14 Character Attributes Employers Want to See

“teamwork canottaggio” by Luigi Mengato is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

You’re completing your free MoreWithUs job profile. It’s been a breeze. You’re almost done. Then you have the option of selecting character attributes.

Which do you pick? “Trustworthy,” “creative,” “multi-tasking”… looking through the list, pretty much all of them fit you in some way or another.

MoreWithUs helps jobseekers present their best qualities to businesses offering everyday jobs. But what exactly are businesses looking for? Alan Katzman, a social media strategist and educator, found 14 character attributes that your next boss might want to see.

1. Challenge: All jobs, including everyday jobs, will see its fair share of difficulties. Are you up for challenges or do you shy away?
2. Collaboration: As the saying goes, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Employers need team members who know how to work with others.
3. Commitment: In short, this means sticking to your job, even if it gets hard.
4. Genuine Community Service: All community service helps. But genuine community service makes you stand out.
5. Intellectual Curiosity: A curious person thinks of new solutions — and those are always in demand.
6. Leadership: Leaders help others reach their full potential. Katzman considers this trait a top three character attribute.
7. Perseverance: A person who perseveres refuses to give up.
8. Problem-solving: Not every problem can be solved with a formula. Employers are looking for people who think outside to the box.
9. Resilience: Similar to perseverance, resilience demonstrates that you can work through challenges.
10. Responsibility: Can people trust you with tasks? Do you own up to your mistakes? It may surprise you how many employers would rather hire someone who’s responsible than someone who’s just “good at the job.”
11. Self-expression: Whether it’s a personality trait, a talent, or a life experience, you bring something unique to the table. Express it!
12. Team Player: This character attribute is similar to collaboration. But while collaboration deals with how well you contribute to team tasks, good team players build strong working relationships too.
13. Tolerance: You never know who your next customer or coworker will be. Tolerance means that you can treat people of all backgrounds with respect.
14. Volunteerism: Similar to genuine community service, volunteerism suggests to others that you are generous with your time.

Do any in particular resonate with you? Pick some that you think really describe you — then go on and finish your MoreWithUs profile!