Many have said it and it is true, ‘Entrepreneurship has been terribly glamorized.’ Not only has it led us to having more failed businesses than successful ones, it has also painted the traditional white-collar office job in a bad light. While it is tough working for another person, it has its own perks. Asides the fact that you enjoy the security of a fixed monthly income, it makes you a better entrepreneur. Here are some reasons why it is advisable to work for others before working for yourself.
- It Teaches You to Value Time
One of the things that make working a full-time job very stressful, is having to wake up at early hours in the day to rush to work so you can avoid the repercussions that come with tardiness. If you’re in a place like Lagos, it can get frustrating fast. However, this painful drilling exercise teaches you to value time. It teaches you to keep to time with your clients, and it also teaches you to maximize your own time efficiently.
- You Get to Build A Network Much Faster
If you left school and immediately went ahead to start your business, you will most likely restrict yourself. This is because you would be restricted to the network you can form on your own. Unless you have billionaire parents, it might be hard to break into the wider market. When you work in a traditional system, you get to meet other professionals like yourself. You could meet high net worth members of the society every now and then, and it would be easier to get their attention as are part of the system. You’ll never know when their investments could come in handy.
- It Teaches You Professionalism and Structure
Entrepreneurs often start businesses out of sheer passion for it or because they feel they can make money out of it. However, knowing what to do is one thing; the other is knowing how best to present it. A traditional job will teach you how to be professional. In how you dress, how you communicate, and how to put things in order. It also teaches you how to set things up and how to create working structures.
- It Teaches You Submission
This is probably the hardest part of working for others. The pain of submitting to authority whether you are right or wrong, and the emotional drain it could be. However, in the midst of this darkness, there is a light as well. Learning to submit every now and then would teach you how to treat your customers or clients better. It would also teach you how to control your emotions, so you do not regret your actions later.
- It Teaches You Leadership
Finally, it teaches you leadership. You would normally see different leadership styles in full display where you work in a structured organization. What kind of boss do you want to be? Would you be empathetic? Would you be strict? Would you be flexible? Depending on your nature of work, you might need to be these things at different points in time. While working in a traditional office, you would get to see how your bosses handle challenges. You would learn one of the most sought-after skills on a platter of gold.
