7 Qualities Employers Look for in Employees

Every job has a specific set of core requirements. You won’t be hired if you can’t meet these basics. However, HR managers dig much deeper than this. To compete, you’ll also need personal qualities that make you an enticing employee.

Most of these traits fall into a category known as “soft skills.” These are the abilities that can transfer to any job, as compared to the hard skills that define the fundamental technical requirements for a position. Typically, the hard skills keep your resume in contention, while your soft skills get you hired.

In fact, the vast majority of hiring managers consider soft skills as important as the hard skills. In one survey, over three-quarters (77%) of those asked expressed this opinion. Given that dynamic, it’s important to highlight your best qualities to land the jobs you want.

A top recruiter, like SmartTalent, can help. You’ll connect with employers who value the skills and experience that you bring. Connect with SmartTalent to find ideal situations for your talents.

Meanwhile, it’s important to know what traits to highlight and how to communicate their value to employers. With that in mind, here are qualities companies look for and how to showcase them on resumes and in interviews:

Key Qualities Employers Look for in Employees

As you conduct your job search, it’s important to showcase your best qualities. But what exactly are employers looking for? Here are some of the crucial skills that the top companies value most:

• Dependability: Can your managers and coworkers rely on you? Dependability represents a baseline trait for most companies.
• General Enthusiasm: Employers want to know that you’ll attack your tasks with excitement. They want you engaged and ready to succeed every workday.
• Openness to Feedback: When presented with a new way to achieve your goals, you shouldn’t become defensive or stuck in your ways. Rather, companies are looking for employees who are open to feedback — a trait that lets you improve over time.
• Communication: The ability to collaborate starts with communication. Employers gravitate towards candidates with a proven ability to deliver information and work well in group settings.
• Leadership: Companies want to make sure you’re ready to take up additional responsibilities over time. For that reason, HR managers will look for the ability to direct a project or assume a leadership role.
• Integrity: Showing that you are worthy of trust will open up possibilities for you. Employers will see that you deserve more sensitive tasks.
• Desire to Learn: Beyond having a strong skillset headed into your tenure at the company, employers want to know you can add to your abilities over time. Show you’re ready to learn.

Having a strong skill set is critical to driving your career forward. However, you also need to find employers who value what you bring to the table. SmartTalent can direct you to those companies, allowing you to get the most out of your hard-won experience. Connect with SmartTalent to take your professional development to the next level.

How to Showcase Your Best Qualities

To get hired, it’s not enough to possess a desirable skill. You also need to communicate your abilities to employers. Once you’ve determined your most marketable skills, here are some steps to showcase those abilities in your resume and on your job interview:

Research Keywords

For your resume, it’s critical to use the expected terminology when highlighting your best skills. This way, the abilities will get picked up by any resume-surveying software. It will also stand out to anyone reading the document.

Have Specific Examples

It’s not enough to claim a skill. You also need to deliver a concrete example of how you’ve used it in practice. In your resume, be ready with a quick data point, where applicable. For an interview, have some brief anecdotes available to showcase times you’ve displayed the skill.

Customize for Specific Employers

Each employer prioritizes skills differently. Research the company you are targeting and weigh what abilities they might value most. From there, you can tailor your resume and interview answers to highlight those items.

Getting the most out of your skill set means discovering the best employers for what you have to offer. SmartTalent can connect you with the perfect situations for unlocking your highest potential.

Contact SmartTalent today to take your optimize your job search.