Outstanding Job Interviews - Top 10 Hot Personal Qualities Job Interviewers Want to See

© P. Inglish 1995 - 2009; 2011, 2012

Job applicants arriving at job interviews are being critically observed from the time they enter the building, and sometimes in the parking lot beforehand. If the job candidate is at all sensitive to the expectations of corporate life, he or she will have dressed with appropriately and practiced good interview behaviors in front of a mirror. If an applicant arrives in golf or club clothing, then than reflects a lack of corporate role awareness and their place in the organization if they were to be hired. The appropriate appearance reflects the appropriate beliefs and attitudes for a good interview and good work in the future.

Employers do not want to see the spinning-wheel type of hyperactivity on the job, but they do want to see their employees behaving in a manner that projects enthusiasm and a drive to produce and succeed. Bosses and supervisors want employees that will be working with good energy all the time. At the start of a job interview, they can observe such a quality of energy as the employee enters the room.

High energy shows in your posture, your walk, and your eyes. If you have it, your job interviews will be more successful. If you have high energy at work, employers will think you are more likely to do a good job if they promote you or give you a raise, than workers who are less productive.

What is "good"?

To a slacker, all work is too hard. Employers want workers that want to work.

A person that has a good work ethic has usually learned it from somewhere -- such as from family and teachers. Employers look for this desire and willingness to work in every potential employee:

• Role models and mentors that believe in the importance of hard work
• Work-related free-time activities
• Willingness to take a second or even a third job
• No concern with number of hours worked -- no clock watching
• High career goals
• Good follow through -- completes anything undertaken
• Paid own way through college

4) Motivation Derived From Good Role Models.

Anyone from any background can become a success.

Success usually takes with hard work and because the individual had good role models among adults in life as they grew up. These could be parents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, teachers, pastors or rabbis, scout leaders, summer youth leaders, and a host of other people that influence children. It is important to have had role models growing up and it is important to find mentors on the job to serve as current role models.

Having had early role models or later choosing effective role models helps a job candidate to project that fact that 1) not only are they motivated, but also that 2) they can motivate others effectively.

An immature person uses two targeted qualities in order to manipulate and mislead others: 1) a sometimes-childlike charm and flattery, and 2) a talent for distracting attention from their own shortcomings by creating a disturbance or bullying others. Immature people are not good employees. Their goal is to satisfy only their own short-term gratification needs. In fact, they often feel that the employer is responsible for doing so. In fact, they may have this quality in such an extreme as to suffer from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Others who are rather immature emotionally are less troublesome on the job and may have what is called a low EQ (Emotional Quotient); however, the EQ can be raised through instruction and training.

The strongest marker of maturity is the concern for the well-being among other human beings on a daily basis.

Emotional maturity is shown by:

• Good Judgment.
• Handled oneself well in business affairs - no get-rich-quick schemes.
• Financial responsibility; does not overspend and create debt problems.
• Relatively low number of past employers.
• Has he pursued his career in a mature and adult manner? Has she job-hopped without realistic consideration for the future of either her employers or herself?

6) Attitude: Performing Well is More Important Than the Paycheck.

Some people work only for the money and they usually don't do a very good job at the work, because they don't like it. Such a person has little inner motivation to do well at this job. They often develop a resentment of work, the boss, and the company. Consequently, they will hold back their best from the job, do little real work, and coast to retirement if they can.

Loyalty is supporting your company, boss, and coworkers verbally and with actions. It means that you share a common mission statement and work together with your company and coworkers in good faith toward common goals. This also means a longer-term commitment than just a few days' work. Job-hoppers do not show loyalty.

8) Cooperation.

Compatible and similar individuals make the best work teams for maximized production and success. A job applicant that is self-absorbed, emotionally "touchy", or seems to have a chip n their shoulder during an interview is likely to be disruptive and demoralizing on the job. A cooperative, open-minded person that works hard is an ideal employee.

9) Follow Through.

Good follow through is shown in a goal-oriented individual with a history of completing his/her projects on time - and often with additional work over that which is necessary in order to make the project extra-good. Futher, this is not a person that picks up his first pay check and never returns to the job. (Follow through is useful in both personal and professional lives.)

10) Ability To Channel Anger.

The best job-seekers can manage hostilities smoothly. They do not criticize past employers during job interviews.