Making the big move
Are you looking to move into a new job soon? If so, you’re in very good company – it’s often an
exciting decision, and the results can be life-changing. And whether you’re hoping to develop your
career in a mighty global company or a small startup, there are likely to be pros and cons to every
different type of organisation. For instance, in a large company things are often quite precisely organised
into various departments who carry out the work.
This is perfect if you want to specialise in that area – however in a small to medium company (SME)
there may be more chances to develop new skills as you go. This can happen when a small growing
company hands extra responsibilities to the team because there may not yet be a function for a
particular business area or task.
Building your profile
Another benefit of working for an SME is that there is an increased chance to build a profile within
the organisation. If your firm employs fewer than 100 people, it stands to reason that you will be
more visible than if the company head a headcount of thousands.
While you are still at the stage of considering your next career move – and researching all that’s on
offer out there – you may also notice that the small business sector is pretty dynamic right now. So if
you’re thinking about working at an SME, then there’s likely to be an area to suit you – whether it’s
in tech, hospitality, media or any of the other areas that start-ups are making big waves right now.
The rough and the smooth
Once you begin your job in an SME, there will be challenges as well as rewards, of course – with
(hopefully) a varied and loaded working week as well as some new skills to learn along the way. It is
worth pointing out, however, that in many cases SMEs may not be able to provide the same levels of
support available in a more corporate environment – a recent survey published by Personnel Today
magazine indicated that over half of SMEs don’t monitor staff stress levels, while two thirds don’t
provide training for line managers to spot the signs of stress.
Stress has of course been in the headlines over the past few years, but there are unprecedented
amounts of information available these days about how to prevent stress, and how to manage it
when it arrives. So no matter whether you’re in a big or small office, take a pro-active approach on
dealing with stress – and be sure to speak to a health professional if you have any concerns.
The startup explosion
It may seem often as if terms ‘SME’ and ‘startup’ are a bit buzzwordy – but the figures are there to
back up the amount of press start-ups and SMEs get – in fact there are now nearly half a million
SMEs, while it’s also been reported that self-employment is at record levels. This shows that there
are lots of independent people and businesses – and there’s also a lot of support available
depending on the type and nature of the business – such as Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes,
funding for lending and so on. However, a survey by AXA Business Insurance (full story here) found
that various resources such as GrowthAccelerator weren’t widely known among small businesses.
This is where networking comes in – if you’re plugged in to all the various SME and startup networks
you will be well placed to share the latest information among your colleagues, and add value along
the way.
In many ways, we are living in the age of the startup. So if it’s an area that’s ever piqued your
interest, it’s definitely worth investigating what’s on offer in terms of employment and the
advantages SME working has for employees.
