Great employees share certain characteristics and these are the ones that employers seek above and beyond the ability to fill a job description. With competition for new jobs at an all-time high, employees must have the skills employers are targeting.

It's important to know exactly what employers look for when hiring full-time employees. In addition to relevant skills, employers seek employees who have the personal values, characteristics, and personality traits that spell success. Employers are often looking for skills that go beyond educational degrees, certifications and licenses. While your education may make you eligible to apply for a job, you will need to exhibit a mix of skills to be successful at the job.

Here are skills employers look for most in today's fast-paced, technologically advanced workplace:

Intelligence

First Skill Employer is looking for is your basic academic skill, your Intelligence. Intelligence in this sense means the ability to plan, to organize, to set priorities, to solve problems, and to get the job done. Intelligence refers to your level of common sense and your practical ability to deal with the day-to-day challenges of the job. The key to demonstrating your intelligence is for you to ask intelligent questions. One of the hallmarks of intelligence that is immediately evident is curiosity. The more you ask good questions and listen to the answers, the smarter you appear.

Strong Work Ethic

It is important to care about your job and complete all projects while maintaining a positive attitude. Doing more than is expected on the job is a good way to show management that you utilize good time management skills and don’t waste valuable company time attending to personal issues not related to the job. Downsizing in today’s job market is quite common so it’s important to recognize the personal values and attributes employers want to improve your chances

Dependability

Employers want employees who demonstrate dependability. Certain core expectations are required for all jobs, but dependability is probably at the top of the list. Employees show dependability by taking personal ownership of all aspects of their job, including being on time, dressing , working in a professional manner, and demonstrating a high level of commitment. Managers like dependable employees because they set and maintain clear expectations.

Positive Attitude

Employers seek employees who take the initiative and have the motivation to get the job done in a reasonable period of time. A positive attitude gets the work done and motivates others to do the same without dwelling on the challenges that inevitably come up in any job. Great employees maintain a positive attitude, even during difficult situations. They tackle projects, both big and small, in a straightforward manner. If they have a sensitive issue to discuss, they do so in private. They promote a team spirit and good morale, and they are a pleasure to work with and be around; a trait that is often minimized as an essential job characteristic.

Team Player

No one can achieve "greatness" in an organization completely alone, and remarkable employees know this to be true. They are the consummate team player who can highlight their own successes, as well as praise others for theirs. These employees recognize that success is better achieved through team work, always.

Loyalty and Integrity

Integrity begins by being true to yourself. This means that you are perfectly honest with yourself and in your relationships with others. You are willing to admit your strengths and weaknesses. You are willing to admit where you have made mistakes in the past. Especially, you demonstrate loyalty. You never say anything negative about a previous employer or a person whom you have worked with or for. Employers value employees they can trust and who exhibit their loyalty to the company.

Adaptability

Employers seek employees who are adaptable and maintain flexibility in completing tasks in an ever changing workplace. Being open to change and improvements provides an opportunity to complete work assignments in a more efficient manner. Adaptability also means adapting to the personality and work habits of co-workers and supervisors. Each person possesses their own set or strengths and adapting personal behaviors to accommodate others is part of what it takes to work effectively as a team. By viewing change as an opportunity to complete work assignments in a more efficient manner, adapting to change can be a positive experience

Likeability

Employers like people who are warm, friendly, easygoing, and cooperative with others. Employers are looking for people who can join the team and be part of the work family. Men and women with good personalities are invariably more popular and more effective at whatever they do. Teamwork is the key to business success. Your experience in working as part of a team in the past and your willingness to work as part of a team in the future can be among the most attractive things about you in applying for a job.

Professionalism

Employers value employees who exhibit professional behavior at all times. Professional behavior includes learning every aspect of a job and doing it to the best of one’s ability. Professionals look, speak, and dress accordingly to maintain an image of someone who takes pride in their behavior and appearance. Professionals complete projects as soon as possible and avoid letting uncompleted projects pile up. Professionals complete high quality work and are detail oriented.

Inner Strength

Inner strength means that you have the determination and the ability to persevere in the face of adversity. Inner strength means that you have the quality of persistence when the going gets rough. You demonstrate inner strength when you remain calm, cool, and relaxed during the job interview. If you are calm and cool during the interview, it is a good indication that you will be calm and cool in the inevitable crises that occur during the day-to- day operations of the company.

Above all, it is your character, which is the sum total of all your positive qualities, that will have the greatest impact on whether you get the job you want. Your job now is to continue working on your character by practicing the behaviors of top people at every opportunity.