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.
