their interpersonal skills to land a job can instead feel empowered. (Leave it to Gen Z to put a positive spin on what generations before them tried to hide.)
The trend also signals a growing focus on office culture and employee engagement. Between rampant burnout and employees’ resistance to returning to the office, companies are looking for ways to boost engagement and morale at work. In that regard, it makes sense that they’d place a high value on employees who can uplift spirits and bring new energy into an office.
“We lock up our homes, we lock up our cars... but when it comes to boundaries for our personal well-being, we just give it away. You know: just come in, take it, and rob me.” The chief wellbeing officer is a new, much-needed role to tackle the growing challenge of professional burnout.
And emotional intelligence is, in fact, an crucial skill in the workplace.
Not to mention that in some cases, “hard skills” can be easier to teach than “soft skills.” So employees hired based on the less tangible capabilities may have more opportunities to grow into a role over time.
But personality hiring isn’t without its downsides. If someone hired for their positive demeanor isn’t pulling their weight, it can backfire — fueling resentment among team members and causing more harm than good to the employee experience.
The trick is striking a delicate balance between professionalism and positivity, and looking for skills that complement each other — both within an individual hire, and within the larger team.
Not sure if you’re the personality hire on your team? Here are a few telltale signs:
If you need a few moments to collect yourself because you’ve just realized that you’re a personality hire, or that you carry two important roles: personality hire and hard-working employee, we understand. Support groups meet on TikTok 24/7 via the #CorporateLife tag.
