As you enter the job market, you may wonder how to stay ahead of the competition. It is no secret that employers today want more than just basic job skills and knowledge in their employees. More and more companies seek leadership traits in the talent they hire, even if the role is not management. Many employers hope to find creative problem-solvers, analytical thinkers, and those who adapt quickly to change. It is the icing on the cake if you have innovation and critical thinking skills. Never fear; there are some easy strategies you can quickly implement to ensure you become a top contender with in-demand leadership traits.
Even if your skills and experience match the job description you applied to, you must communicate more than that to impress the hiring manager. The modern workplace is rapidly evolving, and staying ahead of the curve is essential regardless of your industry.
Top 10 In-Demand Leadership Traits
Take stock of where you stand with these top 10 skills because they may be the edge that secures your next job.
A Learning Mindset
A culture of learning cultivates an environment where you are constantly learning new things. Even when you, as the job seeker, find a company known to have a culture of learning, this is not enough. Companies want to know and prove that you invest in your career development by learning new things regularly. To approach your career with a focus on continual learning, you will need to have a learning mindset. This means that you work to develop one of the most desirable skills. Leaders are eager to hire talent open to new technologies and approaches and can adapt to any situation. In your interview, be ready to talk about your enthusiasm for learning and any new technologies or trends you’ve embraced.
Change Management
In the business world, if you blink, you miss things. Even the slowest-paced businesses are evolving at a rapid-fire pace, and organizations need teams and leaders who can keep up. Change management is the ability to adapt to change by embracing new concepts, ideas, and processes. It is not only accepting change but doing it with the ability to assess a situation and implement strategies on the spot. Change management is used in individual roles and leadership roles alike. Exceptional change management skills keep the organization moving forward to meet new standards and trends. In your interview, you will want to showcase that you can demonstrate flexibility and have the capacity for change. Talk about any experiences you’ve had implementing a new technology, process change, or leading a team with a new change in regulation or compliance. Your goal here should be to demonstrate flexibility and capacity for change.
Collaboration
As more and more companies expand with teams that include more cultures, different time zones, and communication styles, one of the most sought-after skills is working well with others. Collaboration is more than this simply communicating effectively. You need to show your employer that you have the confidence to contribute meaningful ideas within a team setting. Doing this with an appropriate balance means that you make contributions with a strong desire to include others, listen and apply feedback, and compromise. It is essential to highlight that you can work successfully independently but also have the capacity to be part of a cohesive unit to achieve success. In your interview, you will want to demonstrate your excellent collaboration skills by describing how you support the work of others. Openly share your actions by using examples of how you set up systems for efficient communication within your team or how you strive to incorporate feedback from team members in your daily tasks. Remember to highlight team successes that were met through collaboration.
Communication
Even in the most autonomous role, you will occasionally interact with one of the organization’s key stakeholders. Employers are looking for job seekers with strong verbal and written communication skills that can get the point across quickly and succinctly. In the business world, the more senior the role of the person you speak with, the less time you will have to get your point across. This rings true in both one-on-one conversations and presentations. For example, a ten-page PowerPoint given to junior-level employees is expected to be turned into a one-pager before being presented to a senior manager. Being articulate and understanding how to express yourself clearly and effectively will take you far in any industry. In your interview, you will want to share how you resolved an issue using excellent interpersonal communication. For instance, provide examples of how you quickly created well-received emails or memos or highlight a difficult coaching conversation and the positive outcome.
Critical Thinking
A candidate with critical thinking skills is an excellent problem-solver that can analyze information and draw logical conclusions while evaluating options and picking the best one. Applicants who can try new approaches and develop innovative solutions are valued in the job market. You have this skill if you can easily identify where a process isn’t working and quickly find an appropriate solution. In your interview, to demonstrate critical thinking skills, include examples of times you’ve helped to troubleshoot a technical issue or resolved a tricky customer complaint. You’ll want to show employers that you can think quickly on your feet and come up with workable solutions rapidly.
