We’ve all been there. Growing up, most of us imagined that working in big corporate organizations was the ONLY way you could be deemed to be successful in life. With the big fat salaries and perks? Who would not want to work there?
Today, 80% of job opportunities in Kenya are in the small and growing business space. And while most of them don’t guarantee a fat cheque at the end of every month, you’re most certainly guaranteed of rapid growth, hands-on learning opportunities, diverse exposure and your successes are recognized thus making you more innovative and resilient. Don’t get me wrong, the same can be the case in a corporate setting, but the truth is, your contribution in a smaller organization is felt more directly and faster and your ideas don’t need several staircases to be approved. Moreover, the opportunities to grow horizontally are endless thus the options to mold your career can be limitless.
Growing a career in small growing businesses is however not for everyone! If you love order, structure and stability, you may find this working environment quite difficult to adapt and thrive.
Many of us occasionally complain about the workload in the workplace. And while the above advice can seem like it’s well-intentioned and probably realistic, this is not always the case.
Recognizing the need to push yourself out of your comfort zone is critical to you evolving in your career. It’s one thing for your supervisor to ask you to clean the dishes when your role is that of an Assistant Project Officer; then by all means; say NO to that. But it’s another thing when your supervisor asks you to draft a proposal to a donor, a role currently not in your JD. Before rejecting the offer, take a step back and reflect; what skills could you learn?
Obviously, be intentional about how much workload you accept in addition to your day to day, else you risk burn out. There are high chances that your supervisor sees the potential in you but is not communicating this clearly. Take the role and seek feedback, what about this role made you feel I was best fit to take it up?
Money pays the bills, and as some would argue, that money is everything towards having a happy career. But is it? Really? Living a happy and meaningful career calls for us to be intentional and conscious in making career decisions that align with our values. When faced with this type of dilemma, it is thus crucial to take a step back and reflect;
- What values in this organization align with mine?
- Am I really excited about the type of work they do?
- Will I love and fit into the culture?
- Will I grow? Is this a stepping stone to my long-term career aspirations?
At edge we are a great example of the life of a small fast-growing organization. If you are curious to learn more check out our blog with learnings from our team: What does career growth at edge look like