Take a minute: get a pen and paper, and write a list of all the jobs that you have had over your working life. The chances are that you will have had a good half a dozen jobs, and so, would have accumulated many skills.
Some of your roles that you listed may not even exist anymore as the advancement of technology has replaced the need for certain personnel, or killed off the role completely. Whatever your employment past, you need to have a good think about your employment future; but what if you want a complete change?
There is also the high possibility that you will change industry altogether, although the statistics for people changing industry are hard to gauge: is an internal transfer considered a change in industry if someone moves from operations into HR?
You invariably have three options. See below for more information.
Self-employment
Before you go all gung-ho into starting up a business, you need to self-analyze and ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you adverse to risk?
- Will you manage on limited earnings for an unknown period, or do you prefer a regular paycheck?
3, Are you good at making decisions?
- Can you wear many different ‘hats’ during the working day, and cope with a multitude of responsibilities?
- Do you have a passion driving your desire to start a business in the field? Are you prepared to turn a hobby into work, and are you prepared for the consequences of that?
By honing in and evaluating what makes you tick, you have the great potential to create a job for yourself that you love, and one that will provide you with the necessary funds to provide you with the lifestyle you desire.
Employment
Employment, whilst not providing the flexibility or autonomy of self-employment, offers the employee stability: you know how much money is coming in each month, you know your work hours or shift patterns; you even know that you have paid holiday each year. You may even earn other benefits such as medical insurance and days off in lieu for overtime.
But what about the third option?
What about if you could combine the benefits of employment and self-employment? If you could remove the risk, remove the chances of you making wrong business decisions but gain from others’ experiences who have walked the same walk as you?
Franchise
By choosing a franchise, you are essentially buying into a fully mentored but self-employed business opportunity. There is a fixed franchise set up cost, so shock outgoings are avoided, particularly the expenses from errors and mistakes because when you buy into a franchise, you are buying a proven business model.
Similarly to being self-employed, a franchise needs you to have analyzed what you like in life before you embark on your new franchise career; doing so can give you the opportunity to branch out into previously unchartered territories. There are golden opportunities for you to finally become a business broker, or perhaps a children’s party organizer? The choices are there; it is just up to you to make them.
Before making a new business venture, you need to be sure to progress into an industry that makes you tick. All the three above options are extremely viable. Make sure to make the right decision before moving forward.
