Small business or large corporate environment?

 

1. Exposure. “Working in a small business environment often means you'll have greater exposure to projects, clients and upper management earlier than you would if you were working for a larger company. And, that means more opportunities for you to round out your skill set and to move up quickly within the organization,” said Shawn Graham, author of “Courting Your Career.” 

 

2. Flexibility. “Many small businesses lack the rigid hiring structure of their larger corporate counterparts that generally recruit for a clearly defined opening with a clearly defined career progression,” said Graham. “As a result, you have a better chance of tailoring your role to match your short- and long-term career goals.”

 

3. Impact. “I still work for the company I worked for my last year of college eight years ago. Back then, we had three people. Now we have 50,” said Peter C. VanRysdam, vice president of marketing for the 352 Media Group. “There is no question I would not have been able to have the impact on the growth of the company from day one if it wasn’t a small business.  I hear horror stories all the time from my friends who are caught up in the bureaucracy of large corporations. While their companies may have a bigger impact on the business world, there is no doubt I’m able to have a bigger impact on my company as a whole.” 

 

4. Advancement opportunities. “Depending on the structure of the business, you can move up much faster because there is less competition for positions,” said Paul Kostek, an independent contractor and principal of Air Direct Solutions.

 

5. Control. “In a small business, you have control over the project or task you are working on and do not need to worry about committees and discussions,” said Brandon J. Mendelson, a writer and editor.

 

6. Measurement. “You are able to see the results of your work and measure against previous work done for the small business. There are no financial paperwork blackholes here,” said Mendelson.

 

7. Excitement and variety. “By virtue of their size, small business typically evolve and change much faster than their larger counterparts. This can make working for a small business much more exciting and dramatic than working for a larger company, where it’s common for months and years to pass without any major change,” said Mason Hipp, president of SmallFuel Marketing, Inc. “Also, since there are fewer people in a small business, each person has a larger range of responsibilities, which typically leads to a more varied workload and reduced chance of boredom or stagnation.

 

8. Less red tape and fewer politics. “Most small businesses are new enough or small enough that corporate politics and red tape have not dominated the workplace. In most of these situations, there is a big opportunity to form solid relationships and connect with people much higher up in the company,” said Hipp.

 

9. Access to leaders. “If you are interested in business and want to grow in your career, most small company CEOs will take time to have lunch with you and provide advice. They will know your name and can become life-long mentors. At large companies, senior executives are rarely even seen, and the managers of local departments are often too busy to make time for an intern or entry-level employee,” said Allan Bacon, a speaker and author.

 

10. Recognition. “You are more likely to have your efforts recognized. Every employee’s contribution is important to the business. Of course, the down side is that there’s no shifting blame when you mess up!” said Chris Becker, CEO of Filemobile.

 

 

1. Structure. "Large organizations with formalized recruiting programs hire entry-level employees for clearly defined roles. That structure takes a lot of the guess work out of job content, typical career progression and performance expectations—all of which can make for a smoother on boarding process," said Graham.

 

2. Prestige. "Working for a well-known company early in your career can open doors for you for years to come. As you consider internships and entry-level jobs, remember that what you do can be just as important as where you do it," said Graham.

 

3. Opportunities for formal, internal training. "Large companies often have more resources and greater capabilities to offer structured training and mentorship programs for entry-level employees. By taking advantage of such resources early, you're better positioned for short- and long-term career success," said Graham.

 

4. It’s easier to move “down” than “up.” “Small businesses are likely to value your corporate experience. Corporations may discount your small business experience altogether,” said Ann Latham, president of Uncommon Clarity, Inc.

 

5. Time to learn. “A large company typically takes a longer term view of new hires, even interns, and is willing to allow more time to develop skills and complete projects,” said Kostek.

 

6. Security. “Small businesses are literally starting and failing thousands at a time, whereas larger companies operate over a much longer time span. For people who are not interested in the risks of a small business, a larger company can be a very appealing option,” said Hipp.

 

7. Large networking pool. “At a large company, you obviously have more people to interact with. Also, you can tap into their networks of ‘alumni’ for networking later in your career,” said Bacon.

 

8. Specialization opportunities. “Large companies are often an excellent choice for anyone who has a very specialized skill-set because the various roles and responsibilities are clear-cut. Small business may not a good option in this situation because of the sheer variety of tasks each worker is expected to fulfill. In addition, big businesses can usually afford to pay more for this specialized knowledge,” said Hipp.

 

9. More resources. “In a small business, you work with what you have. You may not have the connections you need to get a project done successfully. Bigger companies have bigger wallets,” said Mendelson.

 

10. Perks. “Many times, big businesses have deals with other businesses to offer unique perks to employees. Whether it’s a free membership to a gym or a discount on cool new product from a partner, big businesses are usually able to offer company perks that many small businesses aren’t able to match,” said Kari Ramirez of The Hoffman Agency.