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bell curve, branding consultant LinkedIn, budgets, bureaucracy, cross-functional team, different backgrounds, diversity, finance pages, growth opportunities, home-grown companies, HR Horizons, ideas, influence, jobs, launch, local companies, March 23, network, Pakistan Day, Pakistani Company, product, profits, promoted, raise, recession multinational companies, regional head office, Sadya Siddiqui, senior management, star performer, success, superior social skills, workforce
With Pakistan Day approaching on March 23, it is appropriate to discuss the reasons why people in the workforce should consider working at smaller, local companies rather than limiting their options to multinationals. This is especially pertinent given that many Pakistani organisations provide their employees stellar growth opportunities.
Here is why you should consider working at home-grown Pakistani companies:
1. This is where the jobs are. Read the finance pages to learn about which industries are growing and which companies are posting profits. It’s not the local companies whose budgets were slashed dramatically when the recession hit; it is the multinational companies.
2. This is where the growth is. In a company of 100 people, it is easy to spot the star performer. In a company with 500 branches and 10,000 people in the office, it’s harder to stand out. You can even be promoted or get a raise without ever having to hear: “Sorry, the bell curve doesn’t allow me to promote you.”
3. This is where you will have influence. You will be heard. Your opinions will reach senior management without having to battle through layers of bureaucracy. In some large organisations you cannot even e-mail people at a senior level, much less network with them.
4. This is where you will create value. Your ideas are more likely to be implemented. You will not need any approvals from a regional head office located in another continent demanding a ton of paperwork. You and three co-workers can get together to launch a product.
5. This is where diversity is. You will have a chance to work with people from different backgrounds. Moreover, you will learn to work closely with people from different work functions since you will always be part of a cross-functional team. And we all know that the key to success is superior social skills.
– Sadya Siddiqui
The writer is a branding consultant and can be contacted via LinkedIn.
First published in the Careers Section of the DAWN National Weekend Advertiser on March 18, 2012.