There are unspoken and un-advertised intangibles that hiring managers look for in applicants.  Here are a few intangibles that will make you stand out.

1.  ”See work.”  We all know what this means.  Are you the type of person who must be told every little thing?  Or are you able to see the work before it is assigned to you?  I think one of the highest compliments you can get is “He sees work.”

2.  Likeability.  I used to call this the fly-across-the-country test.  If the applicant and I traveled across the country together, at the end of our flight would we be friends or would I be hunting for the first open bar to either drown my worries or him.  I wrote a long piece on 10 Things You Can Do to Make Yourself More Likeable.  It is still pretty good.

3.  Snap.  This is overall “sharpness.”  Are your clothes clean?  Pressed?  Starched?  Shoes polished?  Have you practiced your answers to common interview questions?  Can you tell a compelling story about yourself?  Do you look me in the eye?  It’s called snap and some got it and others don’t.

4.  Appropriate.  Do you talk too much?  Do you bring up politics?  Do you swear?  Do you complain about your last company or boss?  Do you ask too many questions about salary raises, reviews, vacation days and benefits.

5.  Ability to make connections.  Can you describe how what you know and what you can do can help me?  In other words, it is not just that you have the certain skill, it is that you know how to apply it for me.

6.  Can-do, positive, confident, secure.  You know what I mean, you can sense it in people.  If you think this is NOT important, you are kidding yourself.  Sorry.

I am stopping at 6.  Everyone makes a list of Ten Things.  Six has an interesting ring to it.