What personality traits set you apart?
The difference between a good employee and a great employee is likely not their degrees, experience, or achievements at work. They're more likely to be those "softer" competencies and key qualities that make them human.
While many of us have more or less adjusted to working from home, the truth remains that it’s more difficult than ever to express ourselves at work via Zoom and other remote mediums.
Your character traits, which define who you are and how you behave in particular situations, are tough to convey through a screen. Moreover, you want to ensure you portray your best qualities whenever possible.
Table of Contents
- The Importance of Positive Qualities at Work
- 12 Key Characteristics of a Good Employee
- Other Good Character Traits Bosses Love
And these personality traits matter significantly in the workplace. Exhibiting desirable character traits can help you earn a promotion, build your network, and develop further in your career.
The Importance of Positive Qualities at Work
Studies have shown that 23 percent of employees lack the basic skills needed to perform 90 percent of jobs.
Subsequently, companies have put even more emphasis on training their employees to become proficient in both soft and hard skills, but looking out for or exhibiting certain character traits can indicate ahead of time that you will make an excellent employee.
What’s more, some studies have even tested that attributes such as conscientiousness, agreeableness, and emotional stability were considered important for a variety of positions, from healthcare to construction.
As such, honing and displaying these character traits is essential for everyone, no matter your career background. But how do you showcase the most positive personality traits in the interview process and throughout your career?
Leave Negative "Anti-Skills" Behind
Before diving into the most admirable qualities you'll want to feature in your daily interactions and work, let's weed out the ugly.
We're talking about the anti-skills or bad personality traits that needn't be brought to any workplace.
These negative character traits and behavior patterns include negativity, laziness, selfishness, braggadociousness, and more. For more on the negative qualities to leave behind, check out our article, Workplace Anti-Skills.
12 Key Characteristics of a Good Employee
So, what do you think are the most important character traits that set you apart from your colleagues? Moreover, which character traits matter to employers?
According to The Big Five Personality Test, almost every positive character trait can be characterized beneath the "Big Five" positive personality qualities.
The Big Five Personalities Are:
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
- Extroversion
- Neuroticism
- Openness
While taking this quiz can be a great place to assess your personality, there are always improvements to make and skills to develop. Let's unpack some positive character traits, soft skills, and qualities employers love to see exemplified in their best employees.
We'll also take it one step further by showing you how to show your qualifications to a hiring manager or recruiter through the interview process.
Here are the best positive character traits we think you should illustrate on your resume, cover letter, job interview, and—quite frankly—throughout your entire career.
Pro Tip: As an employee (and a human), showcasing every skill mentioned in this article is unnecessary. Focus on the 3-5 skills that you already possess or that would be advantageous in your career.
1. Dependable
One of the easiest characteristics to cultivate despite our virtual workspace is dependability.
If you continue to meet deadlines, arrive at meetings on time, work cooperatively and respectfully, and submit work that is above average, you can easily cultivate a reliable persona in the office.
While much of this may seem small, the truth is that your boss and coworkers will nevertheless notice when these traits are absent. As such, it’s low-hanging fruit, particularly now, to build a dependable mindset.
Related Skills:
- Teamwork skills
- Self-motivation
How to Show Dependability on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“Even during unexpected circumstances, such as my manager taking FMLA during the COVID-19 pandemic, my coworkers were always able to depend on me to step up to new and challenging tasks.”
“All of my former bosses have admired my reliability—I never miss a meeting or deadline and can be depended on during stressful situations.”
2. Motivated + Strong Work Ethic
On the other side of the spectrum, motivation is one of the more difficult traits to exhibit on-screen. How do you *show* your self-motivation?
But your motivation and commitment to your work can come across in your enthusiasm at team meetings, your continued work ethics, and your initiative to lead. Your motivation can also be displayed in one-on-one discussions with coworkers where your infectious energy can be passed on.
A motivated employee is cognizant of the bigger picture, focusing not just on their own success but rather the goals for the entire company. While showcasing this trait may be a bit tougher, it will certainly help you stand out from your peers in a way that dependability may not.
How to Show Motivation on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“I am highly motivated, constantly seeking new projects and assisting with tasks whenever possible, even if I have to learn a new skill to help the team.”
“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I kept my team motivated by understanding what they needed, stepping up to offer them flexibility and PTO in order to encourage creativity and motivation when they were working.”
3. Independent
Every workplace loves a team player, but independence shows courage and direction.
