I would say the most important characteristic is maintaining a standard of professionalism. As recruiters, we must be a good representation of the company to new and prospective employees. Another characteristic that is equally important is the ability to network and build relationships successfully. It's rare that the perfect candidate comes our way through the traditional sense of submitting an application online right when we need them. The more people you know and know well, the larger the pool of talent to choose from. The last characteristic I would say is being observant. We must pay attention to small details so that we catch any red flags and screen candidates effectively.