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5 Skills You Should Be Looking for in Employees

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Summary: Companies need to look for five key skills in the employees they are bringing onto their team if they want their company to succeed.

Every company needs strong employees to keep the company running successfully. Without employees that demonstrate key skills, like the five listed below, the company will constantly be struggling and hiring new employees that do little to fill the void.

  1. Communication

An employee that is not able to communicate will be a problem for the company and their fellow coworkers. A big part of having good communication skills is to be an overall likable person. Look for employees that are warm, easygoing, friendly, and cooperative with others. This shows that they can easily mold into the team and be part of the group. Communication also means being able to speak and write what they need to say. If an employee is poor at writing, then information may get lost between emails and reports. The same goes for an employee that struggles to verbally communicate. Their message during a presentation or just a one-on-one conversation may not be understood. While communication skills can often be improved with practice, not everything can be taught.

  1. Intelligence

Intelligence is a big part of what makes someone good at analyzing situations correctly and effectively. Studies find that 76 percent of the productivity and contribution of an employee is determined by their level of intelligence, which is their ability to plan, organize, set priorities, solve problems and get the job done. Employers also want the type of intelligence that is demonstrated in common sense and practical thinking to handle daily challenges that come with the job. Look for someone that is curious, asking smart questions and actually listening to the answers.

  1. Teamwork

An employee that can work with a team and lead a team is equally important. An employee that acts as a leader is willing and has a desire to accept accountability for the final project. They have an ability to take charge, they volunteer for assignments, and they accept responsibility for the assignments they are given to achieve the necessary results. Look for an employee that does not make excuses and demonstrates a willingness to take on a leadership role by wanting to help the company achieve goals and perform at high levels.

  1. Strength

Obviously, you do not want to hire an employee that is not qualified or able to do the job. You need employees that are competent, have a strength to themselves, and are not afraid of the job. Companies need employees that can get the job done and are not afraid of what it will take to do so, even if this means asking for help or admitting they can’t do it. A competent employee knows how to set priorities, separating pertinent tasks from those that are not a priority until the job is done. Taking on the responsibilities it requires to get the job done can take a lot of inner strength and courage. There is always a chance of failing or uncertainty when forging a new course but if the employee has what it takes, those challenges will be easy.

  1. Integrity

Integrity is essential in an employee. Companies want employees that are true to themselves by being honest to themselves and to those they work with. They also need employees that respect the company and will stick up for it when others try to take advantage of the company’s resources. These employees can admit their strengths and weaknesses, willing to admit when they have made a mistake. Look for an employee that is loyal, never taking negatively about past employers or coworkers. Even if the employee was fired or had a bad boss, you do not want to hear them talking about this experience in a negative or critical light.

What qualities do you like to see in potential employees? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

To learn more about hiring new employees, read these articles:

Photo: flickr.com

5 Skills You Should Be Looking for in Employees by
Authored by: Amanda Griffin