When growing our business and wondering who to employ next, I have a list of women as long as my arm… our first ‘proper’ recruit was Jen.
Those of you who know her know that she is an absolute gun: smart, kind, loyal, and too humble for her own good (a recognised workplace trait for many women).
Like many of the SA population got her first job in ‘fast food’, where she built her career and rose through the ranks before choosing to leave the industry and try something new. Hospitality industry experience means she is highly skilled in customer service and, as the majority of our client’s workplaces are male-dominated, she’s tough, self-assured and well-equipped to handle tough situations with a smile – we love and appreciate her experience. She has worked in retail, warehousing, aged care, agriculture and more… she is an absolute unicorn.
Why am I sharing this with you?
1. She doesn’t get enough credit for what she does outside of me telling her she is fabulous. AND
2. She wasn’t going to come work for us.
Like all of us women at one point or another, she had imposter syndrome: thinking, am I going to be enough, am I going to succeed – but instead, we talked and talked and talked….and talked, and re-framed.
If we are not enough – we have the capacity to learn and grow. If we fail – we have the capacity to learn and grow! She believed in our commitment to her, and we believed in her potential. She took on the challenge, and we invested in her development with training. Time and time again, she absolutely nails it on every engagement.
This month, we celebrate that she has been with us for 12 months, a huge milestone that has changed all of our lives as we have grown our family business. We’re pleased she chose us for her next career.
My point:
3. Don’t talk yourself out of it.
Taking a leap into a new business or a new job can make you anxious, overwhelmed, or even scared – just remember, you wouldn’t have the dream if it wasn’t meant for you. If you’re an employee – you wouldn’t have been offered the job unless they truly believed you could do it.
“Take a leap of faith. You will either land somewhere new or learn to fly.” Anon.
