5 steps to downshift your career
LEAVING the career comforts of a large firm may feel like a risk but it can lead to enormous reward and fulfilment.
That is the view of Ontime Group general manager Walter Scremin, who left a multinational logistics firm to head up a small Melbourne-based transport company in the early 1990s.
The company has since grown from a workforce of three to a national delivery transport firm of almost 500 people.
He reveals five things workers need to do to make a similar transition succeed.
1 STAY CONNECTED
In a large company it is easier to stay current and keep up with changes, Scremin says. “Staying connected with industry trends is imperative to keeping you competitive and in the game,” he says.
“Continual training and networking is imperative. The beauty of being small is you can move faster and outperform larger competitors in certain areas, such as service.”
2 BE SECURE
Do not sweat over job security. Scremin says workers can feel insecure about taking the leap to a smaller business but they should remember real job security is a myth.
“Many big companies are re- structured, amalgamated, sold or disappear,” he says. “There is very little difference in job security between big and small business.”
3 FIND THE RIGHT FIT
Big or small, your “fit” with the business is important and takes priority over remuneration or company size. “You may not fit into a small business just as you may not fit into a large corporation.” 4 BACK YOURSELF
Believing in yourself and what you bring to the business is critical, he says. “If you have self-belief you’ll relish the chance to run a small business and put it all on the line, rather than managing some faceless person’s money,” he says.
“But you need to stay openminded and keep learning.”
5 EMBRACE RESPONSIBILITY
“In a small business you have to assume that business to be yours,” he says.
“You have to give it what it needs. “Not just growth, think about systems, procedures, company culture. There’s no point building revenue if it all leaks out at the other end.”