OKLAHOMA CITY - Personality could give job candidates an edge and even help close a skills gap. New research from Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll finds 91% of U.S. hiring managers say personality matters as much as skills, while 86% say it can outweigh a candidate’s skills gap.
About 94% of hiring managers and 91% of job seekers say personality shapes how performance is perceived, and 99% of hiring managers say a positive or approachable personality can accelerate career advancement.
First impressions matter, too. Approximately 87% of hiring managers say they can tell from a first conversation whether a candidate will succeed, while 61% of job seekers worry about how their personality comes across in an interview. Nearly all job seekers (94%) say employers have evaluated their personality during the hiring process.
The traits employers value most are reliability (66%), honesty (63%), adaptability (55%), flexibility (54%) and self-motivation (54%). Meanwhile, 60% say work ethic is essential, up from 54% in 2025.
“Every employee has an effect on the workplace beyond the responsibilities listed in a job description,” said Bob Funk Jr., CEO, president and chairman of Express Employment International.
The findings are based on surveys of 1,006 U.S. hiring decision-makers and 1,000 U.S. job seekers conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Express Employment Professionals in May and June 2026.