What is your hidden agenda?

When you set out to find a job or create a career, you have a hidden agenda and maybe more than one. You'll bring your own conditioning, personal history and emotional baggage. You bring memories of every work-related role and responsibility you've ever had or dreamed.  You may unconsciously choose a variation of what you've already done, or actively seek some experience which is completely different. No matter what your choices, you’re investing yourself, exerting efforts or maybe even paying someone to find an opportunity that meets your standards. How do you know this is all true?

1) You're in a position of power. It's clear you have work goals, and with all the vacancies out there, you're in a position to call the shots. You decide where you'll apply or not. You'll choose whether to approach a prospective employer and market your potential, or decide not to try. You may not yet know exact roles or responsibilities you seek, but through eliminating what you don't, you'll identify desirable outcomes. If you refuse to be sincerely try, you’ll be your own worst enemy. You have the chance to work things out and opt for just what you need.

2) You have psychological expectations. Based on what you’ve been paid before, your level of pretension, confidence, pedigree of education, practical experience and academic qualifications, you have likely established standards. You may sense more or less what you’re willing to do and where, for whom and pursuits that would be unworthy of you. Your internal memories of who rubbed you the right or wrong way will stick.  How convincing will you be about goals to others?

3) You make choices according to identity. How you define your own self-love and acceptance relates to feeling you will be included in social activities which are compatible with your strengths and talents. Even if you take on part-time or full-time work to finance studies or pursuits of your true interests, your focus will be based on how honest you are with yourself. Conscious honest choices require you to filter out other people’s agendas for you to fix your own.

4) You’re driven by your values. Positions of interest may appeal to you for varied reasons. Do you presume people will judge your value on what you aspire to achieve or, on whether or not you think you deserve the market rate for your work? You have a duty to be fair to yourself, to give all employers fair and equal consideration based on your impressions and priorities over and above limiting values.

5) You may make “mountains out of molehills”. If you sense you desire too much or too little in return for what you feel you can offer in a work position, you may be lost in an ego battle. If the hidden agenda is self-interest alone, then you set up traps for yourself that may mean you gamble more than you wish to lose. If you convince yourself of the ‘all-or-nothing’ option, and justify your position by telling yourself you have to get a job today to keep a roof over your head, feed and clothe yourself and family, reality may mean you blow things out of proportion. Do you really create the urgency for other reasons? What is your other agenda?