Fancy working in a start-up or early stage company but not sure what to expect?
I took the plunge and joined Hiring Hub in January this year. I’d previously been enjoying an illustrious career as a grouse beater (Google it), so the move to Manchester for a sales role at a start-up seemed like natural progression.
The amount I’ve learnt in six months has been amazing. One of the key reasons I applied for the job was to see and understand how everyone’s different roles combine to create a successful business. I sit right in the mix, in the engine room of the business, and it’s a great buzz. I’m also pretty nosy, so nothing piques my interest like seeing the ins and outs of what it takes to scale a start-up.
Putting in a bit of graft should always be your first concern when starting a new role but at a larger firm, aside from the odd murmur of approval from your manager, you might not always see the difference you’re making.
At Hiring Hub, though, I can see exactly where my blood, sweat and tears are going, which makes it a whole lot more satisfying than being at a larger company where I’d probably struggle to make an impression in the first few months (it’s also more rewarding than chasing birds around the Yorkshire Dales, but that’s beside the point).
This said, it works both ways.
If things aren’t going right, there’s nowhere to hide within a small team. Nothing’s fun if it’s too easy though, right? And, when I have gone through a bad patch, there’s always great support from your colleagues to get you back on track.
Ever since my Year 3 netball days I’ve been well versed in the benefits of teamwork, and being part of a small professional team is just as enjoyable as getting one over on the neighbouring primary school. Sure, we all have to chip in with the odd task outside of our job description (assembling an office chair, writing the odd blog post…) but it makes for a far more interesting day.
Plus, as a tight knit team, we do lots of networking and charity events, anything from football to dragon boat racing, which is all brilliant fun.
Extra-curricular activities aside, everyone in the business is singing from the same hymn sheet, which is the most important thing in growing the business and realising our vision to build the UK’s biggest recruitment company (that doesn’t even do any recruitment!).
So, fancy working at a start-up? I say go for it (especially if the lure of grouse beating doesn’t quite do it for you).
Thinking about starting your own business? Check out our list of the best places to be a startup.
