Most successful recruiters appear to match one of three psychological profiles, according to the results of a limited study.

The study by Thomas International and ClickATest involved 61 recruiters. Of the participants, 31 had been identified by their bosses as being top performers, 15 as acceptable and 15 as poor.

The results revealed that the largest group of recruiters participating in the study, 25%, was confident, assertive and oriented toward achieving results but preferred to work with others to achieve those results. That group included six top performers, six acceptable performers and three poor performers.

The second group, which amounted to 8%, was also results-focused but preferred to work independently. This group, said Thomas International director Tony Kaye (pictured), “needs to have a position that allows them to act without having a set of rules”. Of this group, four were top performers and one was acceptable.

The third group, also 8% of those participating in the study, reflected attitudes different than those usually working in sales environments, said Kaye. He described this group as “unpretentious, conscientious and friendly”. People matching this personality profile rely on expertise and knowledge to get the job done, “combined with a preference for working closely with others in a methodical and steady manner”.

Of this group, four were top performers and one was acceptable.

Kaye noted that while using a benchmarking tool such as profiling would not completely rule out the possibility of hiring a poor performer, the results show that employers would have an 80% chance of not hiring one if such a tool was used.