For many young people looking for work today, the jobs market can feel frustrating, especially if you have graduated, completed a college course or left school.
You spend hours searching online, filling in applications, tailoring CVs, writing covering letters and preparing for interviews. Sometimes dozens of applications result in no response at all. Even when opportunities do arise, competition can be fierce, with hundreds of applicants chasing a single vacancy. This can be particularly difficult for young people, those returning to work after a break, and individuals who may lack confidence or previous experience.
At Swan TV, we believe there is another option that deserves more attention: starting your own business. That doesn’t mean launching the next Amazon or investing thousands of pounds. It means recognising that many people already possess skills, interests and abilities that can be turned into income.
For generations, the accepted path was simple. Leave education, find a job, work for an employer and build a career. For many people, that route still works well and remains the right choice. However, today’s employment market is very different from that of previous generations.
Many jobs are part-time rather than full-time, temporary rather than permanent, highly competitive, dependent on previous experience, vulnerable to economic changes or have zero hour contracts so there is no guarantee you can even afford to live. As a result, many capable people find themselves stuck in a cycle of applying for jobs without gaining the experience employers demand.
Starting a small business allows people to create opportunities rather than waiting for them. The internet has transformed the possibilities available to ordinary people. Today, someone can start a business from home with little or no capital, some examples include photography services, dog walking, gardening, social media support for local businesses, mobile car cleaning, home tutoring, craft products, video production, even support services, oven cleaning or window cleaning.
Many successful businesses started as small side projects.
One of the biggest benefits of enterprise is confidence. When someone creates a product, helps a customer or earns their first pound through their own efforts, something changes. They begin to see themselves differently. Instead of feeling like a job applicant waiting for approval, they become someone who can solve problems and create value. That shift in mindset can be life-changing.
Running even a small business teaches valuable skills: communication, time management, customer service, marketing, problem solving, budgeting, negotiation and planning.
These are exactly the skills employers are looking for.Even if a business eventually leads to traditional employment, the experience gained can make someone far more employable.
One advantage of enterprise is flexibility. People can build a business around their interests and strengths. A person who dislikes office work may thrive outdoors. Someone who struggles with academic learning may excel at practical services. Creative individuals may find opportunities in photography, filmmaking, writing, music or design.
Enterprise allows people to develop careers that fit who they are rather than forcing themselves into a role that does not suit them.
The biggest misconception about business is that it requires large amounts of money.
In reality, many successful businesses begin with very little investment. A smartphone, determination and a willingness to learn are often enough to get started. The key is not to think big initially. The key is to start. One customer becomes two. Two become ten. Ten become a regular income. Every successful business starts with a first step.
At Swan TV, we believe enterprise can play an important role in tackling unemployment, inactivity and low confidence.
That is why we are developing ideas such as the Entrepreneur Challenge and Community Media Hub projects that encourage people to gain practical experience, build confidence and explore self-employment opportunities.
Not everyone will start a business.
Not everyone should. But everyone should understand that creating your own opportunity is now a realistic option. In a changing world, waiting for opportunity is no longer the only choice. Sometimes the best opportunity is the one you create yourself.
The question is no longer “Who will give me a job?”. The question may increasingly become “What problem can I solve, and who would pay me to solve it?”. That simple shift in thinking has the power to change lives, strengthen communities and create a more resilient local economy. And it might just be the start of something remarkable.
#NEETS #Entrepreneurship #jobseeking
