Posts Tagged ‘experience’
Jobs for the Young in Business was first published on Women in Focus.
Women in Focus is a recently launched website and initiative by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. It is a place for women to be inspired, informed and connected with other women in business in Australia and around the world. Angela Vithoulkas, CEO of VIVO Cafe Group, will be the Guru on the Business Beat section and will be providing weekly articles on all things small business.
As an employer for almost three decades, it is safe to say that I have personally hired and fired hundreds of people – very young, young, middle aged, older than me age and a lot older than me age. They all had positives and negatives going for them in terms of interview, trial and hire. Is it different working with young people than same age or older than me people? Yes, and I think my world of hospitality is a great example of talking about youth in business since we work with apprentices a lot.
It’s true that many employers take on youth just because they are a cheaper option. I disagree with this strategy, but that’s just me. I have never employed anyone because they would be a less expensive choice. I hire based on attitude, and if you think that bad attitude and disinterest are realms reserved for the youth, YOU ARE WRONG.
I have been travelling around Australia since March for The Commonwealth Bank Small Business Forums with the esteemed Peter Switzer. I have had a lot of fun, learnt a lot and experienced a little peek into the corporate world. I normally do almost zero travelling, after all my business is land locked in Sydney and specifically George St. I’ve never had to struggle with packing or doing three states in two days with six flights. To suddenly become this business traveller has made me appreciate my routine at work and how glad I am to come home and be home.
Generally speaking, small business owners are emotionally attached to their business. We build it up, sometimes from less than nothing; we nurture it, develop it and sometimes strangle it. Like any baby or child that inevitably grows up, sometimes we don’t know when to let go or we let go too much.
It’s a confusing situation, complicated by finance and entangled by feelings that are fuelled by fear. Fear of the “what if” - what if you take a step back and the business suffers, what if you run out of ideas, what if you find a challenge that can’t be defeated? What if you actually stop mothering your business and it flourishes, does that mean you were holding it back?