Hard Workers Apply Here

This tip is based on an interview with Amy Astley, editor in chief of Teen Vogue .  The interview was conducted by Adam Bryant and appeared in the New York Times on February 5, 2012 .

Your knowledge and thinking skills are your power.  Employers are desperate for intelligent employees who possess and use the right mindsets: specific ways of thinking and have qualities and characteristics that fit with the company's culture.  For Amy Astley, one of the qualities she interviews for is a good work ethic.  As Ms.  Astley says, "I really like hard workers."

Finding out your qualities and mindset comes across first in your resumé by the jobs you had.  To understand a candidates work ethic, Astley looks for resumes that include jobs where the candidate waited tables or scooped ice cream all day. These jobs don't necessarily translate to a good work ethic but for her, it’s the interview jumping off point.

An essential part of creating your personal brand is identifying what distinguishes you - makes you unique? How do you think? Do you know the qualities employers are looking for? What qualities do you possess that would be attractive to an employer?  It's your job to make your experiences relevant to the employer. The best way to do that is to provide examples.  Do you have a story that lets the interview know you are a hard worker? An experience that tested your loyalty? Or perhaps you faced a challenge that shows how you handle adversity?

Your qualities are extremely relevant to job performance and skilled interviewers look and listen for specific qualities and mindsets that align with the company's culture.