If You Are These 5 Things, You Are Hired

You can get an interview with an impressive resume, but that's just the first part of the hiring process. Once you've got your foot in the door, you'll need to stand out from the crowd with qualifications that can only be demonstrated in person. If you can show you have the five qualities most desired by hiring managers, you'll get the job, says Jason Yormark in an article for Yahoo Small Business.

The number-one quality hiring managers want to see is the ability to work with anybody. As workforces continue to become more and more diverse with people from many cultures and backgrounds, it's critical to the success of a business that its employees can accept each others' differences and work together harmoniously in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Demonstrate this ability in your interview with a positive, respectful attitude and examples of past experience working as part of a diverse team.

A self-starter is a person who does what needs to be done without having to be directed, and employers want this quality in workers because it makes their own jobs easier. They won't have to spend time instructing you to do your work, and they'll be able to rely on you to take action when unexpected situations arise. Independent projects, hobbies and business projects outside of work are some of the things that show hiring managers you are a self-starter.

Prospective employers are looking for people with confidence in their abilities and in themselves. Hiring managers will rate your confidence on how well you communicate your skills and experience in your interview. If interviews make you nervous, prepare in advance by rehearsing speaking about your qualifications, so try to sound natural and not like you're giving a memorized speech.

Performing any job requires communication through in-person conversations, email, other forms of written correspondence or phone conversations. Employees with poor grammar and verbal skills reflect negatively on their employers, so the ability to communicate well is critical to hiring managers. You can prove your verbal communication strength in the interview and demonstrate your writing in a follow-up thank you email.

If you're the type of person who makes helping others a priority, hiring managers will want you. No matter what job you're applying for, you won't be working to benefit yourself — you'll be performing work that supports others who are all working toward a common goal to benefit your employer. Impress prospective managers with examples of how you helped others as part of a productive team, and give the team as a whole credit for its success.

Understanding what hiring managers are looking for beyond the skills and experience described on a resume is the second step toward landing a job. If you realize you don't have all the five qualities, you won't be able to convince an employer that you do. In that case, increase your chances of employment by improving yourself in the areas where you fall short — then a new job may soon be in your future.

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