The employment market is saturated with various resources for job seekers. While some of them offer consistent advice (always send a cover letter, tailor your résumé and wait for the employer to bring up salary), the truth is that conflicting information exists.

Especially when it comes to what employers are looking for in a new hire.

A recent survey on more than 15,000 current and former clients showed that the top three aspects that employers are looking for in a new hire are credible work history (97 percent), job experience (88 percent) and specific skills (87 percent)

Usually, the most impressive qualities in potential job candidates are:

1. Results

Passionate people leave behind them a wake of results wherever they go. Talking about measurable outcomes separates the contenders from pretenders

Those who understand the rules and conduct of business but are not afraid to push the envelope a bit in the name of a job well done.

2. Good fit

There is no giant totem poll of qualities that makes one person more impressive or better than another. People who excel in one position are going to flounder in another if it doesn't fit their talents, interests and skills.

 3. Preparation

When a candidate asks really great questions it demonstrates not only their interest in our company and the issues we're facing, but also their research skills. Most impressive are those who think about what they discovered in their research and then ask really great questions

4. Initiative

"Proactivity -- the act of taking initiative, being able to operate independently and finding a way to get things done

5. Sense of humor

"Going over a recruitment cycle is long and very often annoying listening to the same pre-prepared answers. A candidate with faith and sense of humor de-dramatizes the atmosphere.

 6. Passion

Typical candidates answer questions the way they believe they should. While they should demonstrate their passion for the company, the job opening and the industry, passion is the ticket to a second round of interviews

"Passion is energy, drive, motivation and commitment. Candidates who are infused with this quality demonstrate an enthusiasm and aliveness that is contagious to their colleagues and clients.

7. Confidence

The most impressive quality in a job candidate is humble confidence. Humble confidence shines as knowledge, humility, skilled verbal and written communication, friendliness and appreciation.

8. Longevity

It is important that a candidate have grown in the position or company. [A candidate with] lots of short stints [or who has] been in the same position for 10 years and their responsibilities have not changed is a big turn off.

9. Communication

Qualifications in the form of experience and tangible skills aren't enough to grab a hiring manager's attention these days. You need to be a creative, proactive problem solver. Hiring managers want to know how you (and only you) can solve the needs of their organization. If you educate yourself and build awareness around what keeps your next potential boss up at night, and you clearly communicate how you can help to solve that, chances are you've got their attention.

10. Attitude

The most impressive quality is to be a 'high performer,' a package of the right attitude, a passion for doing the work and the skill. 'Attitude' may mean different things to different people, but it boils down to having an 'I can' attitude. Everyone thinks his or her attitude is fine, however, some of these same people think it's OK to blame, make excuses and declare something cannot be done. That's the attitude employers are looking to expose during the interview and avoid extending a job offer to