How Young Professionals Can Use the “Big Five” Traits For Career Success

With your head buried in books, internships and on-the-job learning, you probably haven’t thought much about the personality traits that have been quietly shaping your career path. Yet, developing the areas where you are naturally strong can give you a major edge at work. 

Among the most important factors shaping your professional success are five foundational personality traits widely recognized in psychology: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism. These Big Five traits influence how you approach challenges, collaborate with others and adapt in the workplace, making them powerful predictors of your career trajectory and personal growth.

Each of these traits exists on a spectrum. You’ll display some degree of all of them, but in greater or lesser amounts depending on where you land along that spectrum. For example, someone high in Extraversion is very outgoing, while someone low in it tends to direct their energy inwards and be more reserved (displaying the traits of an Introvert). Most people are somewhere in between the two extremes.

Your Big Five test results reveal core tendencies that are unlikely to change, although you can get even better at building on your strengths and working to minimize your blind spots. What matters is how you turn those tendencies into tools for real career momentum.

Use Openness to AI-Proof Your Career

If you’ve been blessed with a high degree of Openness, it means you’re naturally curious and creative. You have the potential to solve problems in original ways and dream up new approaches to old dilemmas. This kind of mindset is valuable to employers, as it means having someone on the team who can help them keep pace with change and spot what’s next. 

The perfect job for you is one that taps into your creativity, but you don’t have to work in the arts to make the most of your Openness. In tech, healthcare, finance or any other field, Openness helps you find new solutions and suggest improvements that move work forward. With AI taking over routine and repetitive tasks, those high in Openness can stand out by bringing the kind of fresh thinking and imagination that machines can’t replicate.

How to put Openness to work:

• Don’t keep ideas to yourself. Speak up in meetings, suggest new ways of working, and show you’re willing to experiment with fresh approaches.
• When you notice a better way to do something, pitch it. Bold ideas may spark the change others have been waiting for.
• If, like many highly Open people, you tend to skip over details, team up with organized and detail-oriented colleagues. They can supply structure and follow-through to balance out your strengths. 
• Think outside the box and use your natural curiosity to see opportunities for career advancement that others might miss. Doing this comes naturally for you, and it can point you toward upward, lateral or out-of-industry moves that advance your career in exciting directions.

Use Conscientiousness to Get Things Done Properly

Conscientiousness is the Big Five trait most closely associated with career success, and it’s easy to see why. Conscientious people are fantastic organizers who exhibit focus, discipline and determination. They do what they say they will do, when they say they will do it. You’re a safe and reliable pair of hands which sounds dull, but to managers, it means you can be trusted to deliver outstanding work without having to be micro-managed.

If you possess a high level of Conscientiousness, you’ll be motivated by your personal quest for excellence, and professionalism will come naturally to you. You’re likely to thrive in careers that require you to develop a sophisticated skill set (like being a medical specialist, a university professor, a lawyer, an accountant, a data analyst, and so on). That’s because you have the dedication to stick with a skill until you’ve mastered it, pressing on when others might give up. 

Research shows that Conscientiousness levels have dropped sharply since the pandemic, especially in the 16-39 age group. If you’re a Gen Z employee who keeps standards high while others let them slip, you quickly will stand out as indispensable.

How to put Conscientiousness to work:

• Take on projects with moving parts and clear outcomes. For example, you could volunteer to coordinate cross‑department initiatives, and use your organizational skills to manage timelines and keep teams accountable. This will set you up for leadership programs in the future.
• Set specific, long-term career goals. You work better when you have a plan of action, so map out the skills you’ll need and the milestones to hit each year, and keep looking for the projects or roles that will get you there.
• Team up with idea‑generators. You can form incredibly productive partnerships with highly Open people—they brainstorm the ideas that move the project forward, while you convert their ingenuity into practical results.
• Define what “good enough” looks like and deliver it. The downside of high Conscientiousness is you tend to lapse into perfectionism. For the sake of your work-life balance, make sure you’re not spending more time on a project than it is worth.

Use Extraversion to Build Your Network

Extraverts are at their best when they are working closely with people, often in high-energy or faster-paced roles where the best communicators and decision-makers thrive. They excel in sales and customer relations, as public speakers, as teachers, and in other jobs where strong people skills are required. But your Extraversion can benefit you in any career, especially when you use your strong communication skills and charisma to win friends and influence people.  

Research consistently shows that Extraversion is linked to building large networks. These connections may not be as close-knit as the networks Introverts tend to build, but having a large circle of influential people in your network will stand you in good stead for promotions, new job opportunities and valuable mentorship, especially in careers where it’s not what you know, but who you know.

