Posted in Career Advice First Job Out of College Generation Y Job Hunting on March 4, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Today’s Wall Street Journal features a story about professionals who move from big, brand-name corporations to smaller companies. Here is an excerpt from the article, “Moving to a Small Company Can Lead to Big Rewards”:
With the U.S. economy under duress, a growing number of experienced workers may find themselves moving from large companies toward smaller professional firms. In recent weeks, several large employers announced plans to trim their work forces — among them Bank of America Corp., Yahoo! Inc. and Nortel Networks Corp.— while small companies hungry for top-talent are happy to take in corporate exiles.
There is a significant upside for professionals moving from a big pond to a smaller one. Senior managers at small and midsize firms often find opportunities to take on more responsibility, earn greater recognition for successes, gain ample exposure to new practice areas and have a more direct impact on a company’s bottom line…
Read the full article here.
Do the same benefits apply to young professionals at the beginning of their careers? I think so. While there are definite advantages to working for a prestigious Fortune 500 company early in your career (name recognition on your resume, proof you can handle yourself in a professional environment, networking with colleagues, training opportunities), the corporate world is not for everyone. There are definite advantages to smaller employers as well.
Depending on the particular organization, the advantages of working for a smaller company early in your career can include:
- Opportunities to take on responsibility beyond your job description
- Less strict policies about working hours and days off
- Ability to make a real difference in the company’s success
- Working closely with high-level people
How can you get a job at a smaller company that doesn’t recruit on campus or list jobs on Monster.com? Most small business owners and recruiters for smaller organizations will search for employees through their personal and professional networks before posting a job online, so check out your local Chamber of Commerce, look for opportunities through professional associations and network through online sites like LinkedIn.com.
Thanks for such a great post and the review, I am totally impressed! Keep stuff like this coming.
Very nice article.
[...] Although going from college to Google might seem like a real coup, a small company offers a lot of benefits early on in your career. At Google (or another mega-company) you’ll be an insignificant fish in a huge sea, whereas small companies may well give you the chance to shine. According to Pollak, small companies allow students: [...]
[...] Although going from college to Google might seem like a real coup, a small company offers a lot of benefits early on in your career. At Google (or another mega-company) you’ll be an insignificant fish in a huge sea, whereas small companies may well give you the chance to shine. According to Pollak, small companies allow students: [...]
@ Lori – Thanks for the comment. I really like your blog and look forward to keeping in touch!
- Lindsey
Hi Lindsey,
Thanks so much for visiting my blog and commenting–I’m honored. I read your blog regularly and think it’s wonderful. Many apologies for misspelling your first name in my post. I’ve fixed it now. And I call myself an editor!
Lori
[...] about lindsey « The advantages of working for a small company [...]
@ Rick – great advice. Thanks for commenting.
Yes, there are many advantages to working for a small company as opposed to, say, one of the Fortune 500, and you cite four good advantages. But it’s also important to know whether the company is growing, where it wants to be a few years down the road, and what influences decision making. For instance, is the CEO involved in every decision from high-level strategy down to ordering office supplies? Or does he or she delegate well? Is the business model sustainable? Do goals stay the same from quarter to quarter? Year to year? Or is the business in a constant state of flux so that not everyone is ever on the same page?
Bottom line: Make sure the potential benefits outweigh the potential headaches. If you’re not completely sure, network with people who can provide answers to the questions you have.