Enneagram Types in Job Interviews
3/28/24 Update - Listen to my interview on The Enneagram Effect Podcast!
I love using tools like the Enneagram to know myself better. It’s also a great way to quickly understand someone’s personality and motivations, so we can work even more effectively together. This is my take on each Enneagram type in a job interview - one question that may be easy for them to sufficiently answer, one question that might be more difficult, and a fear they may have going into the interview. Of course, this is extremely simplified and not everyone is the same, but this may give you some insight into how to prepare for your upcoming interviews, or the kinds of questions you may want to ask as a hiring manager.
If you’d like some insight specific to your hiring journey, feel free to schedule 15 minutes to chat with me. Read on for more information for each Enneagram type.
It's a given that the inner critic of the Enneagram 1 can be detrimental to your success in an interview if you let it get to your head. 😬
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1s have strength around structure and process (would be great at creating or running a Project Management Office), and I love to hear the way they've evaluated existing process and improved upon it for their customers or teams. They may find themselves in positions where they need to convince others to do what they believe is right, and the key to answering this hard question isn't the initial response, but in the details the interviewer will be looking for. If 1s are too rigid or come off as judgmental, they will have difficulty getting others on board.
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I am referencing PM roles a bit with this one, however, these are questions I'd also ask designers, developers, economists, as I expect any candidates I interview to be involved in process and influence as part of their role.
I've mis-typed myself as an Enneagram 2 in the past, mostly because some of my worry revolves around interpersonal relationships, and at times I've had more people-pleasing tendencies than I'd like to admit. 😉 2s are the people on your team who pitch in to help before they’re asked, and are often bringing treats for their team members. They have great detailed examples of helping others- if a 2 is not self aware enough, some of their examples may veer into helping a little too proactively.
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I'm not a fan of the hard question, but I know it's asked in some interviews. It can be triggering or put someone on the defensive to ask them about a time where they were angry, which means the response can be revealing. It's really about what they did when they were angry and the result of the situation. For 2s, it may demonstrate their finesse or manipulative qualities, depending on the specifics of the situation.
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An Enneagram 2 is likely to be kind and give compliments to interviewers, and send thank you notes afterward. 🌸They want to be liked by the interviewers and provide the answers they are looking for.
Enneagram 3s in a job interview make me think about my career in my 20s; definitely a 6 "in stress", I was very focused on achievement, and easily fell into some workaholic tendencies. I was reliable and accomplished and became a single threaded dependency for both my organization and client which is not a super healthy place to be. 😬 Have you struggled with this in your career? I learned a lot from the experience and shifted into a much more balanced environment at my next company.
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3s are capable, always proving themselves and showing their value in the workplace. There's no doubt they have a few different examples they could provide for their greatest professional achievement that would impress interviewers. It may be harder for them to talk in-depth about a mistake and working with someone more capable than they were to resolve the problem.
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They would be surprised and disappointed if interviewers weren't very interested or impressed with the examples they provided, or if they didn't get the job offer. I didn't add this to the graphic, but this may also be the type of employee who ramps up at a new company or role too quickly- eager to make a splash and contribute right away, they may make assumptions or move too fast and it may hinder their ability to earn trust with team members.
Authenticity is something Enneagram 4s and I agree on- so important not only in an interview, but in every aspect of daily life. Everyone has setbacks at work, and introspective Enneagram 4s are likely to have a detailed and raw example that could set them apart and give their potential employer a good sense of how they would handle similar situations in the future.
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It may be hard to think of an example where Enneagram 4s thought honesty wasn't the best policy, especially if others were trying to get them to conform. I actually think this is a good thing- this question can feel like a trick question to a candidate, so it's not one of my favorites. If asked this, try to think of examples where a personal conflict is getting in the way of work.
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The Enneagram 4 strives to be unique and different than other candidates, being perceived as no different than everyone else and thus not getting the job would be a bad outcome for them.
