The ability to identify and monitor your own emotions is one of the most important things you can learn both at university and in the workplace. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a term that was coined in the early 1990s, and the business community took it and ran with it.

Here are the five pillars of EQ, according to author, psychologist and science journalist, Daniel Goleman.

Self-awareness
You understand your own emotions, strengths, weaknesses, values and limitations. You operate from competence and know when to rely on someone else in the team.

Self-regulation
You can control your emotions, stay calm under pressure and can adapt to changing circumstances.

Motivation
You are motivated by an inner drive to achieve – not just by money or title. You are also resilient and optimistic when you encounter disappointment.

Empathy
You have understanding and compassion that enables you to connect with other people on an emotional level. You pay full attention to your colleagues, and you are able to respond genuinely to their concerns.

Social skills
You are quick to build rapport with your colleagues and team members. You avoid power struggles and backstabbing, and have the respect of people around you.

Graduate recruiters consistently list emotional intelligence as one of the top ten criteria they look for when hiring, so it’s a good idea to work proactively to grow your own EQ. Take a look at our schedule for the Drive Your Career workshop – if we don’t have one coming up, you can complete the module online on Curtin Challenge.