Personality and job performance are related, according to a classic research study (Barrick & Mount, 1991). Those who are conscientious – which refers to, among other things, being punctual, orderly, detail oriented, and organized – performed their job better. This finding is particularly strong because it was found through a rigorous process known as a meta-analysis, in which the results of many studies are combined. In this particular case, 117 studies were used, which yielded a sample size of nearly 24,000 participants.
The authors found that conscientiousness predicted performance ratings, levels of productivity, training proficiency, salary level, tenure, and turnover. The subjects in these studies were professionals (e.g., engineers, doctors), police, managers, salespeople, and skilled workers (e.g., flight attendants, medical assistants).
Barrick, M. R. & Mount, M. K. (1991). The big five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44(1), 1-26.
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