job interview
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While hard skills are always critical to landing the best job, it is often “soft skills” or character traits that can make the difference in who is hired and who is left standing on the street. 77 percent of employers say personality traits are just as important as the specific skills needed to perform a job function, according to a Harris Poll of 2,138 hiring managers and human resource professionals conducted on behalf of CareerBuilder. In fact, 16 percent said those soft skills are even more important than hard skills. After all, you can teach someone how to use Excel, but how do you teach someone how to be dependable or confident?

The top 10 character traits or “soft skills” companies look for when hiring:
1. Strong work ethic: 73 percent
2. Dependable: 73 percent
3. Positive attitude: 72 percent
4. Self-motivated: 66 percent
5. Team-oriented: 60 percent
6. Organized and can manage multiple priorities: 57 percent
7. Works well under pressure: 57 percent
8. Effective communicator: 56 percent
9. Flexible: 51 percent
10. Confident: 46 percent