In late December 2017, I flew half way across the United States to interview for a position at a very famous tech company in northern California. I had to miss my daughter’s Christmas program because this was one of those opportunities you just didn’t pass up. When the recruiter reached out and, later, when the hiring manager invited me to come interview at their corporate headquarters near the Christmas holiday, I jumped at it.
I was very excited because this was a great opportunity to work for a world-class, very prominent, and often celebrated tech company. One day before my daughter’s Christmas program, I took an afternoon flight from Dallas, Texas to San Jose, California, ate dinner at the hotel the company had booked for me, checked my email for instructions from the company, called my wife, and went to bed. It had been a long day.
My five interviews would start around mid-lunch and last until the late afternoon. I showed up and, throughout the day, met several key leaders, all of whom the recruiter and hiring manager had lined up for me to visit with. One in particular stood out and the impression he left will be difficult to forget.
This Vice President showed up in tracksuit pants (or it might have been sweatpants), and, as he’s reclining back in his chair (as if he were lounging in his own living room), told me he didn’t want to be there and that he was supposed to be out Christmas shopping for his kids. I’m not kidding. He actually said that!
Shortly after finishing my multiple interviews, I took an Uber to the airport and hopped on a flight back to Dallas, having spent 24 hours there. While waiting for my plane, I called my wife and told her about the experience with the VP and shared with her that I didn’t think they would offer me the job and how terrible I felt missing out on our daughter’s Christmas program just to waste my time to go through that whole ordeal.
My wife told me that if my experience with the VP is indicative of what the company is like then she did not think I would enjoy working there. She was right. Also, I wouldn’t have known any of this from just reading their website or watching videos about the company (because there are books and stories singing the praises of this company!). More than anything, I wanted to see for myself that this company and the leaders and employees working there were like any other company — and that was exactly what I discovered.
At the time, I was really disappointed I did not get that job. But, now reflecting back, I am so glad I didn't!
Don't get me wrong, working for a large [5,000 employees or more], well-known company certainly has attractive advantages (e.g., instant company name recognition, perks, high salary, etc.) that can catapult your career trajectory and change your life.
However, in the years since, I've come to realize that working for a medium-sized [between 1,000 and 5,000 employees] or even small-sized [between 200 and 1,000 employees] company, especially with the right leadership and opportunities, can be even more rewarding and life-changing!
Don't let the allure of working at a large, famous company blind you from the amazing opportunities at millions of small and medium-sized companies (especially little known or even obscure ones).
Key Takeaways: Don't miss out on an incredible opportunity to work for a small or medium-sized company just because it's not famous, talked about in business books, showcased on popular podcasts, or featured in the press. At the medium-sized (1,025 employees) company I now work at, I'm involved in projects and initiatives I've always dreamed about doing. I have much more visibility in front of and access to C-suite members and other executive decision makers. I get to work more closely with fellow senior leaders and, because of this, am able to move quickly on my ideas and recommendations. Because there's no enterprise IT department dictating what softwares I can use, I have the flexibility to utilize my preferred cloud storage solution, softwares, and even choice of whether to use a PC or Mac laptop to do my work. My role is more varied and I wear many hats, which grants me more opportunities to work on adjacent tasks or roles that, in a large company, might be assigned to other team members. Finally, small and medium-sized companies can pivot much faster and adapt to change easier compared to their larger counterparts.
Written By: Steve Nguyen, Ph.D.
Organizational & Leadership Development Leader
References
Forbes (February 13, 2024). 2024 America's Best Large Employers. https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-large-employers/
Forbes (February 13, 2024). 2024 America's Best Midsize Employers. https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-midsize-employers/
Forbes (July 18, 2023). 2023 America's Best Small Employers. https://www.forbes.com/lists/americas-best-small-employers/
Goleman, D. & Cherniss, C. (2024). Optimal: How to Sustain Personal and
Organizational Excellence Every Day. Harper Business.
Indeed. (June 28, 2024). Benefits and drawbacks of working for a small company. https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/working-for-small-company
Monster. (n.d.). 17 reasons you might want to work for a small business. https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/reasons-why-you-would-love-working-small-business