Are You a Unicorn Employee? Here’s How to Tell

We’ve all heard of unicorns – yes, we are talking about the mystical creature of fairytales and folklore. Unicorns are highly desirable but nearly impossible to find, much less to catch. That’s why it’s a term that, when applied to an employee, is a well sought after title.

Unicorn employees possess a unique set of qualities that make them extremely rare and very valuable. CEO at Hootsuite, Ryan Holmes, says, “they shatter expectations, raise the bar for everyone and are simply a joy to be around. Unicorn employees can literally take your business to the next level.”

Now that you know all employers are after the rare unicorn employee, you need to know how to make sure you’re one of those unicorns. Here are 5 qualities of a unicorn employee:

Quality #1: You’re a real team player.

No matter how big or small a company is, you’re part of a team.

Ever heard the phrase “treat the janitor with the same respect as the CEO?” Every member of every team is valuable, and deserves the same respect as everyone else.

Showing your team members respect is more than just about how you treat them, it’s also about showing up on time, doing your fair share of the workload, helping out where you’re needed, and being willing to go the extra mile.

Quality #2: You’re flexible.

Flexibility in the workplace means you’re willing to go outside of your job title for the betterment of the team and company.

You take on a variety of tasks, regardless of your regular, expected duties and you excel at them. You jump in to help out wherever you’re needed, even if it’s outside your regular scope of work.

Quality #3: You always go above and beyond.

Every employee in every position at every company is expected to complete their assigned tasks. A unicorn employee however, goes above and beyond to take on more projects and assignments outside of their typical duties.

Going above and beyond looks a little different in every position but no matter what the job is, those who do go the extra mile are sure to shine.

Quality #4: You think big, and you think small.

Having the ability to step back and take a look at the whole picture is just as important as being able to pay attention to even the smallest of details.

Thinking strategically in consideration of long-term goals is critical to your company’s success, and ultimately to yours.

Taking the time to review the details and ‘read the fine print’ ensures all steps going into the overall success of a project or company are executed correctly, and with the highest degree of efficiency and effectiveness.

Quality #5: You Get Sh*t Done

LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner sent out a status update saying, “In simplest terms possible, the people I most enjoy working with dream big, get sh*t done, and know how to have fun.”

Having fun is crucial to success, however even more critical is your ability to get the job done. If you can’t produce actual results, it doesn’t matter how fun you might be – your presence isn’t helpful and possibly even be damaging to the company and your team.

Unlike their mythical counterparts, unicorn employees are very real, and they’re out there for the finding. In fact, it’s those unicorn employees companies and hiring managers put the most time and effort into finding.

The fact is, everyone wants unicorn employees at their company. Even if you haven’t quite achieved that true unicorn shine yet, keep working to grow your strengths and keep the above qualities in mind – you’ll prove to be a rare and valuable find in no time.