From your experience, what's the single most important character trait for job candidates?

I think that first of all it's integrity, you want people to report you with an honest and objective view of things.

Empathetic. I think whether you’re building a product or just working with others. The ability to put yourself in others people shoes and think outside of your own reality is a very important trait to have.

Thirst for knowledge and applying that knowledge.

There is no one correct response to this question. For some, a candidate's experience is everything. Others will prioritize their interpersonal abilities. There's nothing wrong with having varied criteria for what we seek in a job prospect. At the same time, it's essential to recognize that many of the characteristics we look for in a potential employee are personality traits rather than abilities or expertise.

For an early-stage startup, I think it's vital for candidates to bring motivation and initiative. The early stages are when employees must demonstrate grit and if they have this motivation for success, then it makes a world of difference for the professional trajectory of both employee and the company.

Grit, or mental fortitude. A lot of times this manifests this self as "drive", "resourcefulness" or "passion", but imo these things stem from having a "never give up" type of attitude.

Depends on the role and types of business, but generally, it's great when a person is thirsty for knowledge and sees how they bring value to people with what they're doing. That can re-inspire them when they're not feeling very motivated