Independent employees get work done without needing constant reminders from coworkers or check-ins with their manager. If you spend one-on-one time with your colleagues going over upcoming deadlines, chances are you’re not regarded as particularly independent.
Moreover, independent employees structure their time efficiently—and convey that, too! Instead of just focusing on a task during a certain time frame, block that period off on your work calendar and organize your day so that your colleagues can also check and see that you’re taking the initiative to get tasks done, independently.
This is particularly helpful given that when you're working remotely, it’s nearly impossible for your boss and coworkers to get a full sense of the work you’re completing independently. But, in taking charge of your schedule, you can showcase independence that is otherwise difficult to convey.
How to Show Independence on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“I am a self-directed learner who takes the initiative in joining or leading new projects, seeks out new courses to improve my skills independent of the team, and completes tasks without constant reminders.”
“One of my greatest strengths is efficiently managing my schedule, blocking out time to focus on tasks, and independently moving projects forward.”
Mention on your resume that you feel confident making decisions and have the ability to work without close supervision.
4. Creative
Not all office environments foster creativity, and not all jobs necessarily require it in their descriptions. Nevertheless, this is an important character trait to cultivate in the workplace.
Even if you’re not in a creative line of work, it can be helpful to exhibit creativity with clients or during meetings. Creativity can look like offering unique ideas or conveying information in a new way. While it can be difficult to find time to be creative, try stepping away from the screen, going for a walk, and allowing creativity to find you.
How to Show Creativity on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“I do not hesitate to suggest creative new ideas or ways of approaching a task that may improve efficiency and efficacy.”
“During a particularly challenging project, I made it a point to ensure that I took sufficient breaks and stepped away from the screen so that my creative nature could continue to thrive.”
Use the resume buzzword “created” to show that you have made something original.
5. Empathetic
This personality trait distinguishes leaders from followers. Being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, understand their circumstances, and amplify others is crucial in today's workplace.
Empathetic employees showcase skills like active listening, personal understanding, and interpersonal expertise that allow them to work well with most anyone.
People can feel when you’re being genuine, so it’s tough to “fake it till you make it” with this character trait, but it's essential in every arena.
How to Show Empathy on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“As a leader, I have found that empathy and compassion have been most useful in connecting with my team, directing them to success.”
“During a complicated project I oversaw, I sought to understand the struggles of my peers, channeling my empathetic nature into flexible policies that helped my coworkers thrive.”
On a resume, point out that you have an excellent grasp of customer needs. You can also emphasize interpersonal skills or attentive listening on a resume.
6. Flexible
Flexibility is one of the most important character traits. The ability to pivot from one project to the next due to unexpected deadlines, or being flexible and available to talk to clients on the fly, or just being open to work remotely are all useful qualities to have as a coworker.
In a virtual environment, this is perhaps one of the easiest personality traits to emphasize and improve upon. Maintaining an adaptable nature that meets new situations with a positive attitude won’t go unnoticed or unrewarded.
How to Show Flexibility on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“As a flexible employee, I was able to transition from [function] to [different function] in order to support and empower all members of my team. This resulted in [successes].”
“During a recent organizational realignment, I worked closely and flexibly with management to ensure that we all transitioned to new teams and processes as seamlessly as possible.”
“I can prioritize time-sensitive tasks, even unexpected ones, without disrupting my original plans for the workday.”
7. Humble
No one likes a bragger. Yes, there is a time and a place to "brag" about your work, but keep it within reason.
Managers are looking for team players—people who give credit where it's due and don’t hype their own personal contributions or successes.
Instead of creating a toxic environment at the workplace, coworkers want to be around those who are humble—people who are kind, diligent, and get the job done without making a fuss.
While there is a time and place to brag and emphasize your own accomplishments—like at a job interview!—once you’ve joined a team or entered the company, humility speaks much louder.
How to Show Humility on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“While I have led numerous projects, I would not be the employee I am today without the support and guidance of my mentors and coworkers.”
“When our team changed, I devoted myself to ensuring a smooth transition. Each member stepped up during this time, working as a team to commit to the company’s success."
You can also show humility in your cover letter by thanking the reader for their time, knowing that they are looking at many impressive candidates.
In crafting humble language in other areas of your cover letter, you can walk the fine line between bragging about your accomplishments while getting hired for a job but also emphasizing that you are humble.
8. Responsible
It almost goes without saying, but responsibility is one of the best traits for an employee to display.
Even in school, teachers love "the responsible kid."
That's usually the child who is reliable and trustworthy, but they also often establish themselves as a leader. In the workforce, responsibility is a must, especially if you are looking to get promoted.
