There’s no such thing as a perfect employee, but there are some exceptional workers who possess certain traits that can be found in all the most effective and excellent corporate professionals. When looking for capable people to join the team, looking for these specific characteristics can help narrow down the talent pool to the most qualified candidates. The following are some key traits to look out for in potential applicants.
Entrepreneurial
Enterprising individuals will always be willing to take risks. When they don’t pay off, it’ll at least open up the business to new ideas and opportunities. But when these decisions do pay off, they can be incredibly beneficial to the company as a whole. Entrepreneurial employees will take chances on a venture like franchising for executives which can yield high returns and help the business break into new territory it otherwise would not have gone.
Accountable
Outstanding business professionals should always hold themselves accountable for their actions. If they make a mistake, they need to own up to it and strive to do better.
Self-assured
The best employees are those that don’t need to look towards external factors to validate their sense of self-worth and job or personal satisfaction. They feel self-assured and secure when it comes to their skills and their intrinsic value, and they feel that they have to constantly prove themselves. Their foremost concern is if they’re accomplishing the goals they’ve set out for themselves and for the business.
Passionate
Having a strong passion for something gives people a reason to strive for better things and work towards achieving their goals. A highly effective workforce is made up of incredibly passionate people who are motivated to do good work, help foster a healthy work environment, and are incredibly creative and inspired. More passionate employees equals less absenteeism and job dissatisfaction, and more productivity and efficiency.
Self-restrained
Exceptional corporate professionals exercise self-restraint in the face of highly stressful or turbulent situations. They’re in control of their actions and their emotions. They’re resilient and level-headed in the face of a challenge, and even in their failures.
Respectful
It’s easy to find employees who have a deep respect for authority figures, but it’s much more difficult to find people who remain highly respectful of individuals who are either in the same position as them or those who they have authority over. Respect and trust go both ways. If a superior doesn’t respect those who are under him or her, then he or she will lose the respect of those same people.
Creative
High-performing employees should be creative and innovative in their approach to solving problems, as well as coming up with new opportunities and angles for the company to explore.
Communicative
Communication is the key to productivity and worthwhile working relationships. If an employee doesn’t know how to effectively and succinctly communicate their thoughts, they risk running into conflict or not getting their ideas across, no matter how good that idea may otherwise be.
Kind
Being an exceptional professional isn’t all about business, it’s also about being human, especially since employees aren’t robots. The best workers are those that show a remarkable amount of compassion, sympathy, and kindness for everyone around them. This is what will eventually lead them to become highly effective leaders in the future.
Humble
The most effective teams are made up of people who are humble and generous with their time, skills, and effort. Nobody should want to be better than the others, and neither should they want to take credit for the hard work of the group.
Punctual
Excellent time management is a skill not many people have, but it’s found in abundance in the most exceptional professionals. Effective employees know how to use their time wisely, and submitting their work on the dot.
Neat
The best employees know how to dress for success. An unkempt and slovenly appearance can tell you a lot about an individual. Exceptional employees know exactly how to present themselves in a way that demands respect, yet meets the requirements of the company dress code.
Intelligent
Candidates don’t need to be geniuses to be outstanding employees, but they should at least be extremely knowledgeable and competent when it comes to their line of work. They should also be curious and interested to learn more about their field, and constantly strive to improve their performance and make meaningful contributions.
These are just some common characteristics that are found in the most exceptional employees. You might not find all of these traits in a single prospective candidate, but anyone who expressly exhibits even a handful of these features is sure to be a wonderful addition to the team.
