When thinking about a potential new career move, you might ask yourself: will this organization be a good fit for me? While there are many things to think about when looking for a new job, the size of an organization is a key thing to consider, as small and large businesses tend to operate in very different ways. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out on your career path, a small organization may be the perfect fit for you.Organizations come in all sorts of sizes, from very small to very large, and there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Today I want to focus on some of the advantages of working for a small company like Segue Technologies.
Visibility
Because small companies have fewer employees, you have the advantage of being highly visible. This high visibility means that you won’t ever feel like a faceless drone, lost in the crowd. Maybe more importantly, this visibility means you are more likely to be recognized and rewarded for you contributions. Your initiative, hard work and talent will be noticed and remembered. You’ll have the opportunity to really shine and take ownership in your particular areas of expertise. This will put you in a great position to move up within the company. At a smaller company you will likely find there is lots of room for advancement because smaller companies are constantly growing and changing.
Collaboration and Flexibility
Often in a larger company, everyone’s job tasks are highly specialized, which means you might only be responsible for one aspect of a project. A key benefit of working at a smaller company is that they tend to be highly collaborative and you’ll often find yourself wearing many different hats and an integral part of a project’s success from inception to completion. This will give you a deep, hands-on understanding of your organization’s internal and external processes and focus, as well as a real sense of ownership and pride in the success of a project. This is also a great way to develop new skills and to learn from and be supported by your colleagues who may be experts in a given area that is unfamiliar to you. In turn, you will also have the opportunity to demonstrate and teach them about your area of expertise. It’s a wonderful way to discover what you most enjoy and excel at, and where you want to focus your career path.
Making an Impact
At a small company you will have access to senior executives and key decision makers you might not otherwise have at a larger company. Because of this, you will have many opportunities to directly impact the future of the company. Perhaps you see an area for growth or notice a new business trend where you think your company will shine (with the benefit of your expertise!). At a small organization, you will likely find that key decision makers are more available and happy to speak with you. If you’re able to explain where you see the company going and why it’s important, management will often give you the opportunity and support necessary to truly take ownership of a new project and put you (and the company) in a great position for success.
At a small company, you will be valued and acknowledged for your talents, have lots of opportunities to gain new skills and competencies and advance in your field, and be able to have a direct impact on the company’s future.