Whether you’re a junior waitstaff with eyes of owning a hospitality venue, a trainee in a salon or a construction apprentice, making your way to ownership can be a daunting journey. While everyone’s journey is different and some people jump straight in, there are some great steps you can take to set yourself up for success.
Pick a good employer to train with
Sure, you can learn just as much of what NOT to do with a dodgy employer, but to get yourself started, aim to start your learning journey with a reputable employer. Look for a brand or business who is well known in the industry, has a history of growth, has a strong and loyal customer base and ideally is known as a good place to work. The goal is to find somewhere you’ll learn best practice from, regardless of the industry. You want to train with leaders who know how to deliver quality products and services and have a sustainable and growing business.
Learn everything you can
When you’ve found yourself a quality employer, make it your mission to learn everything you can. It should go without saying that you should master your own role. But on top of that, keep your eyes and ears open and make an effort to observe how the business works. Be curious and talk to your colleagues about their roles, what works well and what is challenging. The more oversight you can get of all the different elements of the business, the better you’ll be at knowing how to build yours!
Seek out diverse jobs and experiences
As you move through your career, whether it’s with one employer or over a series of jobs, seek out new experiences. Aim to widen your skill set whenever you can and get involved with different areas of the business. Use your voice and communicate with your employers to let them know you’re interested in learning more about how the business runs. Showing initiative is not only an excellent way to improve your relationship with your employer, it also opens doors for you to learn valuable knowledge without the cost of studying.
Take an active role in administration
Yes, administration sounds boring (and we all know it can be), but the sad reality is that it is absolutely unavoidable and is often one of the biggest tasks for a business owner. Don’t avoid roles or responsibilities that involve administration, instead take them on knowing it’s setting you up for success for your own business. Pay particular attention to processes and systems and make note on what works efficiently and what you would change in your own business.
Learn how to manage people
The same goes for management. If you have the chance to take on management roles where you’re responsible for other employees, do it! Unless you want to work as a sole trader for the rest of your life, you’ll need to know how to manage a team. Be open to these responsibilities and actively seek feedback to improve your management style. As a business owner it costs a lot of money to recruit and train staff, so you want to be able to retain them once you’ve got them in your business. This will ultimately come down to your ability to create a pleasant and fulfilling work environment for employees, and management skills are the key!
Get your skills certified as you go
As you move through these steps and gain more experience make sure you get your skills certified! If you’re in construction you may need to be certified in order to get your builders licence, and the same goes for other industries. Also, while it’s not a prerequisite for financing, many funders will want to see you’ve got the experience and qualifications to back you up. To find certifications in your industry explore our range of qualifications and get your experience and skills certified without extra study.
To learn more about RPL certification give our team a call on 13 17 75 or contact us online.
