Pains and Gains of Working in a Small Organization
I started my career in a mid-sized organization, moved on to working for companies with a global presence, and am now employed in a business having less than twenty employees. Each of these experiences had something unique to offer, and I am penning down my thoughts and findings here hoping it would bring clarity to someone looking to navigate career choices.
This article will not be laid out in a ‘pros and cons’ or a ‘5 good and 5 bad things’ style, simply because I find a job characteristic inherently neither good nor bad; the article aims to lay out my experiences and opinions, and let the reader figure out what fits them best.
The intent behind writing this is to allow employees to ask themselves if they are a good fit for the organization they are in, or do they need to switch gears to better suit their personalities and goals. For unemployed job-seekers, I know (having been one myself not too long ago) there is not much of a choice in the matter; however I do hope that this article gives them a sense of what they should be expecting when agreeing to a role.
Note: This article is aimed at individuals from entry-level to mid-level in their careers, and may not apply to those in higher levels of management. I am not there yet, so I wouldn’t know.
Enough preamble, now on to the goods.
Getting Hired (or fired)
A large corporate organization has a list of policies and procedures the length of a football field, well defined processes and different people for different stages. You will probably have multiple interviews (technical, management, HR and lord knows what else) before they finally let you walk through those golden doors. A small organization will have a 40-minute semi-formal interview, and usually be able to make a decision within a day or two.
The harder it is to get into a large organization, the easier it is to stay once you’re actually in. There is generally better job security. It is easier to find your groove and settle in. That said, it is much much harder to actually be seen and stand out from your peers. Most people are more than happy to stay in the average performance bracket.
In a smaller firm, you are right there in front of your boss. That means he/she gets to see you work, and will know pretty quickly whether the relationship is heading somewhere. Even though it sounds like a negative, it really is not; if you are working and delivering, there is nowhere to go but up. And if not, well, that really is something you need to fix isn’t it.
Roles and Responsibilities
This is one of the most pronounced differences between working in a large or a small company. In the big corporate world, you wear your JD like a suit of armor. You can very confidently say ‘no that’s not my job, I won’t do it’ and no one can challenge you on that because it is written on a very formal piece of (digital) paper. When everyone works properly according to their job roles, the organization as a whole operates like a large clockwork mechanism (although there are always those few cogs that move disconnected from everything else, and you wonder why they are there).
In contrast, a small organization doesn’t really believe in defined job roles. Having a small team means not having the luxury to say that a certain task is not in the scope of your responsibilities; everyone does a little bit of everything. Sure, there may be a piece of formal (digital) paper, but it does not withstand the test of time. The lines of separation between different roles are quite blurred and roles often overlap.
In summary, for a large corporate entity you will carry out a defined set of tasks and have the time and opportunity to master them (you may choose not to master them, and no one forces you to, as long as you deliver acceptable results). You know exactly what you are doing, but may not always know why you are doing it. For a smaller group, you are an integral part of the process from inception to delivery, and develop a deeper understanding of the management and commercials over and above the works you are delivering.
Pressures and Challenges
A large organization moves at a fairly steady pace. Yes there are times when project timelines are tight and you have to sit late and work over the weekends, but such things come and go they are not the norm. The sheer size of the establishment guarantees stability and momentum; it does not just start running nor does it just stop. As an employee, you get to enjoy the steady pace and the piece of mind that comes from knowing that today’s work is done and tomorrow’s troubles are better left for tomorrow.
A small firm, in comparison, is always running. It doesn’t have a choice, it either runs, or it dies. That means that every day for you will be a challenge. There is more or less constant work pressure; completing work and delivering on your tasks usually does not mean that you get to rest because your pipeline is (hopefully) always full. The instructions are not always crystal clear, but somehow you manage to get everything done anyway. It is a strange constant cycle of frustration at not knowing what to do, and utter happy disbelief that it all somehow came together.
Mentorship (or lack thereof)
Let me be frank here: there is never any guarantee of quality mentorship in any workplace. I have heard and read that small firms have little to no mentorship, but the quality of mentorship I have personally found in a smaller organization is far better than in a larger one.
A large business will offer you a mentor, but in essence that mentor will just guide you in the initial days to get you comfortable in the new building. If you actually find someone who is willing to set aside time to teach you, that is because you are lucky and not because of the size of organization you choose to work in.
In a smaller firm on the other hand, even though there is no hand-holding, you will get mentorship directly from your boss or even the company CEO. It is given in an indirect almost abstract way, you may not realize that you are being mentored, but it is happening if you open yourself up to it. It is never in the ‘do-this’ or ‘don’t-do-that’ manner (after all you are in a job not in school) but your boss is always trying to align you to the business direction and suggesting improvements. Learn to take it positively and it will take you a long way.
This is my opinion based on my experiences, feel free to challenge them or voice yours.
Career Progression
Just like job roles, small organizations do not believe in a defined career progression either. Don’t expect to have newer shinier job titles every year or two years, it’s not going to happen. You are free to give yourself any title you like as long as it fits one of the many roles you will have within the business. I have identified myself to clients and customers as either a Senior Analyst, Data Scientist, Project Manager and Team Lead depending on the situation, and none of those are technically incorrect.
At the end of the day you are a critical part of the business and you are getting paid for your work, and that is an unspoken understanding between you and your employer. Personally, I believe your job role defines the core of your work and abilities, not your position on the career ladder.
To Sum Up…
Working in a small company is not for everyone. If you enjoy challenges, have the patience to take on criticism and improve, and can show business and commercial acumen then you will actually thrive in a small organization. Conversely if you prefer to have a stable work environment and happier being one of many doing similar things, try and aim for a larger company.
If you are unhappy in your current workplace, you need to be asking yourself why. Most of the time the problem is with the work culture and environment, especially if most of your team seems to be content with where they are. Maybe you want a job with less stress, or maybe you want work that challenges and excites you.
For all those that made it this far, thank you for your time and patience. I did have a couple more points I wished to add, but the article is already too long. Who knows, if I get a good response here, I might do a part two.