Moreover, responsible people honor their commitments, treat others fairly and respectfully, and are seen as role models. While not every leader needs to be liked or looked up to, being responsible can certainly help cement a positive image of you in the workplace.
How to Show Responsibility on Your Resume or Cover Letter
Highlight increasing responsibilities on your resume, especially if you’ve spent over two years at a company. You can do this by chronicling the titles you received, but also through your expanding list of tasks and duties.
“I have enjoyed growing my responsibilities in this role, taking on more tasks and leading a larger team each year.”
9. Inclusive
With diversity, equity, and inclusion rising in importance at every company, an inclusive employee is more important than ever before. You can display your inclusivity by enforcing unbiased hiring practices, creating processes that remove barriers for minorities and women, and being a champion for those less able, fortunate, or privileged than you.
You can also display inclusiveness by going out of your way to ensure that each team member feels included and like part of the team.
Related Skills:
- Emotional intelligence / Empathy
- Self-Awareness
How to Show Inclusivity on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“I led the DE&I task force at my company, pushing for unbiased hiring practices and better programs to ensure retention and promotion rates for minorities and women.”
“I have always sought to create close dynamics on my team, ensuring each member feels included and like they belong.”
10. Efficient
Any employee who can increase the efficacy of their team or the systems and processes they’ve been using is an automatic favorite. Often, employees accept the systems at their company as law.
In reality, however, employees willing to experiment, challenge, and change their company processes to make them more efficient are guaranteed to go far. Even if your creativity doesn’t extend that far, you can still emphasize your efficiency by completing tasks rapidly, with time to review and edit if needed. This shows your self-direction in the face of would-be setbacks.
You can familiarize yourself with programs and tasks that would be useful during last-minute projects so that you are always seen as efficient and quick, even when working under duress.
How to Show Efficiency on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“I streamline the processes on my team, introducing systems such as [blank] and [blank] to improve the overall efficiency on my team.”
“I have always completed my tasks quickly and worked efficiently, searching for the best possible way to complete a task, even if that means a steep learning curve at first.”
On a resume, start sentences with, “improved efficiency of…”
11. Curious
While curiosity may kill the cat, it’s an extremely valuable trait in an employee. Curious workers can independently motivate themselves to succeed and seek out new opportunities, pushing the team to expand and grow in the process.
Given that most jobs will need open-minded, flexible employees at some point, a curious worker who seeks new challenges as exciting opportunities is invaluable. Curiosity also typically accompanies other attractive traits like persistence, patience, and open-mindedness.
How to Show Curiosity on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“I am curious and open-minded, constantly seeking new opportunities to learn and grow as both an individual and a coworker.”
“I constantly ask questions and seek to learn, improve, and grow as an employee.”
On your resume, include a section about hobbies and interests to showcase that your curious nature extends beyond the workplace.
12. Diligent
A diligent employee takes pride in a job well done—and is ready to jump over hurdles. They are meticulous and careful, perhaps veering on the edge of Type-A. But, perfectionists are revered in the workplace, so a diligent employee who doesn’t feel comfortable turning in mediocre work is an asset to any team.
You can showcase your diligence by offering to proofread or edit projects, decks, or written reports. Moreover, you can focus on the details while others look at the bigger picture. If you know this is you, use your skills to direct your team to success.
Related Skills:
- Detailed
- Communication Skills
How to Show Diligence on Your Resume or Cover Letter
“I am often described as meticulous, careful, and diligent in my work.”
“In team environments, I take on the detail-oriented tasks while my peers may focus on the big picture. With this system of divvying up the work, my diligent nature steps up, and we are able to complete our goals successfully.”
Other Good Character Traits Bosses Love
These twelve traits by no means constitute a comprehensive list. We've admittedly only scratched the surface of the skills employers look for in their best employees. For example, an employee with good technical skills is worthless if they're not also an honest employee.
An employee with 20 years' worth of experience is not going to work well if they're not also a good communicator.
Bosses love and appreciate other important traits, too. Here are just a few:
- Charismatic
- Generous
- Adaptability
- Perseverance
- Self-control
- Optimistic
- Integrity
- Compassionate
- Ambitious
- Imaginative
- Patient
- Organized
- Meticulous
- Intuitive
- Honesty
- Devoted
- Loyalty
- Friendly
- Inquisitive
- Perceptive
The bottom line is that there are many personality traits to cultivate in the workplace. Starting with just a few you can be remembered for will get you far.
