9 Leadership Qualities That Wow Employers

by Shannon Smedstad

“Demonstrated leadership abilities and experience.” This phrase is often included amid a long list of bullets on employers’ job descriptions. It’s something that many of us think we have, too. A quick search on Google brought back more than 141M results for “leadership programs” and more than 231M for “management programs.” With all of this talk about leadership, what does it really mean?

• What are the leadership qualities that employers seek?
• How can job seekers communicate their leadership abilities?
• What makes one candidate’s leadership skills stand out from another?

As a seasoned business leader or a recent grad looking to get your foot in the door as part of a development program, you may have wondered what goes on inside of an interviewer’s mind. In no particular order, here are some of the star qualities that recruiters and hiring managers look for to fill their leadership positions and programs.

9 LEADERSHIP QUALITIES THAT EMPLOYERS SEEK

1. Motivate others. Think back through your experience, how have you directed the efforts of others? Can you think of three or four concrete examples in which you had to motivate groups to accomplish goals?

2. Drive results. In business or in student organizations, leaders are responsible for moving the needle and getting results. Think about how to best communicate the end results and quantify those answers, when possible.

3. Show initiative. As a leader, have you just sat back and watched others do the work? Or do you show the initiative to develop and execute on ideas? Many employers are looking for leaders to bring new ideas and fresh perspectives.

4. Adapt to change. How do you deal with the ebb and flow of every day? What examples demonstrate your ability to be flexible and adapt to the ever-changing world around us?

Qualities 5-9 and the complete Blogging4Jobs article