Job-Hunting? 8 Qualities Employers Want to See

Spoiler Alert: You Probably Have These Attributes in Spades

Looking for a new job can seem daunting, especially if you’re not sure what employers really want. While every role has its own requirements, many hiring decisions come down to qualities that shape how you learn, communicate, collaborate, and respond to challenges.

About 97% of employers consider soft skills to be as (or more) vital as hard skills, per a post by recruiting agency Apollo Technical LLC. That means the way you show up, connect with others, and approach the tough issues can matter just as much as the experience listed on your résumé.

Regardless of the position or industry, there are some universal traits that many employers look for. We’re sharing eight core attributes right here to help you stay ahead of the competitive candidate pool!

Growth Mindset

Having a growth mindset reflects your willingness to overcome adversity, solve problems, learn from your mistakes, and take feedback. Challenges will always present themselves. Employers want to see that you can solve them independently and emerge better for the experience.

Growth Mindset Interview Tips

• You can demonstrate a growth mindset in an interview through scenarios in which you made an error, were corrected, or received constructive criticism that you turned into a learning experience.
• Talk about how the experience made you a stronger provider, teammate, or employee because you learned a valuable lesson.
• Think of a time when you took a risk or tried something new, sharing what you learned from the experience even if it didn’t go perfectly.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence refers to how well you can demonstrate empathy and understanding with your patients, your coworkers, and, yes, even your boss. It involves knowing how to read the cues and signals those around you are sharing.

What’s the other person’s body language? What are they not saying directly? Knowing when to push forward with your ideas, when to yield, when someone’s upset, or when someone needs help can go a long way toward associating you with empathy and collaboration rather than less desirable qualities.

Emotional Intelligence Interview Tips

• Show your level of emotional intelligence by telling a story about how you demonstrated empathy and understanding, either in a clinical setting (with an upset patient or their family) or with a teammate.
• It can also help to ask smart questions in your interview, showing a deep level of curiosity. Employers aren’t looking for someone who thinks they have all the answers without asking probing questions that lead to deeper understanding. Consider whether you’re asking questions that seek to understand or whether you’re simply waiting to talk.

Leadership

Being a leader can take many forms. For example, it means being willing and eager to accept responsibility for results, to take charge of achieving company objectives and goals, or to volunteer for projects outside the scope of your job.

The mark of a good leader is accountability, holding yourself responsible for the results of the projects you take on. That also entails not making excuses but rather identifying, working toward, and achieving solutions. Employers seek problem-solvers — not problem-spotters.

Leadership Interview Tips

• Think of a real-life scenario you can share where you noticed an issue and took steps to fix it,  or explored how to correct it without being told or directed to do so.
• Maybe you noticed a teammate struggling in a particular area and you helped them. Or you noticed a process wasn’t working as intended and thus outlined a solution and presented it to a key decision-maker. Share your story in the interview.

Integrity

As one of the most important qualities anyone can possess, integrity is a key indicator for long-term success. It begins with being honest with yourself. Cultivate an awareness of your strengths and weaknesses. Be authentic in your relationships with others, follow through on commitments, and demonstrate that you can be relied upon.

Integrity Interview Tips

We’ve all experienced that dreaded interview question, “What do you believe is your greatest weakness?” It’s tempting to answer with something canned like “I work too hard” or “I care too much.” But these common go-tos don’t ring true in an interview.

Instead consider a true weakness you have, but don’t stop there. Talk about the steps you’ve taken to overcome a weakness and turn it into a strength. For example:

• If you know you aren’t the most organized person, talk about the struggles you’ve had in the past in correctly prioritizing tasks and not letting anything slip.
• Outline the steps you took to get organized — maybe you use a to-do list app, live by your online calendar, or ensure you always have clearly defined deadlines for everything.

Here’s a biggie: Avoid making negative comments about your previous employer or coworkers. Even if you were fired or otherwise had a negative experience, keep it respectful and simple. All you may need to say in an interview is “It wasn’t the right match for me, and it was time to move on.”

Teamwork

With collaboration such an important part of any team-based environment, employers are looking for warm, friendly, engaged, and flexible people. It doesn’t matter how brilliant and successful you are if you can’t work with your team and support staff.

Teamwork Interview Tips

How can you show your sense of teamwork or collaboration? In an interview, recount a time when you were a member of a particularly successful team.

• What were the qualities that this team possessed?
• What was your role (either formally or informally) in the success of this team?

You’ll gain the edge if you also provide examples of a time when you influenced a group of peers to accept a change with a positive attitude.

Courage

Courage involves the willingness to take risks, move forward despite your fears, and even fail, which provides the opportunity to further learn and grow. It also means speaking up to say exactly what you think and feel even in difficult circumstances.

The business dial is never moved by “yes” people. Employers seek professionals willing to say what needs to be said — not what they think someone wants to hear.

It also takes courage to set aside your ego, know your audience, and give feedback in a way others can receive. Meeting people where they are helps difficult conversations become constructive rather than defensive.

Courage Interview Tips

Consider sharing a time when you disagreed with a decision or a direction that an organization or individual was taking.

• How did you communicate your differences in a constructive and respectful way?
• How did that difficult and intimidating conversation make your relationships stronger?

During an interview, you can also demonstrate courage by asking thoughtful, direct, and frank questions about the company and its direction.

Competence

Competence is crucial to your success, serving as the foundation of credibility in your career. It’s the ability to get a job done on a high level and with accuracy, which involves setting priorities, separating the relevant from the irrelevant, and focusing to accomplish the task in the timeline given.

Competence Interview Tips

You can demonstrate your competence by talking about a particularly busy or stressful day or week you’ve had recently.

• How did you prioritize to ensure everything was completed (and accomplished correctly)?
• What tools did you use to stay accurate, on time, and uphold your standards of care?

Resilience

Resilience is the ability to persevere in the face of adversity or shifting priorities. The ability to roll with change or stressful situations with a positive “can-do” attitude. Business doesn’t always unfold as predicted. Your ability to see the big picture and realign will be key.

Resilience Interview Tips

How can your sense of resilience shine through? By being calm and engaged in the interview process. If you’re comfortable in your own skin during an interview, that will indicate what you’re like under pressure in everyday situations.

Remember, your character is a big part of determining whether you’re the candidate to hire. Your demonstrated ability to stay positive, be collaborative, and reflect competence will set you apart from the pack.