Are You An Entrepreneurial Employee?

By Chelsea Babin

An increasing number of companies are looking for entrepreneurial employees and they’ll write this in their job ads (we even have it listed as a desired trait in a few of our own). But what does it mean to be an entrepreneurial employee and how can you tell if you are one? If you possess these 10 traits chances are you’re an entrepreneurial employee and companies are searching far and wide for people like you!

1. Commitment to Personal Improvement: Whether you’re attending seminars, taking classes, or merely teaching yourself new technical skills on the weekends this trait is a key indicator that you may be an entrepreneurial employee. With a focus on personal improvement—both in and out of work—you’re the kind of person who is always looking to grow.

2. High Energy Level: Entrepreneurial employees are often associated with the word hustle because you notice their high energy and the amount of energy they pour into their work. If this sounds like you make sure to play up this trait in your next interview!

3. Don’t Think Like Others: Rather than being a yes man or agreeing with everything their coworkers say for the sake of a harmonious team, entrepreneurial employees are often the outliers when it comes to the way they think. This means that they often come up with great ideas but can sometimes struggle to understand alternate points of view. Obviously, more employees are looking for the great ideas rather than the struggling to understand other people’s points of view but the two can go hand in hand.

4. Support Risky Decisions: If you’ve never been the kind of person who wants to go with the flow but instead supports risky decisions, massive maneuvers, and major overhauls this is a sign that you might be an entrepreneurial employee. You value stability less than you value innovation so you probably aren’t one to shy away from a risky decision.

5. Hate Micromanagement: If bosses breathing down your neck drives you crazy you may very well be an entrepreneurial employee. Often thee types of people want a loose management style so they have the space they need to think, create, and come up with the amazing ideas they’re known for. Does that sound like you?

6. Love Creating: People who love to be hands on and creating at work are often entrepreneurial employees because these types of people thrive when they’re taking ideas and directly implementing them. If you love to create you may just fit into this desired category of employee!

7. Have a Side Hustle: Whether it’s aimed at building wealth, connections, or skills side hustles are a trademark of entrepreneurial employees. If you’re the kind of person who has a side hustle and it makes you more creative and enthusiastic on the job you have a trait that employers everywhere are searching for!

8. Ready to Execute Not Talk it to Death: If waiting around and talking things through over and over again drives you crazy you may just be an entrepreneurial employee. Yes, these employees come up with great ideas but they’re also, at their core, doers. They want to execute things in a timely manner rather than talking them to death. Does this sound like you?

9. Share Plans and Ideas Freely: If you’re always coming up with ideas to help grow the company, revolutionize the existing applications, or other big picture ideas and sharing them with your bosses you are probably an entrepreneurial employee. One of the things employers love about this type of employee is that they share their plans and ideas freely which is what makes them so valuable to their company.

Next time you see a job ad asking for entrepreneurial spirits, attitudes, or employees you’ll have a little more insight into what that means. And, if you have a majority of traits from the aforementioned list of 9, you may very well be the kind of entrepreneurial employee they’re searching for!