5 Personality Traits Employers Love Hiring

By Marissa Brassfield, PayScale.com

A whopping 88 perent of employers prioritize "cultural fit" within the company over technical skills when hiring new employees, according to a Universum survey. In a recent column, Forbes' Meghan Casserly broke down this research, which encompasses the responses from 1,200 major companies, to uncover the personality traits employers love hiring.

1. Professionalism, 86 percent: Hiring managers can read your professionalism within the first 30 seconds of your interview. How you shake hands, stand and dress are all opportunities to exhibit professionalism.
2. High energy, 78 percent: Like professionalism, this first-impression personality trait is essential to exude from the start. Enter the room with your hand already outstretched for a handshake, recommends Kathy Harris of Harris Allied, and make sure you've done your research on the company beforehand.
3. Confidence, 61 percent: This is the No. 1 personality trait that survey respondents thought employees lacked most. Channel confidence, and you're already a leg up on the competition.
4. Self-monitoring, 58 percent: Use your resume to strategically emphasize roles in which you've thrived without direct leadership. "In interviews, choose anecdotes that show how you've saved, made or achieved in previous positions," advises Harris, "and how self-motivation was critical to that success."
5. Intellectual curiosity, 57 percent: Employers are looking for candidates with a genuine passion for learning, as these hires have a better chance of adapting to changing work conditions, technologies and responsibilities.

How effectively have you played up these traits in your interviews?