Key Qualities of the Best Employees to Show in Interviews and Advance your Career

About the role

It's essential to have the right skills to excel in a job, but it's equally important to demonstrate the right character qualities of being a great employee. Showing the top qualities of a successful professional will help you leave a lasting impression on colleagues and superiors, stand out during job interviews, and develop and advance your career.

Qualities of Successful Professionals

Strong Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Communication skills are crucial for success in any job role. You will interact with various people, including your boss, co-workers, clients, vendors, and board members.

• Acts and communicates professionally.
• Understands when and how to keep colleagues/supervisors updated on projects.
• Knows when to ask questions.
• Communicates effectively through clear, concise, and friendly written and verbal messages.
• Receives new ideas and feedback with an open mind.

Passion

Demonstrating passion or interest in work exhibits a strong desire to excel in a position. This mentality helps you stay driven to bring creativity, innovation, and produce high-achieving work.

• Drive to be successful.
• Willingness to learn.
• Continued desire for growth.
• Enthusiasm for the company, industry, or work at hand.

Confidence

Confident employees know what makes them a valuable asset and demonstrate this throughout their career.

• Establishes clear boundaries for work/life balance.
• Takes initiative on projects and ideas.
• Can adapt to a new role quickly.
• Can effectively communicate their career goals.
• Knows when to ask for help.
• Looks for ways to improve skills.
• Advocates for themselves for promotions, raises, etc.

Tip: If advancement is something you’re looking for, don’t wait for your boss to notice this skill. Clearly communicate your career goals so they can support you and keep you in mind for opportunities.

Honest and Trustworthy

Employers want to know they can trust their employees. Demonstrating integrity is crucial for maintaining trust.

• Demonstrates integrity in their work.
• Is forthcoming about their progress on projects or goals.
• Takes accountability for mistakes.
• Learns from experience and improves for the future, rather than placing blame on others.

Team Player

Committed to the team’s success and not only focused on themselves. Even if your job involves working independently, your work still impacts the entire company.

• Supports projects and provides solutions instead of complaints.
• Shows support and encouragement towards co-workers.
• Is flexible and adaptable to change.
• Is reliable and responsive.
• Collaborates efficiently and works well with others.

Dependable and Reliable

Dependable employees do the work necessary to get the job done without much supervision. They are willing to learn by asking appropriate questions and putting in the required work/training.

• Follow through on their words with their actions.
• Consistently meet deadlines and fulfill promises.
• Take the initiative when necessary.
• Produce high-quality work on a consistent basis.

Self-Reliant

Being able to work by yourself is just as important as being able to work well with a team. Supervisors want to know you can work independently.

• Problem solve and take initiative.
• Find solutions.
• Critique and edit their own work.
• Manage projects and prioritize tasks.
• Take initiative and continue to learn.
• Take accountability.

Accountable

Great employees don’t place blame or throw others under the bus when a problem arises; instead, they focus on learning from the experience and improving things for the future.

• Pay attention to details.
• Acknowledge and fix mistakes.
• Are proactive and supportive of team goals.
• Take responsibility for their actions.

Self-Aware

Self-aware employees understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas they can continue to improve on. They also understand their role and how it impacts the team and company goals.

• Know their strengths or areas to improve on for continued learning.
• Ask for feedback and/or grow from coaching/training.
• Have a strong understanding of their own skillsets.

Leadership

Demonstrating leadership is important in many roles, especially as supervisors consider individuals for promotions or advancement opportunities.

• Are inspiring to others.
• Show empathy toward team members.
• Offer solutions to problems.
• Can prioritize tasks and stay organized.
• Understand their team’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Can give and receive feedback in a constructive way.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know some of the qualities, think of ways you can highlight these skills on your resume, in interviews, and throughout your career to stand out as a top performer achieving success.