I'm sure every PhD supervisor would want to recruit a good student, so what is it that we're looking for?

If I ask this question in face to face workshops I often end up with a list that contains many of these: You want someone who is intelligent and motivated, they're keen, they're independent, they're a good communicator, they show problem solving skills, oh yes, they can be persistent, and flexible. They are creative and come up with their own ideas and yet they are able to seek help. They show good time management skills and they're organized. They are team players and they accept feedback. They are resilient through the ups and downs of their PhD study and they are willing to take risks and even to fail.

Now, wouldn't we all like this student on our PhD? Wouldn't we all like to supervise them?

The thing is that many students don't walk in presenting these skills at the outset...