Low Openness, or Curiosity indicates a personality type with a lack of imagination.
This can be expressed with keywords such as “childish”, “stupid”, “forgetful”, and “authority-oriented”.
BigFive is the axis that most people perceive most easily.
To measure low Openness, focus on the simplicity and vagueness of the conversation content.
Furthermore, individuals with low Openness can become irritable as the conversation becomes complex and have difficulty adjusting to topic changes.
Therefore, observe comprehensively, including their facial expressions.
Conversation Setting
Openness is manifested through the amount of information in a conversation, and it can be assessed by encouraging individuals to tell stories regardless of the topic.
- For mid-career applicants, it is sufficient to request a general job explanation. Their understanding of the situations they have been involved in can be measured.
- For fresh graduates, it would be appropriate to focus on what they have learned during their student days. Their interest in complex or abstract subjects and level of comprehension can be gauged.
The level of the topics discussed in the conversation can also serve as a reference, but pay attention to any lack of vocabulary that may create a sense of inadequacy in their speech.
If the explanation gives the impression of being careless but the candidate seems to believe they have explained it well, it is often not a matter of a bad attitude but rather the result of having provided as much explanation as the information they possess allows.
Moreover, high-level abstract topics such as future visions and personal thoughts are not suitable for identifying individuals with moderate to low scores in intellectual curiosity.
Abstract thinking requires a balance of multiple personality traits, making it less functional for analyzing a wide range of target groups.
The key to utilizing the potential to assess people lies in individually evaluating the 5 axes of BigFive.
To separate and evaluate Openness from the other 4 traits, it is better to focus on conversation topics that are within the range that anyone can discuss.
Points of Assessment
Please evaluate based on the expansiveness of associations and the agility of responses.
The level of required Openness varies depending on the position, so please assess it according to the specific job role.
However, looking across different positions, it has become evident that high Openness is not related to job performance. Therefore, in many roles, there is no need to limit the evaluation to narrow criteria.
In general, as long as Openness score falls within the range of existing employees who can perform their jobs effectively, it should not be a concern.
Openness is necessary for intellectual work, but conversely, lower Openness may be more suitable for worker roles, where labor force stability is important, as individuals with lower Openness tend to prefer monotony and a lack of change in their lives.
Please note that educational background often differs from the level of Openness. Use educational background as one reference but avoid making it a primary assumption in evaluating individuals.
