Big company to small company

bigcompanyman

I work in a big global company. We're talking thousands of employees in the UK alone.


In my industry it's not unusual for people to change jobs every 1 to 2 years and there's an unwritten rule that you shouldn't stay at the same company for more than 5 years. However I've been at my company for much longer than that.


More often than not people leave to got to one of our main rivals of a similar size, and many people from the rival companies come here. The main reason I haven't done that is that my job is more specialist and it's not as common for people who work in my area.


Another reason is that by the time I reached 5 years I had an idea of the sort of company I'd want to go to, a big global company, big open plan offices, nice central location, good culture, good noisy atmosphere. Basically the company I work for.


As time has gone on though, I've reached the point where I'm feeling the effect of working at the same place too long. The bottom line is I need a change.


Being one of the biggest in the industry, my company looks good on my CV and should in theory help me get another job. In reality I've had interviews but no job offers, including ones at our main rivals that should in theory be easy to get a job at.


There is a potential opportunity at a small company, something I definitely wouldn't consider previously, but as I really need to change I'm more open to the idea. When I say small, it's a company I'd never heard of and it's head count is barely into double figures. We've probably got more facilities staff than they have employees.


I once worked for a similar sized company for a month and it was the longest month of my life. I found being in a small quiet office really soul destroying. My concern is I'll find this the same. The difference is the previous job was pre-career and in a village, whereas this one would be a career move and in the middle of the city.


All things being equal job wise, I'd always pick the big company over the small company. I like the big open space and lots of people around and noise. But I know there's always a compromise and maybe company size is it, I guess if it was that important I wouldn't be as eager to leave my current company.


Another concern is the impact it will have on my future career prospects. Part of me wants to hold on to working for a well known company because in theory it helps you get another job, but then if I'm not getting that job elsewhere it's a bit pointless.


No job offer is there yet so the decision could still be made for me, but if I did get the offer I wonder whether I'd accept it just to get out of my current job, or reject it because I'm placing too much importance on company size and am letting one bad experience of working for a small company put me off too much.

lincroft1710

The following aren't personal attacks but just suggestions

1. At interview you may come across as arrogant "I've worked for one of the biggest companies in the industry"

2. You may have worked at the company for so long that prospective employers may doubt your ability to adapt to their way of working

3. You may have worked at the company for so long that you appear to lack the motivation to move.

4. It comes across that you don't really want to work for a small company because not only could it harm your future career prospects, but also they won't really offer the opportunities/challenges you are or believe you are capable of. This is understandable,

Unless your current salary is relatively poor and you don't like where you are or what you are doing, I would stay where you are. Obviously keep looking but concentrate on the larger companies.

bigcompanyman

lincroft1710 wrote: »

The following aren't personal attacks but just suggestions

1. At interview you may come across as arrogant "I've worked for one of the biggest companies in the industry"

2. You may have worked at the company for so long that prospective employers may doubt your ability to adapt to their way of working

3. You may have worked at the company for so long that you appear to lack the motivation to move.

4. It comes across that you don't really want to work for a small company because not only could it harm your future career prospects, but also they won't really offer the opportunities/challenges you are or believe you are capable of. This is understandable,

Unless your current salary is relatively poor and you don't like where you are or what you are doing, I would stay where you are. Obviously keep looking but concentrate on the larger companies.

Thank you for your response. I think they are all valid points.


I guess in reality I am pretty desperate to move but don't want to give that impression, so by doing that maybe I am too positive about my current company to the point that it doesn't look like I really want to move.


With your final point, it's true that I do lack confidence in my capabilities and this would be exposed at a small company, whereas in a big company nobody really notices. But then when I started out I was very confident in my capabilities and I want to have that confidence again.


My salary isn't poor, but isn't great either. I chose this career because I thought it was the best balance between money and enjoyment. The problem is the pay rises have stopped where I am and I haven't enjoyed it for years, but maybe a move elsewhere could rectify that.

theoretica

Do you have thoughts about your future career? Would the smaller company be helping you towards something you want - perhaps a notably higher job title or broader experience?

Brynsam

Sometimes reading your own post can be instructive - and in this case I'd suggest it is definitely worth it, because I think you've answered your own question. You love the buzz of working in a big company, and the only reason you would consider working for a tiny one (and if the headcount is barely into double figures, that's tiny) is because you are desperate to move. The comment about your lack of confidence being exposed in a small company is very telling - you aren't going to have a boost to your confidence by moving somewhere which will shine a spotlight on your lack of it!

If you haven't asked for feedback when interviewed for jobs with similar sized competitors, that's your starting point - not jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.

Alternatively, what would improve matters where you are now - any realistic steps you can take to make life more satisfying and enjoyable?

bigcompanyman

theoretica wrote: »

Do you have thoughts about your future career? Would the smaller company be helping you towards something you want - perhaps a notably higher job title or broader experience?

I don't really know to be honest. There are things I've wanted to do more of, but at my level there is that expectation that you should have already done them. At least that's what I think, maybe I'm wrong. After all why go somewhere else to do the same thing you've done before.


It's hard to say whether the small company will give me what I want. What I do know is that when I was looking to leave my last company, one that wasn't that well known with around 100 employees, I was applying to lots of jobs that were posted by agencies that just ignored me. Those same agencies, plus others have been phoning me all the time since I started with my current company about potential job opportunities. But like I've said, it hasn't got me a new job yet.

bigcompanyman

Brynsam wrote: »

Sometimes reading your own post can be instructive - and in this case I'd suggest it is definitely worth it, because I think you've answered your own question. You love the buzz of working in a big company, and the only reason you would consider working for a tiny one (and if the headcount is barely into double figures, that's tiny) is because you are desperate to move. The comment about your lack of confidence being exposed in a small company is very telling - you aren't going to have a boost to your confidence by moving somewhere which will shine a spotlight on your lack of it!

If you haven't asked for feedback when interviewed for jobs with similar sized competitors, that's your starting point - not jumping out of the frying pan into the fire.

Alternatively, what would improve matters where you are now - any realistic steps you can take to make life more satisfying and enjoyable?

For one company they thought I'd be better suited to another department, then I had an interview with that other department and they said I'd be better suited to yet another department who aren't recruiting at the moment.


Another one decided they wanted a different type of specialist, so more the job description changing. Another said they were very impressed but someone else was slightly better. Then there was one where I think my lack of confidence showed, I had to present something in my final interview on a task I had limited experience in and missed some key things, so didn't get the job.


I have tried to improve things where I am now many times over the years. Sometimes they do initially improve, but then go back to the way they were. Another thing is that I'm nearly 40, I feel if I don't move now I never will.