Written by Amie Lawrence, PhD, former Director of Global Innovation
Each year, a fresh crop of college graduates look to enter the workforce, searching for jobs and hoping to transition their academic endeavors into professional success. However, the journey from school to the workplace is not always straightforward. While some graduates with a strong academic record (e.g., high GPAs) will quickly find a job and succeed, there’s a fair amount of students that will struggle. At the same time, there are numerous recent graduates with a mediocre academic record who will get hired just as quickly and flourish in the workplace. So, what is the discrepancy? Why isn’t academic success a perfect predictor of job success for early careers? The answer lies in the professional qualities that employers truly value.
The impact of academic success on professional performance
I’ve spent years studying professional performance and understanding the characteristics that can help predict successful job performance. After listening and speaking with countless hiring managers and executives about what they want in a future employee, it’s clear that while the desired professional characteristics can vary from industry to industry and job to job, certain work qualities are universally sought after. However, these characteristics of performance are not always the same qualities that are necessary for success in an academic setting. In fact, GPA is often not a strong predictor of high job performance because it doesn’t fully reflect the professional attributes that contribute to success in the workplace.
Even if a student entering the workforce is incredibly smart, it often isn’t enough if they lack the necessary attributes for a job that employers are looking for. Organizations want well-rounded, cooperative, and dependable employees. So, what are the top things to look for in a job candidate to indicate high job performance?
Top 5 qualities of a professional for high job performance
Listed below are my expert picks for the top five professional qualities that lead to high job performance and long-term success throughout a career:
1. Ability to learn
Every organization has its own set of knowledge and processes that every employee will need to acquire and master to be successful at their job. Whether it’s learning technical skills, navigating organizational systems, or adapting to new work dynamics, the ability to learn quickly is a key professional characteristic that is very desirable to most organizations. An employee’s ability to acquire and apply new knowledge efficiently is crucial as the faster they get up to speed, the quicker the organization can benefit from its investment in hiring them. The shorter that curve is (i.e., high ability to learn), the more successful new hires are in their new jobs. Therefore, high job performance often correlates with a strong ability to learn and adapt to the specific demands of the job.
2. Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness is a personality trait encompassing many characteristics like dependability, responsibility, and a strong work ethic — all professional qualities that are highly desirable to organizations that can also lead to high job performance. People who are high in conscientiousness are often more likely to work hard, plan and organize effectively, follow through on commitments, and pay attention to the details that matter. These are the kinds of vital professional characteristics candidates should possess that contribute to a strong work ethic. Organizations deeply value employees who consistently demonstrate these core professional characteristics of showing up on time, completing tasks with care, and being willing to go the extra mile to improve business and make the company better.
3. Interpersonal skills
For most jobs, you do not need to be an extrovert, but it is important to get along with others for optimal job performance and overall success in the workplace. New hires need to work with others on their team and across departments, making interpersonal skills a necessary quality of work for effective communication and collaboration. Employees who possess this professional attribute tend to be diplomatic, tactful, and cooperative, which can be particularly important when it comes to managing disagreements and finding common ground. This often leads to success in the workplace thanks to their ability to maintain positive relationships with coworkers for better teamwork and higher professional performance.
4. Adaptability
Change is a constant in any organization. Processes change, jobs change, priorities change, markets change, leaders change…in general, things change. Therefore, adaptability is one of the key qualities of a professional that allows employees to continue to be effective even when changes are occurring. It’s no surprise that employers are seeking individuals who can thrive amid uncertainty and maintain high job performance despite changes in their work environment. With the complexities of modern business and technology, adaptability is an invaluable characteristic for employees to possess.
5. Integrity
Integrity is an essential quality that employers look for in candidates because the foundation of professional performance is trust. Organizations want to hire individuals who will not lie, cheat, steal or do anything to jeopardize the security of the company. There is nothing more valuable to organizations than their intellectual property and the safety of its employees, so naturally leaders want new hires they can trust to not give away proprietary company information. Employees who demonstrate integral job qualities are trusted to act responsibly, whether in everyday tasks or critical situations, ensuring the organization can rely on them to make sound decisions and protect its reputation.
Spotting key characteristics of performance early in the process
So, if you’re a recent graduate entering the job market, remember that employers are looking for much more than academic credentials — they value the professional characteristics that will help you succeed in the workplace. Job qualities such as the ability to learn, adaptability, and integrity are all linked to high job performance. Don’t forget that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, so make sure you also share examples throughout the hiring process that illustrate how you have displayed these essential professional characteristics.
If you are on the opposite side and are the one conducting the hiring, it’s important to ensure that processes are designed to bring in people who exhibit the strongest attributes for a job. But, how can you do this? Clearly, relying solely on GPA will not work. Rather, measure these key professional qualities using validated assessment content and well developed, structured behavioral-based interviews. Having the right tools at your disposal to identify candidates who possess these skills will streamline and expedite your hiring process while simultaneously setting these new employees up for long-term success.
