With so many unemployed young people and out of work professionals striving to find gainful employment there is no doubt this question has left a large percentage of the population feeling frustrated and disillusioned. Sales strategist Jill Konrath talks about what modern-day employers - operating in environments that are fast, technologically-orientated and highly competitive – look for in a potential candidate.

Besides academic qualifications there are specific traits that employers want their employees to posses. During her talk Konrath reveals that ‘initiative’ is one of the most important characteristics employers want to see in prospective employees.

‘Dedication, creativity and experience’ came out tops while professionalism, integrity and a ‘positive attitude’ were also identified as desirable characteristics. Coincidentally none of the qualities mentioned were traits that could be taught in the classroom. This is good news for candidates who lack the academic prowess but have the determination to be successful in the workplace.

While many applicants might posses one or all of these traits candidates often miss out on the opportunity to share their qualities with a potential employer, as their CV disappears into the dark abyss of an over-flooded inbox.

So how do you demonstrate all these attributes as a job-seeker asks Konrath? She points out that candidates, who follow the routine course of action by sending a resume via email, fail to demonstrate their creativity or initiative.

Konrath urges candidates to rethink their approach to the job search and application process. She says that job seekers need to do things differently to stand out from ‘the pile’.

On the other hand ‘arrogance, complacency and a lack of initiative’ are traits that employers tend to avoid. According to Konrath ‘there is a fine line between showing initiative and arrogance’ and job seekers need to find a balance in order to make an impact and leave a lasting impression.

Konrath says that being unemployed “saps the vitality out of you” and the longer you are out of work the more listless you become.

The only way to rejuvenate is by ‘doing work in your field’. Keeping busy is not enough, it is important that unemployed professionals continue to work in their field of expertise ‘even if you do the work for free’. In order to ace the job interview tomorrow ‘you need to be working on something today’.

‘What have you been doing since your last job?’ is a common interview question that has left many experienced workers quaking. This is yet another reason to remain active in your field so that when those questions arise you can answer confidently, ‘hold your head up high and feel good about yourself’, says Konrath.

Watch Jill Konrath share more tips on how to land that perfect job in her video ‘what employers really want’

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