SMEs
As an employee of a small to medium sized business (SME), a typical working week will include a variety of decisions and tasks that were not in the original job description – assuming there was one. Gordon Chesterman, from the University of Cambridge, discusses the advantages of working for an SME.
From photocopying documents ready for a meeting and picking up the sandwiches for an office lunch, to spending the day talking the external auditors through the bank statements and writing a sales proposal for a half million pounds order – working for an SME will certainly be varied.
Whether it’s basic and boring, or decisions and activities that will have an immediate and lasting impact on the success of the company, applicants to small businesses must be ready for a high level of personal responsibility from day one.
Small companies offer opportunities to develop new skills, experience new challenges and, above all, to see the contribution that you are making to the business.
Within an SME there may be only one rung above you on the career ladder and that could be occupied by the owner/manager. Promotion is often achieved by staying with the company as it grows when others are recruited to work under you.
The advantages of this are that you are working directly with the managing director, have direct contact with customers and suppliers and have much more responsibility at a very early stage. You can make a direct contribution to company profits and growth, and that contribution will be recognised.
You will gain a wider range of experience and have more control over your career. You will also be encouraged to put forward your ideas and see them put into practice.
Finding out about vacancies in small businesses can be more difficult than finding out about a position within a big company. But if you do get a job within an SME then you will be working in a small, close-knit team, it doesn’t take long to get to know everyone and you are likely to get a great deal of support from your colleagues.
But there may be downside. You might lack a formal career path and formal training, you’ll often be learning on-the-job and you may earn less than you could with a larger organisation. You can’t expect a detailed staff handbook on grievance and disciplinary procedures, sickness policies, dress code and organisation structure – but do ask about these before you start and get your contract of employment in writing at an early stage.
Overall, SMEs have a lot to offer and will usually provide you with an exhilarating roller-coaster of a ride. Smaller companies make up the vast majority of firms within many regions and are competing well against the larger organisations in attracting and retaining able graduates. The opportunities to get yourself noticed and make an impact are huge. If you want to “make a difference” then a small business could be just the place to do it.
