Which Professional Employee Characteristics are Most Common?

            Employers are searching for many different characteristics when hiring, but two, integrity and interpersonal skills, are seen more often than others. Employers are often just as interested in these soft skills as they are in technical skills. Because of this, it is important to be able to show potential employers that you possess these skills (Levinson).

Integrity. The average business’s fraud and employee theft account for 5 to 7 percent of net income (Hunt). Most business’s profit margin is within the same range. Because of this, many employers are making integrity a top priority when hiring. Not only do employers want to hire those who are traditionally honest they also want to hire people who are honest about mistakes (Ingram). What makes a truly exceptional employee is someone who will own up to his or her mistake and take responsibility. When a business is full of people who are not afraid to own up to their mistakes, then they make the work atmosphere much better by allowing for a greater focus on work and less about gossip and egos.

Interpersonal Skills. “No matter how skilled employees are in their specific job roles, interpersonal skills can make or break employees’ value to their employers” (Ingram). Employers want people who know how to get along and work well together. They do not want to have to babysit employees because of bad relationships or insufficient communication skills. Because of this and the rise of interdepartmental teams in the workforce, interpersonal skills are becoming more and more sought after.

Conclusion. If you want the best chance at getting that new job that you are applying for, then remember that honesty and interpersonal skills are becoming ever more prevalent in job descriptions. Employers are looking for people who can own up to their mistakes and work productively with other employees.

References

Hunt, Janet. The Top Ten Attributes of a good employee. Retrieved from Yahoo Voices:             http://voices.yahoo.com/the-top-ten-attributes-good-employee-6808082.html

Ingram, David. The Qualities of a good professional employee. Retrieved From Demand Media:            http://smallbusiness.chron.com/qualities-good-professional-employee-10963.html

Levinson, Meridith. Job Search: The 10 Professional Attributes Employers Want Most in   Employees. Retrieved From CIO:             http://blogs.cio.com/meridith_levinson/13002/job_search_the_10_professional_attributes            _employers_want_most_in_employees