Professional Employee Characteristics

                While it is important to have the necessary skills to perform a job, many hiring managers believe these skills are secondary when compared to a job candidate’s personality.  Hiring managers have discovered that skills needed on the job and knowledge about the industry can be taught, but changing an employee’s personality is next to impossible.  Because of this, employers are hiring based upon non-trainable qualities such as a job candidate’s honesty and work ethic.

                Honesty is essential to be considered a desirable employee.  Honest employees are willing to admit to their mistakes and shortcomings (Ingram).  Everything is not always going to work out perfectly when tried.  It is important for employees to own up to what goes wrong and have a willingness to learn from the experience.  Honest employees are more likely to engage in ethical behavior because they do not feel a need to cover up problems.  Engaging in dishonest, unethical behavior has the potential to lead the company into the ground which is why honesty is such a crucial characteristic.

                Another vital characteristic a potential employee must possess is a strong work ethic.  Employees with a strong work ethic are passionate, ambitious, and action-oriented (Sundheim, 2013).  Passionate employees have a strong desire to work hard because they love what they do.  Ambitious employees set lofty goals.  In order to achieve these, they must be creative and innovative in their thinking.  Once a creative solution has been brainstormed, the employee then takes action to implement it.  Employers desire hardworking employees who are determined to see themselves and the company succeed.

                By hiring employees with personalities that meet the “right fit” for the company, hiring managers are able to decrease turnover.  Employees who successfully demonstrate their honesty and strong work ethic are more likely to be hired and thrive in the workplace.

References

Ingram, D. (n.d.). The qualities of a good & professional employee. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/qualities-good-professional-employee-10963.html

Sundheim, K. (2013, April 02). 15 traits of the ideal employee. Forbes, Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensundheim/2013/04/02/15-traits-of-the-ideal-employee/