Startup founders always look for people who can help them achieve success. They really look for employees of good character when determining a suitable candidate. Here are key traits they usually look for.
Passion
Startup founders look for people who enjoy what they do. Having passion for the job leads to greater chances of achieving success. A strong passion gives the employee the energy to work harder, get more creative and look for effective solutions when problems arise.
Being passionate at work also inspires other employees to work towards achieving greater success. Managers believe that passionate people are seriously committed and can drive change within a startup. Therefore, you need to develop passion in your work to convince them you’re right for them. Discover a certain aspect of your work you enjoy and build your skills around it.
Attitude and Ability
Most startup CEOs want people who have the right attitude and ability to do things efficiently and in a timely manner. Ability goes hand-in-hand with maximum productivity and effectiveness. It helps you to get things done. This alleviates stress and anxiety associated with strict deadlines.
Alongside a positive attitude, you can enjoy your life and develop a sense of satisfaction in whatever you do at work. Make friends with co-workers and separate yourself from negativity if you want to build a positive attitude. Make sure you eat a good breakfast and take breaks to help start your day off right. You can also benefit from a wide range of personal development topics provided by further training and development.
Flexibility
People who can do a wide range of tasks and develop new skills at work are the most preferred during the hiring process. A flexible employee can easily adapt to changing technologies, new market trends and restructured work processes. Being flexible can also expand career opportunities, make an employee more responsive to change and strike a great work balance.
As a new employee, explore different avenues that can foster creativity within your workspace. Develop a new mindset to enable you to explore new ways of doing things. Always be ready to embrace change quickly. Startup managers can’t often afford extra training and innovation when implementing a new program. Make a conscious effort to develop a positive mindset at work and show a willingness to embrace new things. You can seek help from online resources on things you can do to enhance flexibility at the workplace.
Willingness to Take Risks
Startup managers want people who can make educated decisions and experiment without fear. Risk-taking at workplace sets you on a path to actively pursue success. You won’t achieve your goals and dreams at work if you always play it safe. There are a lot of unforeseen opportunities that come along with taking risks. It shows that you are confident and provides you with a great opportunity to stand out among others and present yourself as a leader and not a follower. Someone who takes risks also learns a lot of lessons that can lead them down different career pathways.
As a new employee, you must be willing to step up your game and be counted among the risk-takers. Develop a different mindset when taking risks. Expect a lot of pain and failure because they are going to happen, regardless of how positive you are. That doesn’t mean you need to take unnecessary risks but with any risk there is a chance of failure. Follow the passion behind the risk you are taking and try to focus on it. Above all, fully understand what you are risking. You don’t want to create a massive negative impact on your life and work.
Cultural Fit and Sense of Humor
Managers want people who can make them and others happy. Try laugh at their jokes, and make some jokes yourself. An individual who makes everyone happy at work increases the overall productivity of the group. People enjoy working with them and their stress levels reduce in the process.
Having a sense of humor and good work-culture fit also helps build trust and creativity in the team. Always strive to be that one person who makes everyone happy within the organization. If you cannot crack a joke, laugh at the jokes of others. It also shows you have a sense of humor.
The tips and qualities discussed above can help you win over your manager. You can always do extensive research on the company to gain more insight on how to improve at the workplace as a new employee as well.