“I was hired for the vibes:”  TikTok can’t stop talking about personality hires

Some TikTok creators have latched on to the latest workplace buzzword: personality hires. Defined by their soft skills, personality hires have the team mindset and can-do attitude to lift an office’s spirits. Or, in the eyes of some creators, they may be using their bubbly persona to skirt by hard work.

Personality hires may be vital to the workplace ethos. Vicki Salemi, career expert at Monster, describes it as having the “it” factor. “They possess the ability to smooth over tough situations and build strong relationships with clients, customers, and/or coworkers. Personality hires can also boost morale in the workplace, contribute to a positive work culture, and participate in company events,” she writes.

From quiet quitting to lazy girl jobs

Still, much of the online fodder about personality hires is about using their charisma to get out of doing work. This is hardly new for online workplace discussion: influencers have been purporting the benefits of “quiet quitting” for years. Later, “bare minimum mondays” and “lazy girl jobs” gained popularity. These trends all originated from TikTok, with Gen Z using the short-form video platform to speak more freely about work. TikTok has opened up workplace conversations wider than any previous generation: personality hires are the next iteration.

For some TikTok creators, personality hires are all smiles and no effort. Career influencer Corporate Natalie seems to have perfected this form of roast, and has over 700,000 followers to prove it. In one viral TikTok, she reenacts personality hires “strolling in late to tell a few jokes and leave early.” In another, she lists off reasons the personality hire is late: “I was filming an OOTD, I just couldn’t get the lighting right!” The clips are all done with a smirk, but the message is clear: these workers get by on their attitude, failing to put in any elbow grease.

@corporatenatalie But at least I got us a dog!!! #theoffice #comedy #personalityhire ♬ original sound – CorporateNatalie

One scroll of the For You Page and dozens of workplace influencers will pop up to mock the personality hire fad. User @robdon567 mocked personality hires for spending paid time on TikTok and planning happy hours. He racked up 30,000 likes for the video. TikToker Taylor Tijerina claimed that all personality hires do is grab coffee and go on walks. That clip received over 250,000 likes and a comment from Columbia Sportswear: “I was hired for the vibes.”

These TikToks are all made in jest; they’re little one-acts meant to poke fun at the workplace trend. Still, some set out to truly lambaste the personality hires. “So many people call themselves personality hires and, honestly, I feel so awkward everytime I see it,” Keara Sullivan says in a popular TikTok.

“Hire for the attitude and smile, train for the skill.”

In the face of this haranguing of work-evading personality hires, some TikTokers have come to their defense. Creator Vienna Ayla has made multiple viral skits proving the subtle strength of personality hires. In her videos, the hire offhandedly calls up Cher after the company’s big performer drops out, or the Mayor when the city revokes their event permit. In a genuine act of corporate grace, her personality hire even feels comfortable calling the CEO when her coworkers are too nervous to.

There are also the soapbox-style TikToks, standing up for personality hires in the face of scrutiny. Creator Daniel Bennett opened his video, “this is going to piss people off,” before diving into a full defense of the category of worker. “I solely got my corporate job from having a good personality. I have zero experience, but I made the people I interviewed with laugh.”

@dxnielbennett coming from a personality hire #hiring #corporatelife #work ♬ original sound – Daniel Bennett

Career coaches and speakers have also migrated to TikTok, offering some more professional takes on the subject. Bennett recorded himself speaking with his father, a “recruiter for 30 years,” about personality hires. “They’re an important component of the office,” his father responds. Author and TEDx speaker Selena Rezvani also piped up to defend the personality hires: “Hire for the attitude and smile, train for the skill.”