Digital Literacy
It doesn’t matter what industry you work in; you are involved with technology in some capacity. Digital literacy means that you know how to use your industry’s latest software, platforms, programming languages,and tools. Today, digital literacy is an essential skill for every business that will get more ingrained over time. In your interview, you will want to highlight that you know how to use the latest industry tools to produce results effectively. When coming up with examples for industry tools, think of common apps such as Slack or Zoom or programs that are specific to your industry. Make a list of the digital tools you use regularly, along with trends and topics that show you can stay up to date. Your goal is to showcase your ability to learn and embrace evolving technologies.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence is the capacity to recognize, understand, and manage emotions in yourself and others. This skill is highly sought after by employers and is used in roles of all levels in every industry. Think about how you build relationships, foster trust, and resolve conflicts at work. Modern leaders need to be able to guide individuals with wide-ranging personalities and cultural backgrounds. In your interview, show that you can have empathy and understand other perspectives. Use examples of when you identified the feelings of yourself and others in a problematic situation and responded to diffuse any tension. Your examples should be specific and reflect how you read people’s reactions or try to understand their motives which led to you apply a different approach.
Entrepreneurship
The best business advice I ever received was, “think like you own the company, and conduct business as if it were your own.” Having this mindset can really put things into context. It is like treating someone else how you want to be treated. Of course, you would not misinterpret this to mean you can skip over layers of management and make decisions that are not within your authority. Instead, it should level the playing field and teach you to think more strategically. As an entrepreneur, you own your actions concretely and reliably. An ability to understand critical factors that drive profitability at every level of an organization is an incredibly desirable skill. You will quickly stand out from the competition if you leverage your insights and communicate how your role or team contributed to your company’s mission and overall success. In your interview, share examples of times you’ve successfully identified opportunities to contribute and generate value. Provide an example of when you took the initiative and pushed things forward without being asked or reminded. Relate your achievements to the role you are applying for to show an awareness of high-level goals.
Innovation
You are ahead of the curve if you can think outside the box, develop creative solutions, and recognize trends. These skills are critical to the innovation leaders want on their teams. Those who can create unique ideas that drive a company’s success will stand out from other applicants. Still, innovation is having creative ideas and the ability to take your proposal, improve it, and set it aside when it’s not working. Discuss how you’ve developed new ideas or solutions to complex problems in your interview. Use examples to describe the thought process that went into creating your solution. Always be ready to elaborate on the idea to explain what makes it unique and how it could be implemented in a larger company. Demonstrate the importance of feedback from other teams and departments and your ability to research, test, and learn from mistakes.
Time Management
Candidates who prioritize tasks, set timelines, and stick to them are highly sought after in today’s job market. These skills are crucial to your success regardless of your role, even more so if you desire a remote position. In your interview, you must communicate that you can plan your schedule, manage your time effectively, juggle various responsibilities, and stay ahead of deadlines. Have examples to share of how you completed several daily tasks or managed multiple priorities and deadlines efficiently. You could also describe the strategies you use daily to stay on top of your responsibilities, like how you plan your schedule, create daily routines, set reminders, and stay organized.
Interview Preparation is a Leadership Trait
As you enter the job market, remember that your application goes beyond the resume and cover letter you submitted. Be sure your online presence, including social media use and LinkedIn profile, reflects how you want to be portrayed because they will be reviewed in the application process. A leadership trait often overlooked is the number one way to get noticed.
The number one way to ensure you take advantage of every opportunity to stand out is to be prepared for your interview. Doing this will not only communicate directly and indirectly that you have the top skills employers seek, but it will also boost your confidence and help you get where you want to be. Take the time you need to prepare and be successful. Every minute you spend networking, mock interviewing, and researching will be worth it in the long run.
No matter what, do not let yourself be intimidated by using leadership traits to get ahead, even if you are not working in a leadership role. Even if you do not lead others directly at work right now, you will likely influence others by your actions without realizing it.
In Corporate America, I was told I needed to be a Vice President before I was promoted to Vice President. Not only was I expected to have the book of work of a Vice President, but I also needed to conduct myself like a Vice President. When I was promoted, it was a smooth transition and happened naturally. Let that example inspire you to be who you want, even before someone else says you are. Remember that you are your greatest advocate. Lead yourself to success first, and the rest will follow.
