| If I were to ask you about how well your company | | | | view to ascertaining what they are looking for in life - |
| pays you, (and you were to trust me enough to tell | | | | where they want to be in (say) ten years time. Ask |
| me), what kind of information might you give? | | | | yourself the same question in relation to your job and |
| Assuming the trust existed, you might well tell me the | | | | you will discover one of two things: either 1) your pay |
| annual, monthly or weekly figure and then wait for me | | | | has hidden aspects that you love, or |
| to say something. This is the normal, everyday | | | | 2) That you are in the wrong job! So, in essence the |
| response we would be inclined to give. In reality though, | | | | "pay" you receive for your job should consist of more |
| you are likely to have more or less than you think - a | | | | than the financial aspect. If you are feeling brave, try |
| hidden salary. | | | | this little self-assessment that will give you some |
| What do you do with the income that you are | | | | indicator as to what your hidden salary may consist of |
| currently aware of? Where does it go? What do you | | | | and just how much job satisfaction you may have. Oh, |
| spend it on? It is more than likely, that with proper | | | | by the way, in case you haven`t cottoned on yet; "job |
| review and tight budgeting, you could save money or | | | | satisfaction" is another name for "hidden salary"! |
| make payment arrangements so that you could begin | | | | Anyway, here we go: |
| to save money sooner than you think, but this article is | | | | 1)What is the greatest thing you enjoy about your job? |
| not really about the money you make from your job, it | | | | 2)When you get up knowing you are heading for work, |
| is about the pay you get from your job. What do I | | | | how do you feel about it? |
| mean? Read on... | | | | 3)How would you feel if, through no fault of your own, |
| I have personally worked in both the public and the | | | | and your employer was reluctant, they told you that |
| commercial sector of business. In so doing, I have run | | | | they had to let you go? |
| the gauntlet of employer demands. I found that | | | | 4)How do you feel when a colleague you know |
| working in the public sector gave me more as I was | | | | leaves the company? |
| working for the benefit of people rather than for profit. | | | | 5)How do you feel about the majority of people you |
| There does tend to be a disadvantage in working for | | | | work with? |
| the public sector rather than in the private commercial | | | | 6)Where do you see yourself in regard to your job, in |
| one - the salary tends to be lower. At one particular | | | | (say) five years time? |
| point in my career, I was working for an international | | | | We could go on with pulling this type of question out of |
| private company in the I.T. industry. I had a company | | | | a hat, but it isn`t necessary as by now you should be |
| car and a reasonable salary. Then one day I had a | | | | getting the point. The real question is "Just how |
| phone call offering me a position working for a medium | | | | important is it for you to have those elements of |
| size council - no company car and the salary just | | | | hidden salary each and every month?" In other words, |
| about scraped to the level I was currently on. When it | | | | are you simply in the job for the money? Or do you |
| was offered to me, I jumped at the chance. How | | | | have other values that dictate your presence in the |
| could I do that? How could I make such a rapid | | | | company? |
| decision? The answer? I knew what was important to | | | | A person`s values do not simply involve you in your |
| me. I knew my personal values. | | | | working hours of course. What happens when you go |
| Knowing what your values are is a crucial ingredient to | | | | home? Do you leave work behind? Or do you bring it |
| discovering the hidden element (or elements) of your | | | | home with you? If you bring it home with you simply |
| salary. The first question to bring up here, is: "What is | | | | because you enjoy your work so much that your brain |
| worth more to you? The money or your environment? | | | | continues to kick ideas around in your head, then to a |
| What within your work environment is important to | | | | point, that`s okay, (though, if you have one, your |
| you? The type of office or work area? The | | | | spouse/partner may not think so!). If you find yourself |
| friendliness of the people? The "benefits"? The kind of | | | | bringing it home nothing but moans, groans, and |
| boss you have? The car parking spaces? I know that | | | | complaints, then I think you will agree, you have a |
| some of these items might seem a bit trivial, but I am | | | | problem! In such a scenario, your personal values are |
| reminded of a puzzle my daughter is currently putting | | | | being abused. A question though: Who is permitting the |
| together. She bought it second-hand i.e. it was | | | | abuse? Who has control in such a situation? Guess |
| pre-owned. How important is it for all the pieces of the | | | | what? You are always in control - if only by implication. |
| puzzle to be available and for them to fit together | | | | Think about that statement for a while. It emphasizes |
| perfectly? Without those factors, the puzzle would not | | | | an important concept of self-control vs. toleration. |
| be producing the correct result, right? It`s exactly the | | | | So if you want to discover your hidden salary in your |
| same with your job. Indeed, the principle could be | | | | job, it is within your control to do so. It has always been |
| applied to many areas of your life. | | | | within your control. |
| As a professional life coach, I talk to people with a | | | | |