Re: Corporate World vs. Small Company: Considerations?

[Jenn Wilson <jenn -at- mylar -dot- outflux -dot- net>]

Hello, Amy!

Others have provided excellent points to consider.  Here's another:

If the company is eventually sold or merged with another, the culture is 
likely to change. This is not necessarily a bad thing, of course -- but 
everyone's got his or her own comfort zone with processes, tools, office 
space, commute, etc.

If the small company is privately owned, you might want to ask whether 
they'd consider going public at some point.  This, too, can change a 
company's culture quite a bit.  There can be lovely incentives there -- 
the prestige, the heady rush of success, the stock options -- but the 
changes in accountability might enforce some internal changes in 
processes, require various audits, and so forth.  This can be bumpy for a 
small company, even when it's well-prepared and "on the ball."

In my experience, the most important factor in scenarios like the above is the 
way the people in the company deal with change.  Are they open to constructive 
suggestions?  Are they more guarded?  What's the internal accountability like 
-- is there some kind of org chart, or is the structure flat?  What would it be 
like to go through something bumpy with these folks, whether it's a demanding 
project, a change in deadline, or a big transition like the above?

Of course, there's probably no graceful way to ask such questions of a 
prospective employer... some dynamics just aren't visible until you've been 
there for a bit.  But in many cases, there are early signs that can tell you a 
lot about the health of the company, for better or worse.  In others, there are 
giant red flags, waving in the breeze. :)

(Can you tell I work for a small company that just went through some big and 
bumpy changes?  LOL...)


Jenn


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