General Discussions

**asapcorp** · 03-19-2007, 06:18 PM

A BIG BRAND name company with no exciting job, or a small company with great exciting jobs?

**ADAM Web Design** · 03-19-2007, 06:56 PM

Small company. Big companies are full of corporate bureaucracy and are too busy tripping over themselves to get things accomplished, thereby driving the prices up of their products/services for the end user.

That, and getting to deal directly with the boss/owner is always a plus in a small company. You have an issue, you go right to the top. Easy.

**Learning Newbie** · 03-19-2007, 07:09 PM

Small. I HATE SourceSafe, and all the big companies use it. For anybody who doesn't know what SS is ( and that's a good way to describe it, the SS ), it's a tool to make programmers miserable, lower productivity, and give managers a false sense of confidence right before its proprietary database corrupts. It's also just one reason out of a million.

In a big company, if you say "Why are we doing this, it has so many drawbacks, and no clear benefits" they tell you that's the policy. In a small company, they hear you out. And eventually promote you if you keep giving them good analysis.

**KML9870** · 03-19-2007, 08:44 PM

Absolutely a small company. But it's not just the size of the company.

Earlier this year I worked for a company that had 15 employees. The owners of the company were a married couple. They were money hungry, self centered people who constantly demanded more from their employees no matter how hard you worked. The pay was mediocre at best and the environment was horrible. The day I quit that job was the best day of my life other than the days I got married and had my children.

Now, I work for an agency that has 28 employees including myself. It's non-profit and everyone works together. In today's workplace the saying "it's not my job" is very prevalent, but not where I work. I have literally seen our executive director scrub toilets. Everyone genuinely cares about each other and the purpose/success of the agency (we provide education for child care providers and referrals for parents looking for child care).
We have department heads, but they do not think they are any better than the "low man on the totem pole, " in fact they understand that their success depends greatly on the help and support they receive.

**WebSavvy** · 03-19-2007, 11:27 PM

Small company, any day. In a large company you're just another face in the crowd without a name and there's 500 other people that have skills equal to yours or better.

In a small company you are more likely to be part of the growth of the company, helping to build the brand, strength, and reputation. What you offer can bring value and help to make a difference in the other lives around you, and in your own as well.

Plus its always nice to be appreciated for your efforts. Getting a silly raise doesn't mean much, but hearing "Thank you!" or "Well done!" means more than any amount of money when you hear it from someone you respect.

**ForrestCroce** · 03-19-2007, 11:59 PM

It depends on what you're looking for. I've got positive things to say about both. A big company can force you to meet interesting people, especially ones you wouldn't have run into otherwise. To me, that's always a great thing. Some small companies are sometimes too small, and claustrophobic. Also, corporations have controls in place to make sure power doesn't go too much to a boss's head.

On the other hand, there are any number of problems with big companies. Office Space sums it up pretty well. In a corporation of 10,000 EEs, you can be one of the best in the company at what you do, and your efforts still come to a drop in the bucket.

I'm like the pendulum in a grandfather clock; I like to go back and forth between both types of work environment, and a third stop somewhere in the mountains, camped under a tent with a view of the stars.

**newneo** · 03-20-2007, 08:28 AM

I'd prefer a small company with an interesting job and good salary.

**cloudybutnice** · 03-20-2007, 10:37 AM

Small and interesting, just like me!

**funaki** · 03-21-2007, 03:32 AM

small company by a mile.

Big companies someone or the other is always pushing and trying to go on top using your head and shoulder as a climbing support.

Small companies with interesting service or Products.

better yet have your own Business. Own Business > Small or large company.

Just my 0.02c

**icyblue** · 03-21-2007, 08:52 AM

My 2 cents for a small company, big companies soon will have problems hiring employees if they keep using the same methods.

**bzimage** · 03-21-2007, 09:37 AM

I would rather work for a smaller company and really get to know them. The pay is generally better to as the money does not go out to 100's of people

**depends1** · 03-23-2007, 08:03 AM

Small company because you know people better and what to expect from them. Money isn't everything in this worlds.

**ydai006** · 03-25-2007, 07:54 PM

small company with supportive team members and great boss.