Hiring decisions are often made based on experience and technical qualifications. However, many new employees still fail to succeed in their roles. The problem isn’t a lack of skill – it is a mismatch between the person and the job itself.
For example, a company sources qualified talent in a competitive market. They deal with high turnover, especially in temporary roles. They face constant pressure to prioritize speed over quality. This issue creates a more complex problem: the misalignment between a candidate’s personality and the actual requirements of the role they were hired to perform. The hiring process follows a familiar structure. They first verify that a candidate’s resume meets the necessary criteria – education, experience, and technical skills. This is followed by reference checks and evaluations of past performance. However, the process for evaluating the qualities that truly drive long-term success—competence, confidence, communication, character, and cultural fit—is often unclear.
How can hiring managers effectively evaluate these complex attributes?
A diagnostic Vesna developed is what we use to show that the answer lies in understanding personality, not as a vague concept, but as a structured framework to guide better hiring decisions. We encourage organizations to intentionally align job requirements with personality styles, recognizing that different roles demand different ways of thinking, interacting, and problem-solving.
To support this, we have a model based on four core personality styles: Accomplishing, Regulating, Creating, and Uniting.
- The Accomplishing (A) style is driven by results. These individuals are goal-oriented, competitive, and action-focused. They thrive in roles where success is clearly defined and measurable – such as project management, sales, entrepreneurship, and operations. When placed in these environments, their natural drive pushes projects forward and delivers outcomes efficiently.
- The Regulating (R) style values structure and precision. These individuals are detail-oriented, organized, and reliable. They excel in roles that require consistency and adherence to processes, such as accounting, quality assurance, administration, and compliance. Their strength is maintaining order and ensuring that systems run smoothly.
- The Creating (C) style is centered on innovation and imagination. These individuals enjoy exploring new ideas, solving complex problems, and working in dynamic environments. They are well-suited for roles in marketing, design, research and development, and product innovation, where creativity and adaptability are essential.
- The Uniting (U) style focuses on relationships and collaboration. These individuals are empathetic, communicative, and team-oriented. They excel in roles that require strong interpersonal skills, such as human resources, teaching, counseling, customer service, and leadership. They build cohesive teams and foster positive workplace environments.
We use this framework with clients to drive measurable improvements. Recruiters become more intentional—not just evaluating what candidates can do, but how they naturally approach their work and responsibilities. As a result, hiring decisions are more effective, employee engagement increases, and turnover declines.
We emphasize an important nuance: most people aren’t defined by just one personality style. Instead, they exhibit a combination of traits. The goal is not rigid categorization, but thoughtful alignment. In fact, the most effective teams are those that balance all four styles – combining execution, structure, innovation, and collaboration.
When organizations align job requirements with personality styles, they don’t just fill positions – they build stronger teams. Employees feel more confident and satisfied in their roles, and organizations benefit from improved performance, productivity, and culture. This human-centered solution transforms both how companies approach talent and define success.
Our CHRO Team is here to help.
We’re here to support your talent search with a more effective approach. Contact CHROs 2GO to learn more—our Fractional CHRO support is available whenever you need it.
Donna Hamlin – Reach out if you need advice or help at dhamlin@chros2go.com; 510-517-7791.
Vesna Lijakovska – Diagnostics & Development Expert – www.builtbystyle.com.
For your Talent needs in direct hire, full-time or part-time contract staffing, in Board Governance, contact Executive Recruiter, Leesa Meintzer at leesa@2gorecruiting.com.
Leesa Meintzer is an executive recruiter with more than 20 years of experience in talent acquisition. She excels in partnering across various business functions and brings a comprehensive perspective to talent acquisition. She works with Engineering, Healthcare, Product, Finance, Accounting, Business Operations, Sales, Legal, Human Resources, Learning & Development, and Talent Acquisition for corporate and high-growth start-ups.
2GO Advisory Group™ is a San Francisco Bay Area-based pioneer of fractional C-suite services. For 35 years our flagship CFOs2GO® lineage has grown to COOs2GO™, CHROs2GO™, CIOs2GO™, and Talent2GO™, pairing consulting partners with recruiting to deliver tailored executive solutions. We help organizations navigate change and execute strategy across industries in the U.S. and internationally, with local representation in most metros. Copyright.
