Trading the Corporate Ladder for My Own Path: Two Months In
Last week, I had a truly unexpected blast at a local innovation workshop in Belfast. It was one of those rare days where I actually had to pack a laptop bag, iron a shirt, ditch the Crocs, and brave the rush hour traffic across the city.
It felt strangely nostalgic. I found myself wearing a lanyard again, surrounded by free tea, coffee, snacks, lunch, and a mountain of branded merchandise. The whole experience really took me back to my corporate days, and I have to admit, it was a nice, familiar feeling.
Now that I’m over two months out of the corporate world, that workshop really made me pause. It prompted me to reflect on life now versus then, and to genuinely consider what I truly miss and what I’m definitely not missing at all. I thought I’d share those thoughts with you this week.
What I Really Miss
The People
This is an easy and immediate first thought. There’s nothing quite like the companionship of having peers who do similar roles as you. You can bounce ideas around, have a bit of a moan, or just grab a coffee and chat about anything and everything. Don’t get me wrong, I am finding new ways to do these things, but it takes a little more effort when you’re self-employed.
The Salary and Benefits
I’m getting bookings, which is fantastic, but I’m certainly not one of those overnight success stories who tripled their income on day one! Don’t take for granted the feeling of knowing exactly what you’re going to earn, when you’re going to earn it, and having those basic corporate perks like pension and sick pay. It takes a while to get used to inconsistent earnings. The good days feel sensational, and the dry spells can feel long and a bit scary, but hopefully, this will all get better and more normal with practice!
The Office
I was definitely the one who worked from home more often than I was supposed to in the run-up to leaving, but now that I don’t have the option, I miss it. It’s nice to be in the city centre, able to pop out to do whatever you need, and make plans with colleagues. Even the simple ability to move from space to space in the office and break up your working environment is something I took for granted.
What I Don’t Miss
Stakeholder Management
I would argue that I’m great at building relationships. Before leaving, I’d have even gone as far as to say I enjoyed resolving challenging stakeholder situations. However, now that I’m out of it, I’ve realised I actually just tolerated it. Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you enjoy it! This isn’t a reflection of the people involved; it’s just that often in those circumstances, you’re fighting a battle because you have to, not because you’re deeply personally invested in the cause.
A To-Do List Defined by Others
In the corporate world, we all have a specific role to play. That setup means that teams depend on outputs from one another to keep everything moving in the right direction. Nowadays, everything I do is in my own personal interest. I’m not producing insights because it’s my job to share this information to help make informed decisions; I’m producing them because I need them, and I want to understand my own performance. It took me a while to realise that it’s just me and what I need, and this truly makes everything I do way more interesting and feel less like “work.”
Support Functions
Yes, I realise I just complained about how the setup of different teams can create more work… but I do miss being able to liaise with specialists at my fingertips when I needed help, rather than having to work it all out on my own. Over time, I’ll start to outsource things, and for some elements, I already am. But for the time being, it’s just me, myself, and I, which is definitely a challenging element to consider.
Overall, if I challenge myself to think what I’d prefer right now, the answer is 100% self-employment. For now, the skills I’m learning and the challenges I’m overcoming really give me a buzz when I crack them! I’m also doing what I love doing, which is helping people with their careers so they can get the best work-life balance that suits them in a career they genuinely enjoy. How could I not be loving it!
If you’re considering making a move, I’m always open to networking, so feel free to get in touch.