Are extraverts better at sales?

Not on the evidence. In a study of 340 outbound call center representatives, people in the middle of the extraversion range earned more revenue per hour than either strong extraverts or strong introverts (Grant, 2013). An earlier meta-analysis found extraversion predicted performance in sales and management roles, though the relationship was modest (Barrick and Mount, 1991).

How should I email someone who is quieter or more reserved?

Put the detail in the message instead of asking for a meeting to explain it. Make the request specific and easy to answer in writing, and give them an easy way to say no. Then wait. A slower reply is usually thinking, not a lost deal.

Is extraversion the same as confidence?

No. Confidence sits closer to assertiveness, one of the two aspects of extraversion, while sociability sits in the other, enthusiasm (DeYoung, Quilty and Peterson, 2007). Quiet people can be highly assertive, and sociable people can avoid taking a position.

Big Five guide

Extraversion: how to communicate with people high or low in it

People higher in extraversion think out loud and take energy from live conversation, so offer a call, keep it warm and give them room to talk. People lower in extraversion prefer to read and think first, so send the detail in writing, ask fewer and better questions, and let a silence do some work.

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Definition

What extraversion is

Extraversion describes how much someone seeks out social attention, activity and reward. It is one of the five broad traits research converged on (Goldberg, 1990). It says nothing about how capable or how friendly a person is.

The two ends are not good with people and bad with people. Lower extraversion usually means a preference for fewer and deeper conversations, and more thinking before speaking, rather than discomfort around others.

Enthusiasm

Sociability, warmth and positive feeling.

Assertiveness

Drive to lead, to speak up and to be heard.

Every Big Five trait divides into two aspects, and a person can sit high on one and in the middle on the other (DeYoung, Quilty and Peterson, 2007).

In one study, people higher in extraversion rated an advertisement more highly when its message was framed around excitement and social rewards (Hirsh, Kang and Bodenhausen, 2012). The effect was modest, and the authors note that framing does not rescue a weak message.

At work

What extraversion looks like day to day

Neither column is a better colleague or a better buyer. They need different things from you.

Higher extraversion

Outgoing and energized by people

Prefers a call to a thread
Thinks by talking, so an early position may change
Fills silences, and can talk over quieter colleagues
Replies quickly, often briefly

Lower extraversion

Reserved and reflective, prefers smaller groups

Prefers the written version, sent ahead of the meeting
Answers after a pause, and means what they say
Contributes more in small groups than in large meetings
Goes quiet while deciding, which is not the same as losing interest

In writing

How extraversion shows up in language

Higher extraversion

More social words, positive emotion words and references to the reader (Yarkoni, 2010)
Words about social settings, such as bar, restaurant, dancing and crowd (Yarkoni, 2010)
On social media, phrases like party and love you (Schwartz et al., 2013)

Lower extraversion

More solitary subjects, such as computer, internet and reading (Schwartz et al., 2013)
Fewer references to the reader and to social events

These are averages across many writers. A reserved person who spent the month at conferences will read as more extraverted than they are, which is why an estimate from writing belongs with a confidence level rather than a verdict.

How Tejesha estimates traits, and how confident it is

For sellers

Adapting outreach to extraversion

Same offer, different framing. Start here when you know roughly where someone sits.

Higher extraversion

Offer a call early, and keep the first one short and lively
Ask open questions and let them talk. They will tell you the real criteria
Bring the same energy in writing: short paragraphs, a warm opening, one clear ask
Long documents with no conversation attached
Reading slides while they wait for a turn to speak

Lower extraversion

Send the material first and the meeting invitation second
Ask one good question, then wait. Count to five before filling the gap
Offer a written answer as an option, rather than another call
Cold calls and surprise video invitations
Reading short replies as a lack of interest

For recruiters

Writing to candidates

Higher extraversion

Offer a conversation with the team, not only a written brief
Describe the people they would work with and how the team talks
Keep the process moving. Momentum matters more here

Lower extraversion

Send the role, the team and the process in writing before any call
Offer a one to one conversation rather than a panel
Give them the questions in advance. You will get better answers

Use this to write better messages, never to judge a candidate. Personality estimates are not designed or validated for screening, ranking or selecting people.

Where Tejesha stops in recruiting

Questions

Questions about extraversion

Are extraverts better at sales?: Not on the evidence. In a study of 340 outbound call center representatives, people in the middle of the extraversion range earned more revenue per hour than either strong extraverts or strong introverts (Grant, 2013). An earlier meta-analysis found extraversion predicted performance in sales and management roles, though the relationship was modest (Barrick and Mount, 1991).
How should I email someone who is quieter or more reserved?: Put the detail in the message instead of asking for a meeting to explain it. Make the request specific and easy to answer in writing, and give them an easy way to say no. Then wait. A slower reply is usually thinking, not a lost deal.
Is extraversion the same as confidence?: No. Confidence sits closer to assertiveness, one of the two aspects of extraversion, while sociability sits in the other, enthusiasm (DeYoung, Quilty and Peterson, 2007). Quiet people can be highly assertive, and sociable people can avoid taking a position.

Sources

Last reviewed September 15, 2026.

Goldberg, L. R. (1990). An alternative "description of personality": The Big-Five factor structure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 59(6), 1216-1229.
DeYoung, C. G., Quilty, L. C., & Peterson, J. B. (2007). Between facets and domains: 10 aspects of the Big Five. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93(5), 880-896.
Yarkoni, T. (2010). Personality in 100,000 words: A large-scale analysis of personality and word use among bloggers. Journal of Research in Personality, 44(3), 363-373.
Schwartz, H. A., Eichstaedt, J. C., Kern, M. L., Dziurzynski, L., Ramones, S. M., Agrawal, M., Shah, A., Kosinski, M., Stillwell, D., Seligman, M. E. P., & Ungar, L. H. (2013). Personality, gender, and age in the language of social media: The open-vocabulary approach. PLOS ONE, 8(9), e73791.
Grant, A. M. (2013). Rethinking the extraverted sales ideal: The ambivert advantage. Psychological Science, 24(6), 1024-1030.
Barrick, M. R., & Mount, M. K. (1991). The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44(1), 1-26.
Hirsh, J. B., Kang, S. K., & Bodenhausen, G. V. (2012). Personalized persuasion: Tailoring persuasive appeals to recipients' personality traits. Psychological Science, 23(6), 578-581.

The other four traits

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