Free Perfect Personality Profiles by Helen Baron Page A

more or do you tend to let it pass?
Curious
Let it pass
    Conscientiousness
    High conscientiousness
    People who are high on conscientiousness tend to get on with their work well; they are self-disciplined and will keep their word if they say they will do something. They like to finish what they have taken on. They pay attention to details and check the quality and accuracy of their work. They prefer to work in a structured manner and will generally follow rules and guidelines where they exist. This sort of person can be relied on to get on with the job, even when they are not being monitored. They like to plan what they are going to do before embarking on it and may be uncomfortable if this is not possible or if plans are constantly changed. People who are strongly conscientious tend to dislike working in unstructured environments; they may find it frustrating when others do not keep to the rules, put things back in their place and so on or where there is little guidance on how things should be done. They may also dislike working where it is difficult to do things properly, perhaps because of a lack of time or resources. They will feel uncomfortable cutting corners or producing work that is not of the best quality. They dislike working in messy or disorganized environments. They may be quite cautious in their approach and uncomfortable taking risks either in the decisions they take or in the way they do things, and this can mean that they can miss some good opportunities.
    It may seem that this sort of behavioural style would be positive for any kind of work, and certainly there is much research that shows that people who are high on conscientiousness will tend to be good employees across many different roles. They will usually get on with their work on their own, and they can be trusted to follow rules and guidelines and to meet deadlines. They generally produce careful, error-free work. A person with this behavioural style is likely to use safety equipment when it is required and to treat an employer’s machinery with respect. Because they are focused on their work and they take their responsibilities seriously they are likely to be among the more productive members of a team, making the most of their working time.
    However, because of their structured approach to working there are some types of work for which they are less suited. In some jobs a structured approach is less helpful because circumstances are constantly changing and plans become out of date before they are implemented. There are situations where it is necessary to extemporize, to cut corners or to do something quickly, even if it is not perfect. They may find multi-tasking difficult because they have to move from one thing to another without being able to finish anything properly or tie up loose ends.
    A highly conscientious person can become caught up in minor details and lose sight of the main priorities. While it is the role of managers to make sure that other staff are following procedures, they often have to decide when procedures should be abandoned or ignored to meet new priorities. For example, a manager might decide not to check a new delivery according to procedures in order to get the raw materials on to the production line to keep it running or to meet an urgent order. Someone high on conscientiousness might find this kind of decision difficult. People working in sales often need to capitalize on opportunities as they arise, and this may mean abandoning a lead that does not look very promising. This kind of behaviour can make a conscientious person feel uncomfortable.
    Highly conscientious people will tend to take a methodical and structured approach to job seeking. They will be careful to meet deadlines for completing application forms and sending in information, and they are likely to turn up to an interview smartly dressed and on time, carrying all the information they need in a neat folder. They will try hard to provide interviewers with the