The traits they're seeking may be determined by the role they are trying to fill, the company they work for, the industry they're in - or just personal preference.
But there is a certain set of characteristics that almost all hiring managers find appealing.
"Managers can usually find job applicants with sufficient technical skills - or at least the capacity to acquire them. But you can't teach, for example, honesty or character," says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job."
So to really impress any hiring manager and land a job, you'll need to show that you possess at least most of the following traits: