They say that opposites attract, but nothing could be further from the truth when recruiters are sifting through piles of CVs or interviewing candidates.

A new study shows that recruitment professionals are more likely to chose candidates who have the same personality traits, even when looking at written applications.

The research, by Ruth Price of City University, found that assessors looking at candidates for an HR graduate training scheme were far more likely to choose the applicant with a similar personality.

Both candidates and assessors were asked to describe their own personalities, and the lists were then compared after the selection process.

“The human element in the job application process leads to the possibility that decision-making is influenced not only by the candidate's suitability for the job, but also by the assessor's response to the candidate,” said Price.

“It is not necessarily the best candidates that are put through, but the most well-liked. This study has highlighted the importance of training and scoring guidelines.”