19 Words to Describe Your Ideal Employee

When you began formulating the idea of creating a business, what did you think of first? The business model? Your “why” statement? Ideal employees? Every entrepreneur knows that the success of their company can be made – or crushed – by the quality of their core working team. CEOs and business owners want their company to be well-run, and oftentimes, that means formulating a rockstar group of people who will give their best to help you succeed in realizing your dream.

But what qualities make the best employees? Yes, industry-specific knowledge and training is important, but even more basic are the personality components that each candidate has and how they’ll apply these to their position. We brainstormed and thought of 19 qualities of the “ideal employee” – do these sound like the people on your team?

earnest This person is sincere in their words and actions; they don’t pretend to be something they’re not.

aware They know what’s going on around them and are formulating the best course of action.

constructive He or she works to create a quality service or product, and when they give feedback, it’s for the good of the team.

confident They have a solid grasp on who they are, where their weaknesses lie and how to leverage their strengths.

adaptable A good candidate knows that the only constant is change, and they’re ready and willing to adapt to a situation.

productive Solitaire, Facebook and Angry Birds are not included in their work-day routine; they get things done.

educated Formal or real-world education is crucial to a potential hire’s background experience.

capable Instead of playing the fool, they stand up to challenges and prove through hard work that with team support, they can accomplish anything.

punctual If your employee consistently comes in 10 minutes late or doesn’t remember scheduled meetings, this isn’t the person for your company. You can do better!

opportunistic A person who is opportunistic, in terms of acting upon possibilities that could benefit others and themselves, instead of only thinking about their best interests.

enthusiastic Without being perky in an insincere manner, look for someone who’s excited about their work and sees potential in succeeding as a team.

versatile A “Renaissance man (or woman),” team members should have a moderate amount of different abilities, strengths and perspectives.

grounded An ability to stay on task, remember their trajectory and finish what’s been started is a sure-fire sign of a great employee.

compassionate More important than software knowledge or a high word-per-minute typing count, being able to connect to others on a human level is essential.

positive Negativity leads to nowhere; stay optimistic, both as a CEO and a team member!

conscientious Progress, in spite of the well-being of others or ignorant of larger trends, isn’t progress.

creative Being creative and innovative is always a plus. Who knows where the possibilities will take you?

articulate The prevalence of digital communications and email messaging does not nullify the need for coherent, verbal communication. On the contrary, technologies like Zoom and Skype give us the ability to connect globally via video, and speaking well is very important.

proactive Potentially the most important and favorable characteristic – a wise woman once said, “Be proactive, not reactive."