…more reasons on why you should work for yourself (or I should for myself), in addition to the 2 main ones mentioned in earlier posts. Again, I’m taking what I’ve read and heard from experts and presenting them with my own experiences.
3. No dull moments:
You don’t get bored like when someone gives you a task you hate doing, but have to do because it’s a (grey) part of your job description. Or, you don’t believe in a particular mission that your employer is on, but you do it because you are supposed to be a team player. You act professional but your heart is not in it. You go out and buy yourself new shoes/phone/holidays to cheer yourself up.
What you put into your own business in self-employment is all yours. You set the mission, define the goal, and then go all out to reach it.
4. You’ll regret it if you don't try:
My dad was employed full-time for his working life (he’s retired now) but always said he’s love to have his own business. But he never did. He worked for the government right up to his retirement. It’s one of the things he regrets because he was too risk-adverse, unwilling to give up his secure job. He could also have done something after retirement, but I suspect the longer you delay taking that step, the harder it is. I learnt about a great charity recently which helps people over 50 start up their own businesses. They are called Prime. Contact them. http://www.primeinitiative.co.uk/ And you can be any age to appreciate the resources they have online.
5. Travelling without moving:
The best way of truly knowing your capabilities is to take up this challenge. I have no experience as yet but am taking the first steps now. So far it’s been very enlightening. I’ll share with you that I
a) Need to work on my marketing skills. I failed miserably at a volunteer job interview for a marketing position with a charity a month ago. They don’t want me even when I’m not asking to be paid!
b) Have to hone my writing skills if I want to present ideas and review subjects convincingly. I’m so used to designing with software and communicating in a graphic medium, I’ve neglected to nurture my writing skills.
c) My profession/industry is not a good market to be in according to experts. I’ll explain this in a further post.
d) have learnt so much about the influence of the net and what a business mindset is.
e) I DO have business skills. I am very keen using them.
There are other reasons of course, but these are what I find most valid to me. I might add more if I get aggravated at work today.
Showing posts with label Reasons to work for yourself. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reasons to work for yourself. Show all posts
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
Monday, 8 June 2009
Why you should work for yourself #2
More reasons and inspiration on why you should consider self-employment, again, from the experts but I've added my own experience.
2. The satisfaction:
People who work for themselves never revert to working for someone unless forced to. All my self-employed friends say so. Ask anyone who is their own boss and 99 out of 100 will say they'd never. (That 1 person probably was incredibly unlucky) For all the worry, isolation and hard work they went through and still go through, it's still preferable to working for someone else. This should be enough reason to convince anyone it's worthwhile.
Of course they took a risk leaving paid employment but the rewards are independence, job satisfaction and sometimes better remuneration. No guts, no glory. It's worthwhile when considering a start-up to talk to as many people who own their business about what they feel, and of course how they did it.
Also, what about the freedom and flexibility of working hours and conditions? Punch cards and clocking-in makes me feel like a robot. Large companies evaluate employees' productivity by quantity; because they can't deploy enough resources to monitor quality, therefore use the 9-5 as a method of guaranteeing that at least some quantity of work is seen to be done.
Best of all, you don't have to suck up to your boss, or if you don't do that anyway, watch others do it and get ahead, immerse in blame culture, maintain the status quo,... the list goes on based on all the gripes I've heard.
Everybody’s experience is different of course - there are real barriers that prevent people from taking that step, or make it hard. Some friends say they'd love to strike out on their own, but just don't have any money, or have huge financial commitments like mortgages, etc. I understand how a relatively secure job trumps chasing one’s dreams when there are such pressures around. However, if I want it enough, I'm certain there’s a way.
2. The satisfaction:
People who work for themselves never revert to working for someone unless forced to. All my self-employed friends say so. Ask anyone who is their own boss and 99 out of 100 will say they'd never. (That 1 person probably was incredibly unlucky) For all the worry, isolation and hard work they went through and still go through, it's still preferable to working for someone else. This should be enough reason to convince anyone it's worthwhile.
Of course they took a risk leaving paid employment but the rewards are independence, job satisfaction and sometimes better remuneration. No guts, no glory. It's worthwhile when considering a start-up to talk to as many people who own their business about what they feel, and of course how they did it.
Also, what about the freedom and flexibility of working hours and conditions? Punch cards and clocking-in makes me feel like a robot. Large companies evaluate employees' productivity by quantity; because they can't deploy enough resources to monitor quality, therefore use the 9-5 as a method of guaranteeing that at least some quantity of work is seen to be done.
Best of all, you don't have to suck up to your boss, or if you don't do that anyway, watch others do it and get ahead, immerse in blame culture, maintain the status quo,... the list goes on based on all the gripes I've heard.
Everybody’s experience is different of course - there are real barriers that prevent people from taking that step, or make it hard. Some friends say they'd love to strike out on their own, but just don't have any money, or have huge financial commitments like mortgages, etc. I understand how a relatively secure job trumps chasing one’s dreams when there are such pressures around. However, if I want it enough, I'm certain there’s a way.
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Why you should work for yourself #1
While trying convince myself why I should take this 'leap of faith'. I've compiled a list of reasons 'Why I should work for myself'. You may have heard some of these before, but I'm adding my personal experience to support the advice already out there.
1. It's Less Risky
Less risky? Surely working for the government is as safe as it can get? True. But not all of us work for the government, or want to. In fact, my company is in difficulty because we thought we were safe working on government contracts.
When I work for a company, I've no idea about the financial situation the company is in. Just ask any ex-employees of Lehman Brothers.
