The first time I spoke at UCOL I spoke about the different types of jobs in this world. I got a lot of good feedback so thought I’d put an abridged version up here.
Three are three categories of jobs in this world:
- Having a Job
- Owning a Job
- Owning a Business
All of them have their plusses and minuses but just make sure you understand which one you’re aiming for it will make your life a lot easier. Let me break each of these down…
Having a Job
This is what most people in the world have, a job. You exist to impress the boss, you get four weeks annual leave, sick leave, steady pay and it’s fairly easy to switch jobs for career advancement. This is relatively easy and risk free and that’s why 90% of us do it.
Owning a Job
Here you still have a job to do, but now you also own the job. That means you also have the responsibility of being the boss: accounting, tax, finding clients, office expenses, etc. You exist to impress your clients – so while you can make the rules, if you don’t work you don’t get paid. Forget holiday pay and sick leave, your job security and career advancement are entirely dependent on how hard you work.
Owning a Business
This is where you have other people doing the money-making work for the company. You exist to help your staff impress your clients. You might get some company perks as technically you can still be an employee of the company, job security will come as you get a larger client base and reputation. You’ll start by working 100 hours a week for very little pay but with some smart procedures and good staff you’ll be albe to work 10 hours a week for a fairly decent return.
My Experience
In my life I have been through all three phases, originally working as at Pizza Hut and other people’s design companies, then building websites in my pyjamas in my spare room, and then into running my own companies. My advice is go for option one with the security and good pay if you work your way up, or if you’re really motivated go the full hog and take out option three and stick at it for at least three years so you can get everything running efficiently.