How To Answer Interview Questions About Successful Employees
During a job interview, one of the employer’s top priorities is to find out whether you’ll do a good job if you’re hired. They want to know if you’ll be a successful employee if you’re hired.
Employers will want to know how you approach your work and the standards that you set for yourself on the job. You should expect to be asked questions like “What qualities should a good employee have?” as a way for interviewers to learn about your attributes as an employee.
How to Prepare a Response
Start preparing for this type of question by analyzing the job and determining the qualities that an ideal candidate should possess. For example, is the employer looking for workers who can function independently with little supervision or employees who carefully follow directions? Review the “Responsibilities” and “Requirements” section of the job description to discern what type of candidate the interviewer is looking for.
Match Your Work Experience to the Job Requirements
Next, reflect upon your past work experiences and identify the various qualities that have enabled you to be successful. Place the greatest emphasis on the qualities that match the expectations of your prospective employer.
You should emphasize both hard skills (like your expertise with Adobe Photoshop, ability to organize and analyze data in Excel, or video editing capabilities) and soft skills like interpersonal communication and effective listening.
Share Examples
After you convey your strengths, be ready to answer follow-up questions about how you might have applied those qualities on the job. Prepare examples of specific situations where you tapped those qualities to produce positive results and achieve success on the job. Don’t share a certain quality if you don’t have an example to back it up.
50 Qualities of Good Employees
Here are 50 qualities that organizations often seek as they recruit staff. Review the list, and narrow it down to traits that reflect your skills and abilities. Having these phrases on-hand may help you craft a compelling case for being hired with your target employers.
1. Punctual
2. Reliable
3. Aggressive learner of information about products and services
4. Masters technology applications in the field
5. Committed to professional development
6. Competitive nature
7. Cooperative approach
8. Team player
9. Eager to collaborate
10. Creative problem solver
11. Recognizes limitations
12. Positive attitude and demeanor
13. Receptive to constructive criticism
14. Writes well
15. Articulates clearly
16. Presents well to groups
17. Facilitates meetings capably
18. Strong work ethic
19. High energy
20. Follows directions
21. Requires little supervision
22. Displays leadership ability
23. Interacts effectively with diverse co-workers, clients, and other constituents
24. Detail oriented
25. Quality conscious
26. Loyal to supervisors
27. Makes supervisors look good
28. Gives credit to others when due
29. Produces bottom line results
30. Cost conscious
31. Possesses ethical integrity
32. Self-motivated
33. Adaptable
34. Embraces new responsibilities
35. Helpful to co-workers
36. Addresses challenges directly
37. Confident
38. Intelligent
39. Action Oriented
40. Willing to take reasonable risks
41. Innovative
42. Tracks cutting edge trends in their field
43. Proactive
44. Resilient
45. Customer Service oriented
46. Ambitious
47. Neatness
48. Well organized
49. Active listener
50. Persuasive