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Written for the Employmentpaper.com.
Can You Work for a Small Company?
By: Joyce Bender
One of the number one requests of prospective employees on a job
interview with a search firm is - "Move me to a small company". "I'm
tired of corporate America - I want to work for a small company where
I can really make a difference and have a significant impact." Most
people working in the employment or search industry have heard this
from over 70% of the people interviewed as their desired career change
request.
In addition to the desire to really make a difference and have a
significant impact, most employees state they want to work for a small
company because they want to "escape company politics". Company
politics, although with varying levels of intensity, exist in almost
every organization.
Working for a small company does have many benefits for employees,
and small companies are where the significant growth is in America.
Across the country, only 20% of the labor force works for employers
with 500 or more employees. Also, in Allegheny County, 92% of
employers have less than 50 employees. I'm sure this is a shocking
statistic to many readers, but reality is that growth is in the small
business community of America. Before you tender your resignation and
join a small company, you must face the realities of working for a
small employer and be certain you really will be able to make the
adjustments.
Realities:
- You will be able to make a major impact in a small company but
you will also be very visible to everyone. This means your
performance and contribution to the bottom-line will definitely be
under a major spotlight. You will very quickly be seen as a "hard
worker/contributor" or a "bad hire".
- You will have the opportunity to interface directly with the
Founder, CEO, and President every day; but, do you have the
communication skills, interpersonal skills and political skills to
handle those encounters. You will not have a "buffer" between you and
the CEO. It may be time to invest in your business communication
skills.
- Are you ready to handle multiple priorities at every level? If
you move to a small company, you will never do one job or one task.
You will handle multiple tasks and projects at every level. One day
you may be making a presentation to a potential million-dollar
customer and the next day you may be answering the phone. If you have
a "hang-up" with typing your own information - you should probably
stay in a large company. Resources in a small company are not as
readily available as they are in a large company.
- There is no such thing as "9 to 5" in a small company. If you
do not like working overtime when necessary, you should not work for a
small company. With a smaller number of employees, often comes
evening and weekend work. Always remember, with greater opportunity
and compensation, come greater demands.
- If you are accustomed to a very structured environment, you
will not like a small company. When you join a small company, you
leave behind that dreaded phenomenon - "bureaucracy". You also leave
behind formally structured meetings, processes, policies, etc. in some
small companies.
- If you need a regimented environment to feel comfortable and
succeed, you will not enjoy a fast-paced, dynamic small
organization.
The Employment Paper is offering readers a wonderful opportunity to
educate themselves on various employment topics. Often, a person
makes a career move without facing the realities of an exciting yet
demanding culture.
Small businesses in the US today are offering employees a more
flexible work environment, telecommuting, bonuses, stock options and a
more casual work environment. In addition, they are offering
employees that desired chance to really make a significant impact and
not be "only a number".
Be fair to your new employer and realize the work environment will
be exciting and yet demanding. Be very, very careful what you ask for
. . . you will definitely get it.
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