When the opportunity arose to join a 30-person business, still in its infancy, it felt like a bit of a gamble. There are many examples of nascent businesses who experience astronomical growth in their first couple of years, before stalling and then crashing back down to earth. However, in the last 18 months, it has become apparent that the advantages of joining a start-up undoubtedly outweigh the potential risks. Whilst the list of benefits that I have experienced is extensive, set out below are just a handful of them notable in relation to my time at Quorsus:
Job Variety:
Having started my career at a global recruitment agency, my role was focussed solely on Talent Acquisition. Fresh out of University I was as keen as can be, and whilst I was content in my role, I slowly realised that there wasn’t enough variety in the day-to-day realities itself. Despite working with many clients (both internally and externally) on a daily basis, my role was largely the same. So, when I was given the opportunity to expand my remit into HR advisory as well as Talent Acquisition, it seemed like a logical move. However, when I first joined the team, I didn’t fully appreciate the wide-ranging scope of projects that I would be exposed to at a smaller organisation. Alongside my day-to-day role, I have been involved in Corporate Social Responsibility projects, the design and roll out of three Graduate Programmes, a full-scale benefits review and accompanying roll out of Private Medical Healthcare, to name but a few. Having this variety has ensured that I remain engaged, challenged and constantly learning new skills.
Being part of change:
Hand in hand with this has been the fact that joining a relatively small and young organisation has given me the opportunity to drive significant business transformations. As is to be expected, newer organisations don’t always have the same range of processes in place when compared to more established businesses. However, starting from a blank canvas gives you the exciting opportunity to implement change from conception to delivery across the entire organisation, and without the need to break through insurmountable layers of red tape. For me personally, one such example has been the review, reformation and rollout of a new and improved hiring process.
Access to Senior Leaders:
My work across the aforementioned projects has meant that I was given the opportunity to work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to drive and implement change across the business. Within larger organisations, exposure to senior members of the business can often be quite limited. However, with a start-up, right from the off you are given opportunities to work directly with experienced individuals who can impart their invaluable knowledge in an organic and tangible forum.
Professional growth:
It is the combination of working closely with Senior leaders and playing an active role in various projects of significant worth to the organisation, that helps to facilitate accelerated professional growth. Whilst from time to time it is natural to feel out of your depth, working within such an environment enables you to learn and grow at a much faster pace than you may do within a larger firm, where you can often find yourself siloed into a particular role or business area.
Witnessing business growth and culture:
As well as personal growth, joining a start-up presents a unique opportunity whereby you get to witness the exponential growth of the company. In my first 18 months, Quorsus grew by over 130%. Seeing first-hand the number of people who join (and thrive within) the business is incredibly satisfying. What is even better to see, is that the collaborative culture (almost inevitable at the formation of a start-up) has been maintained despite this significant growth. We ensure that all our hires embody our Core Values (Drive, Quality, Outcomes, Integrity) to help foster a productive but also collaborative and pleasant working environment.
Whilst there certainly are significant benefits in joining a relatively small and young business, on the flip side, I would be lying if I said it was easy. The word busy inherits a new definition when you join a start-up that grows by 130% in 18 months, but at the same time it is an extremely rewarding experience and has undoubtedly helped to accelerate both my professional and personal growth. To conclude, if you are looking to be tested but subsequently learn and grow quickly, then perhaps a start-up is the place for you. Highly recommended by Sam Myhre.