Hi there ThinkTalkers! My name is Connie and I am currently a senior Media Studies Major at CUA. During my time here at ThinkTalk, I will be blogging about my experiences and lessons learned in the work place in order to give you guys some tips and advice on what to expect and prepare for at your own internships.

With the current state of the job market finally on the mend, I thought that now would be a great time to set up a list of attributes that your possible future employers have in mind when looking to hire someone new. Competition in the job market is incredibly tough, so following through with these tips could give you the step up that you need to land that perfect job. CNN.com offers the following list of characteristics that you should be aware of before your next interview:

1. Long-term potential

Why it's important: Employees want to see their future within a company so they are motivated and excited about their career path, the company's future and their role in it, says Celia Santana, president of Personal Risk Management Solutions. From the employer perspective, you want people in your organization to work their way up. It is best to have someone who is multidimensional and can grow with the company.

2. Ability to work well with others

Why it's important: "We spend a lot of time at work; there is nothing worse than someone who cannot get along with others," Santana says. "[It's] so important and involves being helpful, understanding the unwritten rules, being respectful, reliable and competent."

3. Ability to make money

Why it's important: Hiring managers want people who can prove that they will increase the organization's revenues or decrease its costs, Rothberg says. "During a recession, revenues are difficult for organizations to generate and employers have typically already cut their costs about as much as they can. Their emphasis is on increasing their revenues."

4. Impressive resume

Why it's important: "A resume is a person's billboard; a reflection of the applicant in the eyes of the reader," said Jay Meschke, president of EFL Associates. "First impressions are lasting ones and a resume is often the vehicle to either make a good impression or a poor one."

5. Relevant work experience

Why it's important: "Experience levels generally allow a person to hit the ground running without a lot of hand-holding," Meschke said. "Managers do not have time to mentor and train people as in the past."

6. Creative problem-solving skills

Why it's important: "Employers know that in business, the chessboard changes daily. As soon as we think all is fine, the economy changes or the competition makes a surprise move and the company's own strategy must change," said Mark Stevens, author of "Your Marketing Sucks" and CEO of MSCO, a global marketing firm. "A person who gets locked into a set way of doing things finds it difficult or impossible to adjust. They are a drag on the business as opposed to an asset for it."

7. Strong online presence

Why it's important: "Social networking has become the primary way that people communicate. But it is a double-edged sword. Employers have access to your personal life, likes and dislikes, political views, good and bad behavior. Because of that exposure and the speed at which information is distributed, it is important that you be digitally dirt-free, especially when job hunting," said Chris Laggini, vice president of human resources for DLT Solutions.

8. Multitaskers who thrive on variety of projects

Why it's important: "Business today moves at supersonic speed, and effectively managing a variety of different projects simultaneously is essential," said Susan Stern, founder and president of Stern + Associates, a public relations and marketing communications agency. "If an individual demonstrates a passion for learning new things and enjoys a variety of work, chances are she is also ambitious and inquisitive -- two qualities that are critical to success and advancement."

9. Enthusiasm and initiative

Why it's important: "If you show consistent enthusiasm and take initiative on the job, you can count on being noticed and rewarded. Every business looks to put their most enthusiastic people forward with important clients and customers," Stern said. "By taking initiative, you convey a true team spirit and illustrate that you are not someone who simply meets the criteria of a job description, but who goes above and beyond what is required to help the business succeed."

10. Good cultural fit

Why it's important: Recruiters are pressured to find the right match for a company; applicants are under pressure to creatively differentiate themselves and demonstrate a desire to succeed, said Jenny Floren, founder and CEO of Experience Inc., an online recruiting community. "Hiring managers are particularly interested in how a candidate is going to adapt to their unique organizational culture."