In March, the national unemployment rate was at 8.2 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. While this is the lowest it has been since January 2009, it is still high. With so many people out of work, these individuals may be looking to see what makes them less employable than others. Based on new research from the University of Illinois, it could be their personality.

The University’s website recently highlighted the findings of a study that was co-authored by David Strauser, a professor of kinesiology and community health. For his research, the educator set out to see how the personalities of people with mild or moderate disabilities affected the length of time they stayed at a job.

A total of 56 individuals between the ages of 19 and 69 with mild to moderate disabilities participated in the study. Strauser and his co-authors were surprised to see that those who were more open also tended to stay employed longer.

"It might be that those people are open to new experiences, willing to try different things and to think of things differently," Strauser said.

Whether or not jobseekers are disabled, they may want to take a personality test to see what character traits could be standing between them and employment.