Marsha Hebert 
It isn't unheard of to win a job based on your mindset rather than your skill set
PhD Paul Stoltz and James Reed wrote a book, Put your Mindset to Work: The One Asset You Really Need to Win and Keep the Job You Love. In their research, they found that a whopping 96% of employers value a job seeker's mindset over the possession of particular skills. It makes sense if you think about it. The skills you must have to succeed at work will change and evolve as the industry and trends change. However, the list of good qualities of a person the company wants for their culture won't change.
Work culture, a good work/life balance, and company values are becoming more important every day. The reason the qualities of a person matter at work and in life is that employers can maintain the great work environments and positive cultures they're trying so hard to build.
Admirable traits and qualities to admire in a person
Human beings are inherently social creatures. Whether you're the type of person who wants a large circle of friends or you like to keep a more tightly connected group close to you, good character traits will be the thing that makes you successful in your life goals. Likewise, if you have good qualities to admire, a prospective employer will feel more at ease in bringing you into their work circle.
Your skill set defines what you can do. Skills are developed through education and experience. Employers refer to this type of knowledge as hard skills.
Your mindset dives deeper and involves how you see, think, and believe. Great qualities in a person are known as soft skills in the work world. They start with a “3G Mindset” – Global, Good, and Grit.
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Global attests to your ability to think big, be open to new ideas, and understand how one thing affects other things – the ripple effect.
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Good falls into the do-what's-right category. Are you a good person? Do you care about others? Are you reliable? Can you be honest and show empathy?
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Grit is the character trait that demonstrates your ability to get things done. The world can see whether you have good grit when you strive for improvement, never give up, and remain focused despite distractions.
What are good qualities in a person?
The list of good qualities in a person is far too expansive to include in one article; however, there are some highly sought-after best qualities. Here are the top ones:
1. Honesty
They say honesty is the foundation of any good relationship. What some people fail to realize is that the word relationship doesn't only refer to a love bond between two people. Honest relationships can be built at work, too, and can affect how you interact with everyone - from the janitor to the executives. Honest people tend to be open-minded. Truthfulness and openness work together to build cultures of excellence at work.
2. Reliability
People want to know that they can count on you to do what you say, when you say it, and in the manner you promise. This is true in life and at work. Reliability goes hand-in-hand with honesty. Just like your friends and family need to trust that they can depend on you, your boss wants to be able to give you a job and know that it will get done. This includes everything from meeting deadlines and staying on budget to keeping appointments and producing quality work.
3. Accountability
Everyone messes up from time to time. As an honest and reliable person, you are also accountable for your actions. If you're the type of person who claims responsibility and works to overcome obstacles, you'll be counted as someone who is willing to be held accountable. The best way to show this on a consistent basis is to never play the blame game. Accept criticism and proactively come up with solutions to problems. Then, fix the issue and move on from it.
4. Empathy
There is a saying that everyone is fighting some battle that you know nothing about. The cliche goes that you should put yourself in other people's shoes. Basically, you should practice mindfulness and be an effective communicator. When you suspend judgment and take the time to collaborate openly with others, you'll build better connections. This can be accomplished by involving others in decision-making processes, supporting other people's interests, and carefully choosing your words. These steps can also help to eliminate bias - even unconscious bias - which improves positive outcomes related to interacting with others.
5. Collaboration
Merriam-Webster defines “collaborate” as an intransitive verb that means to work jointly with others or together, especially in an intellectual endeavor. There are a lot of lone-ranger types who prefer to work alone and thrive in independent environments. That's perfectly acceptable; however, there will be times when you must work with someone else to get something done. So, even if you prefer autonomy at work, being able to work collaboratively will serve you well.
Collaboration is a communication skill that employers pay close attention to, in order to find the right fit for their team. With the mindset of being collaborative comes the notion of being a team player. Some tasks require many hands. Additionally, collaborating with others is a great way to develop new ideas to solve problems.
6. Leadership
You can be a leader without having the title. Any time you take the reins of an assignment or goal, you can demonstrate leadership. Being a leader doesn't mean you're a dictator, though. Great leaders inspire others to succeed. Not only do leaders delegate responsibilities, but they communicate well, prioritize employee engagement, and listen to feedback. Arguably, the most important quality a good leader possesses is flexibility. The world changes daily. Flexible leaders keep up with those changes and move their team forward by encouraging open communication.
7. Courage
Considering how quickly things change in life and at work, having courage will promote confidence and steadfastness in the face of change. It is important to note that bravery and courage are two distinctly different things. They both have to do with overcoming fears; a brave person reacts to a situation without thinking about fear. Someone who is courageous feels fear, and acts anyway. There is a lot of research suggesting that courageous people make great leaders.
8. Emotional intelligence
Having a high emotional intelligence means that you can regulate your own emotions in a highly-charged situation. On top of that, you get an immediate sense of the emotions of other people. You understand how emotions can have a positive and negative impact on others and the outcome of any work being done. This goes hand-in-hand with another important soft skill - self-awareness.
The qualities of a person may not seem overly important; however, the right qualities can make or break your job search and subsequent lifelong work success. Just like you need to possess certain characteristics to make friends and find a significant other, you must have the right traits to land your dream job.
Of course, another important aspect of landing your dream job is to ensure that these soft skills are properly demonstrated on your resume. The best way to find out is to submit your resume for a free resume review from our experts.