Sometimes it seems that the character of a person plays a larger role when looking for someone to hire.

There’s quote out there by Peter Schutz that says, “hire character, train skill.”

The focus lies on the applicant’s demeanor, personality, ambition, compliance, and character.

Meanwhile specific skills, knowledge, and understanding are teachable and easily learnt by the person.

According to a study, 77% of employers believe that soft skills (skills associated with one’s personality) are just as important as hard skills (skills that are learned to perform a specific function).

Talent matters, but so does character. For instance, a candidate might have the perfect set of skills necessary for the job but be rejected if they don’t have the right values – without character, s/he will not fit into the organization.

Attitude is not something that you can really teach to someone. If someone needs to constantly be reminded to do things or behave in a certain way to achieve the desired outcome, it’s not something that will benefit the company.

Just as Jim Collins said in his book Good to Great, “get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats.” After all, an organization is only as good as the talent it recruits. For the people are the ones who define and shape the culture.

Although, personality traits are difficult to demonstrate on a resume, they’re vital to highlight during the interview.

Be mindful of the personality traits that are on display. Not only do employers want to know that you are qualified for a position, but they want to see that you fit with the company culture.

Of course, the best way to demonstrate your personality is to be yourself.