Enthusiasm: great excitement for or interest in a subject or cause
Does your job excite you? It should. If it doesn’t you should try to make it more exciting. While being enthusiastic is not strictly a skill, employers often employ those who are enthusiastic or passionate about the job or industry.
Why is being enthusiastic important?
If you show a positive attitude and an eagerness to do the required job it can be simple enthusiasm that gets you the job over and above similar candidates.
Why?
Employees who are enthusiastic are shown to provide good customer service, resolve conflicts, work productively with others and stay in the job for a longer period of time. Enthusiasm can drive good teamwork and make the team as a whole work better together.
But being more enthusiastic about your job also benefits you as an individual:
- Enthusiasm can lift you up – you will be happier in your job and your enthusiasm will also inspire and lift those around you. Enthusiasm can be contagious.
- Enthusiasm can drive you to work harder and achieve more – in the longer term enthusiasm can put you in line for a promotion, pay rise and make you attractive to other potential employers.
- Enthusiasm can potentially make you more creative, as you strive to make your job, company or projects better through your enthusiasm you can actually come up with ideas to make things better for everyone.
How do you show Enthusiasm?
Enthusiasm at a job interview:
- body language: smile, sit up straight and make eye contact;
- engage and discuss things in an upbeat/positive manner;
- show an interest in the job.
Enthusiasm in the workplace:
- show up to work on time;
- show an interest in the job;
- show an interest to develop the job by listening, learning and trying new things;
- be proactive in quiet lulls / downtime;
- actively seek work or support others.
An Enthusiastic Employee is someone who is seen to want to be at work and who is willing to do what it takes to get the job done.
Skill Development Plan – Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm can be a bit black and white. Something either gets your passion fired up… or it doesn’t. However being enthusiastic is not just about being passionate. It also includes:
- being grateful
- being positive
- being proud of what you achieve
- being creative
- being proactive
- evolving.
Action Point: Create a gratitude list and achievement list as part of your career journal.