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5s are near and dear to my heart as it's my wing number (and it's strong! 💪). Enneagram 5s are definitely the person you want on your team who will roll up their sleeves, investigate issues and research until they can't research any more. If asked the right situation based questions and follow ups, they will provide a lot of rich detail in an interview so it's easy to determine if they're the right fit.
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The question that may be harder for them to answer at the scope the interviewer is looking for is related to making large and impactful quick judgments. While the 5 has great judgment, if they don't have the opportunity to dive as deep as they want, they may not feel comfortable or find themselves in an analysis paralysis state. It's important to remind 5s that you know how competent they are, and to trust their judgment and freely share their knowledge with others. 📚
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Here's my take on the 6's biggest strength to flaunt, harder question they may want to proactively work on, and what their biggest fear going into the interview may be. One note- the hard question doesn’t mean you don't have an immediate answer, it means that answer may not be exactly what the interviewer is looking for in terms of scope (phobic) and humility (counterphobic).
I'm a self preservation 6w5! 💁♀️ I'm typically phobic, but can flex my counterphobic qualities in the workplace. I'm very risk-averse and know that my weaker side of an interview may be around the scope of my risk taking, so I'm proactive in finding new endeavors that force me outside my comfort zone. Leaning into the fear is the best way for me to grow.
While I don't think anyone should go around "typing" other people, this can also be helpful when reflecting on an interview where you wish the candidate had been stronger answering that hard question. If you have a great candidate whose only flaw was what they seemed like they needed more assurance, or were too risk averse, you may have been talking to a 6 who can flourish and learn from you with a little more coaching. 👍
This one blew up when I shared it on Instagram! Enneagram 7s can be great conversation partners; I love to hear about the different paths they've taken in life and what they're learned. Sometimes 7s have been in many different roles, other times they've been in the same role but have experimented with learning new skills, changing companies or content of what they're working on.
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Long term conversations or goals are different than with other types. They may not have a long term vision though they may have ideas of what they'd like to do, or they may have a specific current vision of what it looks like which may shift over time.
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7s get really excited about certain topics, so they may go on tangents or take the conversation a different direction than intended. If you are a 7 or potentially interviewing one, use your favorite strategy to keep it on track and make the best use of your time.
I know it's a faux pas to type other people, but I'm pretty sure my husband is an 8 and he is a charismatic force to be reckoned with. 😍 An Enneagram 8 will bring a lot of passion and energy to an interview, and should have great examples of influence and leadership. They are champions for what is right, and will push for what they think is best for the customer they serve. They may have a harder time with group decisions or process they feel is headed down the wrong path or controlling. If you're an 8, make sure you have examples of flexibility and working to build solid relationships even in environments where you weren't in full control.
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Vulnerability is often key to authenticity- don't be afraid to talk about areas you know you need to work on, or share ideas that aren't fully baked. If you think you may be interviewing an 8, make sure you're diving deep enough with your follow up questions to get beyond the polished exterior to truly tell if they're the right fit for your role. If you hire them, know they may need more assurance than it seems and remind them it's a safe environment to open up so you can grow together.
"Harmony" is one of my strengths from StrengthFinder (more on that soon!), so I can definitely understand the conflict-avoidant tendancies of Enneagram 9. One of the teams I recently worked with probably would've flourished with a 9 to improve morale and keep things moving forward. 🤗
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As always with the "hard" questions, it's not about the ability to answer them with a high-level example, but rather diving deep and providing the interviewer with the level of detail and impact they're looking for. A 9 is definitely going to feel more confident pushing a client if it's to benefit the customer, but may be unsure about ruffling feathers particularly if it's a key client for their company.
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It's also good to remember that minor and appropriate disagreement or conflict in an interview isn't always bad if you're being true to your authentic self. Some interviewers take a socratic approach which can make candidates defend their responses, or may push you on some of your examples or data. These types of interviews can be challenging, but also more interesting and revealing- is this a role you want and a person you want to work with long term?
What do you think about these- agree/disagree? I’d love to continue the conversation!
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“You’ve given me just what I was looking for and a lot to work through to get me started. You’ve provided great tips and advice, and lots to think about - this is just what I needed to boost my interview-prep confidence!”