Dear Employee,

I congratulate you on your new job. Whether you just got a new job or you have been working for some time, this letter is for you. You will agree with me that you are probably not the only person that applied for the job.

By one reason or the other, you are successful in the interview processes and you are selected as the preferred candidate. It doesn’t matter whether this is your dream job or you just want to use the job as a spring board which may likely land you on your dream job. For now, let’s take it that job is job. You have actually crossed a particular hurdle in life.

While I congratulate you on this job and you are excited about it, I like to quickly point to you that the excitement of a new job does not last forever. You may not agree with me but some people who have been there will attest to this fact. A fantastic job today will soon be a reason for complaints tomorrow. Many factors can be responsible for this. I remember when I changed my job. My new salary was about two hundred percent above the salary I was earning in my previous place of work. Whao! What a major breakthrough! It was a time for celebration. But do you know something? The excitement did not last. No sooner I resumed work than I discovered that the salary I was offered was far below my level.

Everyone at my level earned almost twice my salary. Well, the fault might be mine. After all, they still paid me more than what I requested for during interview. I was coming from a particular industry where the salary scale was low. Therefore, I could not even imagine that such company could be paying that type of mouth-watering salary package. That was an experience. Every employee will have one reason or the other to be dissatisfied about his or her job. Whatever the reason might be, I just want you to know that, as an employee, you will soon be fed up about your job.

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It may be that your promotion will not be coming as rapid as you expected. It may be that your job roles will not be challenging any more. Your boss or colleagues may make things difficult for you that you might even consider leaving the job. Even, if everything is working fine, you will need to leave that job one day. This is where I am going. You will either leave the organization at your own instance or it can be that the organization will show you the way out. Whatever the case, my question is: How are you preparing for this? As an employee, I want you to know that this is the price that you must pay. It is as sure as death. Therefore, the earlier you start planning about your exit the better. You need to ask yourself certain questions like; When do you want to leave the organization? Why will you leave the organization? How do you want to leave the organization?

To answer the above questions, I like you to look at them in an entrepreneurial perspectives. Firstly, I want you to know that no employer will pay you what you are worth. Employer will hire you because of the benefits you will add to their organization. It is a simple cost-benefits analysis. If your employer pays more than the value you add to the organization, you may soon be shown the way out. While working as an employee, you need to justify your pay. At the same time, you need to make best use of the opportunity you have. Since your employer cannot pay you what you deserve, you can pay yourself in so many ways. Learn whatever you can learn about the company, its processes and procedures. Acquire relevant skills that will help you in the future. Go for training and courses as part of your benefits. Make useful connections with colleagues, customers and suppliers. By the time you will be leaving the organization, you will not only boast of the salary you have enjoyed, you will be leaving with social and other intangible assets. Your salary may even be too low that you don’t have much savings, the social and intangible assets you acquired can pay you a thousand times in the future.

It is also important that you see yourself as your own boss. Employee mentality destroys initiatives. See yourself as the owner of the business. Work hard and get committed to your duty. Don’t work based on eye service. What you make happen for others, others will make happen for you. It is the law of sowing and reaping. This singular act may determine how you will leave the organization.

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Finally, since you know you will leave the organization one day, you need to start planning your way out. Make most of each day you spend in the organization. Supposing your organization tells you to leave today, what will be your regrets? If you don’t want to regret tomorrow, then you need to start planning today. Planning includes how you spend your salary. Live moderately. Don’t accumulate debts. Start saving towards your own business. By the time you step out from the organization, you can have your own seed capital. In fact, you will be more confident to launch a business when you have savings to live on pending the time the business will start bringing in income.

No matter how fat your salary, you need to set a goal about when you want to leave the organization. Don’t over stay. A lot of people over-stay in an organization till they lose their relevance.  Waiting until you retire before starting a business is an illusion. If you use all your youthful energy to serve another person, you may not have strength to start or run your own business. Therefore, you need to set a timeline for yourself. Employers know how to keep their good employees. If you want to leave an organization, they may offer your some incentives or additional benefits that may be difficult for you to decline. All these are golden handcuffs. Employers will only keep you as long as you are useful to them. Don’t fall prey. Have your own plan.

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In conclusion, I admit that not all employees can become an entrepreneur. However, if you know that starting a business is what you will likely do, it is better to make haste while the sun shines.

I desire that all employees read this. Wishing you success in your endeavours.

Regards.

Legitsmallbusiness.

Business Planning