Employers prioritize personality over skill, survey says

The firm Hyper Island asked 500 business leaders what they look for in an employee, and only 39 percent said skills were the most important quality.

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You may have heaps of skill in your chosen profession, but unless you can, you know, hold a conversation, it’s going to be tougher for you to land a job.

A recent study from Hyper Island, a “global learning institute” found that 78 percent of the 500 business leaders surveyed gave a top priority rating to “personality” as the most desirable quality a worker can possess. Only 39 percent said the prospective employee’s “skill-set” was the most desirable quality.

The top concern for business leaders when it comes to talent is finding, keeping and developing the right people, with 20 percent.

[RELATED: Make sure your team is up to date on the latest skills, strategies and practices. Learn more about Ragan Training.]

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