Elizabeth Openshaw 
Avoid displaying any of these traits during an interview for your best chance of success
We all know that a job interview is important. It's the first chance an employer has to get to know you a bit better… beyond the words on your CV. So it's a major player when it comes to deciding who to hire.
Do interviewers care about personality?
Err… definitely, yes. Put yourself in the shoes of an employer who has to decide between two candidates with the same skill set, level of education, and qualifications. You'd likely think back to the interview and ask yourself, “Who did I click with more?” As an employer, you're highly likely to choose the person who showcased more desirable qualities in their personality than the one who didn't.
So if you're not getting past job interviews, it's worth reconsidering how you come across to a prospective employer during an interview. Displaying any of these five personality traits, even unintentionally, could be a reason why:
1. Arrogance
Whether you're interviewing or dating, being confident is a positive personality trait. But be careful how far you take that confidence. Being arrogant – that person who thinks they know it all – is really off-putting, and can rub the interviewer up the wrong way.
Clearly you want to show your best self in the interview, so when talking about your accomplishments, focus on fact-based specifics like numbers and percentages, not grandiose adjectives like “great” and “impressive.” Saying, “I led the team to finish our project £100K under budget,” sounds more impactful than, “I saved the company a lot of money.”
Top tip: Don't shy away from questions that might make you look vulnerable. To show your ability to learn, demonstrate your commitment to personal growth with answers to tricky interview questions such as “What is your greatest weakness?”
2. Dishonesty
Honesty is key to building positive relationships and achieving effective collaboration anywhere. A potential supervisor will want to clarify that you'll be honest about the work you do. Fortunately, it's easy to prevent suspicion that you might be dishonest – just keep it truthful.
There's nothing wrong with curating your CV and interview responses to give your best side, that's expected. What's important is that you do so without giving in to over-exaggeration. Embellishing your past will probably result in communicating falsities, and if an HR Manager finds out that you were dishonest about your accomplishments, you'll likely be receiving your P45 before you've even set up your office space!
Top tip: It's an absolute no-no to ever lie on your CV, even just a tiny bit, so don't be tempted.
3. Unreliability
Reliability is related to trust, and there may be nothing more important for a productive workplace than being able to rely on co-workers, supervisors, and subordinates.
To prove how reliable you are, remember that actions speak louder than words, so it's how you behave in the time leading up to and during your interview that will show you can be counted on. While communicating with the HR Manager to set up the interview, respond to emails and messages in a timely manner.
Top tip: On the day of the interview, come prepared with extensive research, and do whatever you need to ensure you turn up for the meeting on time.
4. Immorality
It may be difficult to gauge a stranger's moral compass in a 30- to 60-minute meeting, but that doesn't mean interviewers won't make assumptions about positive and negative characteristics. Corruption is a genuine concern in many workplaces, and an employer will want to do their best to eliminate any concerns by rejecting any candidate who seems suspect.
If you don't have anything damning on your professional record, don't assume you're off the hook – because what an employer uncovers during their social media check can have just as much of an effect as a past lapse in workplace ethics.
Top tip: During your job search, take a closer look at your social media profiles and delete any posts that could raise eyebrows (or adjust your privacy settings so an HR Manager can't view them).
5. Close-mindedness
Creativity and a willingness to try new things are valuable skills in the workplace. Dismissing innovative thinking is a significant offence as an interviewee; it's one of those personality traits that can put potential employers off.
The best way to display open-mindedness in an interview is through the questions you ask at the end of the interview. Use the research you've previously done to make informed enquiries about processes or motivations that are specific to the company, then show receptiveness and enthusiasm when receiving a response.
Top tip: Show a willingness to learn about new places and ideas to offset any concerns that you may be close-minded.
Be the ideal colleague
Hiring a new employee is a big decision for any HR manager, so they'll take care to find the right person for the team. Understandably, that will mean rejecting those with negative personality traits they don't want to introduce to their workplace. This doesn't have to happen to you though. If you consistently show off your best personality traits and act like the co-worker you'd want to have, you'll have no trouble in making the right impression.
Presenting yourself well on your CV is important too. Find out what kind of positive and negative traits you project by submitting your CV for a free CV review.
This article was originally written by Lauren Settembrino and has been updated by Elizabeth Openshaw.