How to put Extraversion to work:

• Use your energy to bring people together. At first glance, using your energy to bring people together might seem like it’s mainly for the benefit of others, but it actually puts you right at the center of what’s happening. You become the person everyone knows, which naturally leads to more opportunities and introductions coming your way.
• Facilitate meaningful conversations. Channel your sociability into asking thoughtful questions and encouraging input, rather than leading every discussion. Active listening shows respect and is a necessary collaborative leadership skill.
• For Introverts, focus on cultivating deep, lasting relationships. While your network may be smaller, it can be just as influential if you use your preference for deeper conversations and one-on-ones to form powerful professional connections grounded in trust.

Use Agreeableness to Help the Team

Agreeableness measures the pleasure you take from helping others and building positive, collaborative relationships. People who score highly for this trait are attentive to their colleagues' needs and to the needs of their company as well—a characteristic that organizational leaders will notice and reward.

A meta-study released in 2022 found that Agreeableness had a desirable impact on 93% of hundreds of variables known to impact job performance and career advancement. This trait is ideal if you’re seeking a career in teaching, counseling, healthcare, human resources or customer service, but it can boost your chances of success regardless of what you do. You excel at keeping teams working harmoniously together, and your boss will be impressed seeing someone so young and talented trying to help everyone succeed, instead of just worrying about themselves!

Interestingly, those who score low in Agreeableness can also make valuable contributions to the team’s success. Low-A scorers are individualistic—they won’t automatically go along with the crowd. While social harmony is valuable, a low-Agreeableness colleague can protect the team from complacency and group think.

How to put Agreeableness to work:

• Mediate disputes when you can. Lean into your mediation skills to help each side find a solution that works for everyone. In these situations, your Agreeableness will make you the ideal diplomat and problem-solver.
• Be a consensus-builder. The best-laid plans will lead nowhere if teammates are pulling in different directions. Use your Agreeableness to make sure everyone is on the same page and that rival agendas do not cause disruptions.
• Go after leadership roles when your expertise makes you qualified. You shouldn’t pass on chances to head up projects just to avoid rocking the boat. Your modest and compassionate style will make you a popular and effective leader in most instances.
• If you’re lower on the Agreeableness scale, try to lighten your keen observations with sensitivity and tact. You’ll be praised for your originality and independence, as long as you don’t come on too strong.

Use Neuroticism to Stay Ahead of Risks

People who score highly for Neuroticism are prone to stress and anxiety, which can get in the way of their work performance. By contrast, those who are low in Neuroticism will keep their cool and make smart decisions, even when the pressure is on.

However, you shouldn’t dismiss your Neuroticism as a negative trait. Neurotic people tend to notice vital details and warning signs that others might miss. For example, you might spot workflow issues in their early stages, before things go completely off the rails. Studies show that high-N scorers come up with more creative solutions to problems because they’re working really hard to do good work and eliminate risks.

How to put Neuroticism to work:

• Choose your career wisely. You won’t thrive in competitive, high-pressure environments. You’ll find the most success in careers where creativity and imagination are prized (art, music, education), or where your attention to detail can be put to good use (jobs in quality control or risk management).
• Examine your company’s practices in detail and report on the bottlenecks and their causes. You might be reluctant to speak up at first, given your lack of seniority. But when you make specific observations and back them with evidence, you’ll gain a reputation as a top analytical thinker.
• Learn to control your anxiety. You should make stress management practices like mindfulness, meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, or progressive muscle relaxation a part of your daily routine. Whatever helps you reduce stress will allow you to put your best foot forward and make a positive impression.
• Monitor your colleagues’ moods and emotions, and offer support when it’s needed. Your sensitivity to the emotional states of others is an admirable quality, and there’s no reason to suppress your compassionate instincts in the workplace. Over time, you’ll build an extensive network of allies who can testify to your good qualities.
• If you’re low in Neuroticism, be bold about stepping forward to lead during times of crisis. Your steady hand and calm demeanor will set a great example for your colleagues, while letting your employer know they can count on you when the road gets rocky.

Gain the Winning Edge with the Big Five

Understanding your Big Five personality profile can help you build a customized career plan that aligns with your strengths and addresses your weaknesses, setting you up for amazing achievements. Implementing such a plan at the beginning of your career will keep you ahead of the game. If you haven’t already, take the Big Five test, and use the results proactively to take control of your own fate.