When going to a job interview, many job seekers believe only their education and experience matters, but many employers weigh heavily on candidate personality when determining the best fit for their company. After all, information can always be taught, but just how teachable and willing to learn you are depends heavily on personality traits that are much more difficult to tweak.
Regardless of industry, pay, age or sex, all ideal employees share some common traits.
These include, but are not limited to individuals who can be described as or possess the following:
1. Action-oriented – Bosses like employees who can take action and take chances. While some chances may lead to failure, they will more often lead to success and create confidence while generating new ideas. Employees who are afraid to think outside the box or won’t try to come up with solutions to problems won’t make a company money; action-oriented employees will.
2. Intelligent – Intelligence is a strong foundation for success and it doesn’t only refer to being booksmart. While there are many variables an employer can be flexible on when hiring, intelligence is a must or they’re going to be spending an abundance of time proofing work, micromanaging, and dealing with heightened stress levels.
3. Ambitious – Employees can only help their company if they want to help themselves achieve their goals. Ambition is what makes a company innovative, it’s what spawns creative ideas and what generates candor and openness amongst employees.
5. Display Leadership – Employees should be a significant part of their company and lead future employees? Leadership begins with self-confidence, is molded by positive reinforcement and repetitive success.
6. Cultural Fit – Are you going to enjoy working with these individuals on a daily basis? Are your employers and fellow employees going to enjoy working with you? When recruiting, personality can mean the difference between an employee who doesn’t stay long and fails to produce vs. an all-star who is going to significantly increase a businesses competitive advantage.
7. Upbeat – Employees who come into work fresh and energetic everyday are going to
outproduce workers who think negatively and easily burn-out when they encounter defeat. Upbeat and optimistic employees create a working environment that is unique, spawns new ideas and, just as important is enjoyable for the other people involved.
8. Confident – Confidence produces results and encourages employees to take on challenges that others shy away from. The best companies are highly confident in their abilities to provide a superior product or service and this belief spawns a culture of improvement and client confidence.
9. Successful – One of the most effective ways to predict future success in a candidate is their past success at other firms. Have they remained at companies for a prolonged period? Have they met company goals? What achievements have these individuals accomplished? If one looks closely, a lot can be deciphered from a resume.
10. Honest – An employee can have all the talent in the world, but without integrity and authenticity, nothing great will be accomplished. If nothing else, bosses want honest, forthright employees at their organization, otherwise the company will turn off clients and, ultimately won’t survive.
11. Detail Oriented – Attention to detail is crucial or mistakes will be made within the company. Detail-oriented employees take pride in their work. They dot the “i’s”, cross the “t’s” and get the job done.
12. Modest – The most sought after employees shout their value not through their words, but rather through their work. They are humble, don’t need to pump themselves up in front of others and quietly outproduce those who do.
13. Hard working – Nothing great is accomplished easily. Nothing great is accomplished via hiring 9 – 5 employees. Rather, the foundation of an effective organization lies in its ability to recruit results oriented, hard working employees who execute.
14. Marketable – By marketable, we presentable to clients. Business is not a fashion contest nor do looks dictate success, however most successful applicants are well put together and, when dealing with clients are going to represent the organization as professional and organized.
15. Passionate – Employees who are passionate about their job never work a day in their life. While money should be a motivator in all individuals whom you hire, make sure that they enjoy the journey when pursuing that end-goal.
In Summary:
An employee can be trained on a company’s product or service, but you can’t train someone to have integrity, resiliency, self-confidence and work ethic. The smaller the business, the more crucial any hire is. Being flexible on background requirements, but continuing to be stringent on personality traits pays off in the end.