A friend of mine worked in a small company, doing very well. It appeared they got new commissions consistently. In April, her boss told everyone he was closing the London office and moving operations up north. It was a pure business decision and everyone had no choice.
If you worked for yourself, you'd know the relationships with your clients, funders, debtors, creditors, suppliers, etc. Most importantly, you know the exact state of your finances. Being an employee is like putting your fate in other people's hands. If it works out, then there would be security, promotions, benefits etc... And if not?
I work for an architect's office in London. Most architectural practices don't offer pay packages comparable to other professional jobs, and there are no medical nor dental benefits, no private pension contribution, gym memberships, childcare nor other stuff we only hear about. I tell myself, at least I'm not missing out on all this if I decide to try becoming self employed?
tbc with reason #2...
1. It's Less Risky
Less risky? Surely working for the government is as safe as it can get? True. But not all of us work for the government, or want to. In fact, my company is in difficulty because we thought we were safe working on government contracts.
When I work for a company, I've no idea about the financial situation the company is in. Just ask any ex-employees of Lehman Brothers.
A friend of mine worked in a small company, doing very well. It appeared they got new commissions consistently. In April, her boss told everyone he was closing the London office and moving operations up north. It was a pure business decision and everyone had no choice.
If you worked for yourself, you'd know the relationships with your clients, funders, debtors, creditors, suppliers, etc. Most importantly, you know the exact state of your finances. Being an employee is like putting your fate in other people's hands. If it works out, then there would be security, promotions, benefits etc... And if not?
I work for an architect's office in London. Most architectural practices don't offer pay packages comparable to other professional jobs, and there are no medical nor dental benefits, no private pension contribution, gym memberships, childcare nor other stuff we only hear about. I tell myself, at least I'm not missing out on all this if I decide to try becoming self employed?
tbc with reason #2...
Self-employed? Me?
When the going gets tough, I'd like to think it's an opportunity to do something you've never dared to, because the stakes are lower. I'm from a very risk adverse background. But when I was told the company I worked for was loosing money due to the current recession, I thought I'd better start thinking about a more independent career path.
In March, the news broke at an office meeting. Since then, 20% of staff have been made redundant. I'm lucky to have survived.
Then I read the book,'Good Girls Don't Get the Corner Office' and started to speak up for myself. It was both good and bad. Good in that I didn't beat myself up anymore for keeping quiet when I REALLY should have said something. Bad that I realised my company could not offer the career growth I wanted and started to see me as somewhat of a challenge to manage.
Anyway, I'm determined that if the economy and the industry I'm in (architecture) is to fall like a malnourished tree in a forest, I will not go down gripping desperately to its dried branches!
I've toyed with the idea of being my own boss recently, and this feels like the right time. My comfortable-enough life was not the best environment to spring me into action. My biggest resistance is not the prospect of failure, but the fear of the unknown. I've wanted to be an architect since young and for the past 20-something years, it's been a single, safe course I've been taking.
I told my landlord that I was about to loose my job (with the intention of softening him up for when I eventually ask for a rent-reduction!) and being the nicest landlord I've ever had, he said that I should not worry and that I was a smart girl an I'd find something soon. He added that if there were no jobs out there, I could set up on my own (like he did when he first came to London 30 odd years ago with nothing and started his barber shop). He thought that anyone who spoke good English and is hardworking could never really fail.
My job prospects are suffering due to the economy but I've got some savings for seed capital. The worst that could happen would be that I fail at this, and go back to being employed. At least I can say I've tried and then really appreciate the security of full-time employment! I start telling myself it's the journey that counts. "Forget travelling to widen my horizons, the journey is right here!"
My first instinct is to be self-employed by working as a free-lance architect. This means doing the same job, but working for different clients on a contract-by-contract basis. An alternative would be to retrain and use the new skill to work in a self-employed capacity. Or, I could set up my own business!
In March, the news broke at an office meeting. Since then, 20% of staff have been made redundant. I'm lucky to have survived.
Not so long ago, I used to be a hardworking worker ant. I'd do everything to my best ability when told/asked and most employers viewed me as nothing but a CAD monkey .
Then I read the book,
Anyway, I'm determined that if the economy and the industry I'm in (architecture) is to fall like a malnourished tree in a forest, I will not go down gripping desperately to its dried branches!
I've toyed with the idea of being my own boss recently, and this feels like the right time. My comfortable-enough life was not the best environment to spring me into action. My biggest resistance is not the prospect of failure, but the fear of the unknown. I've wanted to be an architect since young and for the past 20-something years, it's been a single, safe course I've been taking.
I told my landlord that I was about to loose my job (with the intention of softening him up for when I eventually ask for a rent-reduction!) and being the nicest landlord I've ever had, he said that I should not worry and that I was a smart girl an I'd find something soon. He added that if there were no jobs out there, I could set up on my own (like he did when he first came to London 30 odd years ago with nothing and started his barber shop). He thought that anyone who spoke good English and is hardworking could never really fail.
My job prospects are suffering due to the economy but I've got some savings for seed capital. The worst that could happen would be that I fail at this, and go back to being employed. At least I can say I've tried and then really appreciate the security of full-time employment! I start telling myself it's the journey that counts. "Forget travelling to widen my horizons, the journey is right here!"
My first instinct is to be self-employed by working as a free-lance architect. This means doing the same job, but working for different clients on a contract-by-contract basis. An alternative would be to retrain and use the new skill to work in a self-employed capacity. Or, I could set up my own business!
This is all new for me... I'm overwhelmed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)