People often talk about the importance of hiring someone who is a “good fit” for the organization. Indeed, one Harvard Business Review study found that poor hiring decisions account for 80% of employee turnover. On the flip side, it is also important not to turn down a candidate who would actually be a good addition to your team. One contributing factor to poor hiring decisions is “affinity bias,” which is the tendency to like people who are similar to us in terms of how they act, look, or think. Likeability can play a bigger role than we realize in terms of who gets (and does not get) a job offer, even when we are aware of this potential source of bias and actively take steps to mitigate it.

My husband, Dave, gave me permission to share a story that illustrates this concept. Around 2010, he was searching for a job, as we relocated for the fourth time in my Air Force career. Jobs were hard to find in this particular area, so he ended up thinking outside the box and applying for a position with TSA. On Dave’s first day, one of his trainers told him that he did not think this job was a good fit for him, as his demeanor was “too theme park,” (i.e., too nice, friendly). The trainer went on to say that Dave needed to be “more like that guy” [pointing at another TSA officer who had a stern demeanor and used gestures more than words to direct passengers]. This trainer had a similarly stern demeanor.

Refusing to be discouraged, Dave remained true to himself during his training. While I have not personally seen the formal job analysis or list of job requirements for a TSA officer, I would presume the skills required for the job would include things like: knowing and following policies and procedures, situational awareness, attention to detail, integrity, and judgment. Well, whatever the skills were on that list, Dave apparently had a sufficient number of them. He was the only person in his training class who graduated. Six weeks later, that trainer admitted to Dave that he had been wrong, as he saw how Dave’s way of interacting with passengers was effective. And to top it off, Dave later received a TSA Officer of the Year award for the local airport.

What are the knowledge, skills, and abilities you look for in a job applicant? Might you be considering any qualities outside of true job requirements that could prevent hiring someone who could bring value to your organization?