Last night I had an hour-long conversation about teeth. Teeth and the current happenings in the dental world, actually. Believe it or not, it wasn’t the first conversation about teeth that I’ve had. I can’t pretend it’s the most interesting topic ever, but during this conversation, I was riveted. 

My best friend is a dental hygienist. She speaks so passionately about teeth that you can’t help but get excited about flossing. She is a captivating, interesting person whom I love spending time with, not only because we share common interests and values, but because she is full of passion for what she does. She LOVES her job.

When you are passionate about what you do, you do it better. You work past quitting time, not because you are buried in paperwork, but because you were so excited about what you were doing that you weren’t watching the clock. The weeks fly by, you have more energy, you are a positive energy source in the office, and people love to be around you.

So how do you find that passion? How do you become the most positive person in the office? Here are some handy tricks we suggest on how to LOVE your job.

1. Do what you’re good at.
There are different components to all of our jobs, some more desirable than others. They’re all necessary, but what we suggest is that you become an expert in one or more facets of your job. Are you a rock star writer? Offer to help a co-worker write an awesome employment ad, story for the Intranet, or company memo, etc. Doing things you’re good at on a consistent basis raises your self-esteem and leveraging your talent helps the team as a whole.

2. Get creative.
When we do the same things routinely, they have a tendency to become boring. Think of a new or different way to do the tasks you have on your “to do” list. Be innovative and forward thinking to break up the monotony.

3. Get to know your co-workers.
We spend more time with each other sometimes than we do with our own families! Find out something interesting about a co-worker today that you didn’t know before. Are you training for a decathlon or taking a cake-decorating class? Share your interests with co-workers and they’re bound to reciprocate.

4. Give and take compliments graciously.
Recognizing a co-worker for a job well done is a great way to spread the LOVE. Even the little things are important and it’s nice to see that someone notices. And when someone compliments you, don’t defer the praise to others or brush it off, accept credit where credit is due, smile and say, “Thank you”.

5. Get a little nostalgic.
Remember your first day at your job? I remember how excited I was to dive in and really change people’s lives by finding them amazing job opportunities. Tap in to that energy and remind yourself why you got into your profession in the first place.

Grete Ruder, Celebrity Staff Recruiter

About Grete Ruder
Grete joined Celebrity Staff in 2005 and has helped build its Kansas City office from the ground up. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Kansas, has served as Chamber Champion for the KC Chamber of Commerce for two years, and has completed numerous training sessions on professional cover letter and resume writing.