the InMind blog

Resumé under the X-ray: What a CV really reveals about personality

• written by Dr. Tobias Marc Härtel

CVs are more than lists of experiences and qualifications – they tell a story. But can they also provide cues about a person’s personality? To investigate this question, a study examined 141 early-career professionals [1]. They completed personality tests on the Big Five and narcissism and submitted their CVs. The question: Which pieces of information in these CVs reveal something about their personality? The answer: There are cues, but they are subtle.

Fig 1

Recruiters place great value on applicants’ personality in order to assess their fit for the position, the team, or the company. Beyond that, personality is an important factor in predicting career success indicators such as performance, leadership effectiveness, or stress resistance [2]. CVs are the most commonly used tool in personnel selection, and recruiters often use the information presented there to draw conclusions about personality [3][4]. For example, it is often assumed that people who play team sports are more extraverted and that conscientious individuals make fewer spelling errors.

But which signals in CVs actually provide valid cues about an applicant’s personality? Based on 141 students in business-related fields, a new study coded 70 types of potential personality indicators (so-called cues), such as the number of spelling mistakes [1]. These cues were then correlated with the students’ personality test scores, such as conscientiousness. The following valid signals of personality were found:

Openness: Off the beaten path

Is someone curious, creative, and open to new experiences? If so, this might be reflected in their CV. Open individuals seem more likely to stray from typical paths: while most applicants use bullet points, they integrate continuous text into their CV. This could be an expression of their creative nature. Likewise, attending a technical secondary school may signal openness—possibly because it often allows for early specialization and alternative perspectives.

Conscientiousness: Practice early

Conscientiousness was particularly evident in the quantity and quality of professional and academic experiences. Applicants who had completed many internships or part-time jobs early on scored higher in this trait. Good grades and a high level of academic extracurricular engagement—such as involvement in student councils—were also valid indicators. A CV that emphasizes drive and commitment, therefore, points to a rather organized and reliable person.

Fig 2

Extraversion: Well-connected and stylish

Extraverted people love to connect with others. No surprise, then, that they more often include links to platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter in their CVs. Their extraversion also seems to be reflected in an appealing design. This fits with findings that they tend to place particular value on their appearance [5].

Narcissism: Career focus matters

With narcissism, cues mostly pointed to career-oriented extracurricular activities, such as membership in student consulting groups. Experience at prestigious companies in auditing and consulting was also more frequently listed. These CV details could indicate career ambition, which is often associated with narcissistic traits.

And the other traits?

While openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and narcissism were visible in CVs, the cues for agreeableness and neuroticism were less pronounced. Only a few tendencies could be identified—such as a higher number of stays abroad for agreeableness or less prestigious universities for neuroticism.

Fig 3

The limits of personality in the CV

Although valid cues about personality could be found in CVs, their explanatory power remains limited. The analyzed cues explained only a small portion of the measured personality—about 23% for openness or 18% for conscientiousness. This means: CVs contain subtle signals that relate to personality, but these cues are neither obvious nor comprehensive. To reliably capture personality in the organizational context, traditional personality tests remain the tool of choice.

Bibliography

1. T. M. Härtel, S. M. Breil, E. Grunenberg, and M. D. Back, “Relationships between resumé cues and applicants’ personality,” Appl. Psychol., pp. 1–44, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12522
2. M. R. Barrick and M. K. Mount, “The big five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis,” Pers. Psychol., vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 1–26, 1991. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1991.tb00688.x
3. G. N. Burns et al., “Effects of applicant personality on resume evaluations,” J. Bus. Psychol., vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 573–591, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-014-9349-6
4. C. J. König et al., “Reasons for being selective when choosing personnel selection procedures,” Int. J. Sel. Assess., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 17–27, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2389.2010.00485.x
5. L. P. Naumann et al., “Personality judgments based on physical appearance,” Pers. Soc. Psychol. Bull., vol. 35, no. 12, pp. 1661–1671, 2009. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167209346309

Image Sources

• Fig 1: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/hr-process-hr-selection-interview-4783430/
• Fig 2: https://pixabay.com/vectors/resume-recruitment-employer-people-7637442/
• Fig 3: https://pixabay.com/photos/application-curriculum-vitae-2580867/