When you show up for an interview, you should know your would-be boss is looking at more than the technical skills required to do the job. Your future leader is also looking at your soft skills and whether you’ll be a good cultural fit. Managers won’t come out and say it, but they really really really hope their best match comes with a set of secret skills–like they’re ordering off the secret menu at In-N-Out.

When it comes to a great new hire, your boss thinks it’s a bonus if you are:

• Likable. People enjoy working with people they like, and bosses are no different! Lucky for you, likability is pretty easily gauged during the interview process. When you have a positive attitude and a cheerful smile, and when you listen with interest and engage, you increase your likability. Of course, there’s always the chance you have something in common with your new boss, such as a TV show or a sports team, which doesn’t hurt!

• Low maintenance. Despite their title, managers have many duties beyond managing employees, so it helps if you are easy to manage. Can you take initiative and complete tasks with minimal direction? Are you a fast learner? Do you know when it’s time to ask for help?

• A team player. Yes, this means getting along with others enough to function in a group setting or to work together on a project. And if you’re a good team player, people will want to collaborate with you because you work hard and have great ideas and/or leadership skills. Nobody wants to work with the fuddy-duddy who always goes it alone.

• A clear communicator. Be a savvy communicator your boss can count on. Do you know how to communicate your points to others, from support staff to management, and from vendors to customers? Are you concise, tactful, and knowledgeable? If you don’t know the answer, will you say as much and follow through on finding one?

• Someone who makes your boss shine. Managers appreciate your acknowledgement of their skills, support, and leadership: credit where it is due. Managers do not appreciate your public criticism or putting them on the spot when they don’t have the answers–basically anything that makes them look foolish in front of others. Avoiding this can mean not admitting your boss took the day off to golf, or that you suspect that overdue contract is buried under a mountain of paperwork on the credenza.

Now you’re in on the secret, do your best to show off these skills during the interview process. Give examples where you can, such as when you were a stellar team player, and how you took initiative to complete a project. You can also ask questions of your new manager to find out the priorities of the new role and how you can work to meet them. Because one final secret managers hope they will share with you is an understanding of expectations after you’re hired!