Twelve recruiting experts share the top traits they’re looking for in good employees. Follow their blueprint and make your next amazing hire.
What makes a good employee in an organization?
Is it culture, skills, or something else?
What are recruiters looking for when they are filling their open spots?
And with unemployment rates at record lows, candidates also have their pick. How can you find great candidates with the qualities that you desire?
We asked 12 top recruiting leaders, CEOs, and business owners about how they attract talent and what they look for in great hires.
Question: What are the qualities of a good employee?
Every job position has a different set of ideal characteristics. For example, top-performing salespeople tend to be fairly extroverted while the best programmers lean towards being introverts. With that being said, if I were to select a few characteristics that I want all my employees to have it would be integrity, accountability, creativity, adaptability, and high aptitude levels.
As a specialist recruitment company, when recruiting for our clients and when recruiting for ourselves, the characteristics of a good employee very often comes down to attitude and approach. If someone is able to communicate effectively, has a positive ‘can-do’ attitude and is able to work effectively both individually and collaboratively with teams of people, then it is very likely they will have success. Consistency in behaviour and self motivation are key to achievement. Recruiting people with the values of the organisation will ensure greater likelihood of success.
We know that if people feel good about where they work and who they work for, they can thrive and continue to deliver results.
1. Drive - Recruiting is love/hate. You either love the thrill of finding candidates or you don't. Nothing in between. The recruiters I have hired over the years have always had a passion to be better at what s/he does whether it be researching new ways to find candidates or bringing up new ways or processes to do things faster and smarter.
2. Customer Service - I started in operations with Marriott. I knew that when I decided to pursue my career I wanted to be positively impacting people and I expect the same from my employees. The goal is to always stay ahead of your clients not waiting for them to ask but delivering what you promised and when you said you would deliver. That is, if they tell the hiring manager they want three to five candidates by a specific date, the expectation sits with the recruiter to deliver on time, every time.
3. Promotability - When interviewing recruiters and sourcers, I am looking for vision, hard work, team player, but most importantly, can they take their skills to the next level. Can I see them in my role? I always look for this because I am replaceable.
Conclusion: What Makes a Good Employee?
A selection of the top qualities as listed by the experts:
- Integrity
- Problem-solvers
- Customer-centric
- Accountability
- Active learners
- Grit
Ultimately, it’s a two-way street. Your company will influence team members as much as those team members will impact your company.
That means your company should embody many of the characteristics you’re looking for in them, such as a positive attitude, a strong work ethic, and emotional intelligence.
Creating a company culture that values those qualities will give your new hires a place to shine.
- What other traits do you think are important for good employees?
- What recruiting tactics are you using to find good employees?