Need help with general career question

[istreamkc]

I work for a company that has recently merged with a much larger one (I went from IT Director to Network Supervisor). My question is, "Is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or a smaller fish in a bigger pond?"

I have an opportunity to become a Director again at a smaller company, but don't know if the career path is better to stay or go. Is it better (career-wise) to be making big decisions at smaller companies with the ultimate goal of making big decisions at big companies or try the internal ladder where I'm at?

Thanks in advance!

 

[SQLSister]

Which is better depends entirely on you and what your goals are. If you want to be making big decisions at big companies, I personally would stay in the large company and work towards promotion unless the place is totally a horror to work at. Large companies tend to value experience at large companies much more than higher level expersience at small companies. Think of it this way, would you rather hire the guy who was the IT director at company b with three servers or was the network supervisor at company A with 1000 servers for your IT director? If what you want is to be making large decisions now and not have to put up with large company bureaucracy, the other opportunity might be better for you. It is definitely better if you do not think you have the politcal skills to get to the top at a large company.

"NOTHING is more important in a database than integrity." ESquared

 

[58sniper]

This depends on your goals. If you just want to be a big fish, and enjoy being a management type, be the big fish in the small pond.

If, on the other hand, you enjoy the perks of bigger fish, such as (usually) a higher salary, better benefits, and certainly a much more complex (challenging) infrastructure, be the smaller fish.

Personally, I've been both, and find I enjoy being in the bigger pond. I find the challenges created by the bigger minnows to be quite rewarding.

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP

 

[paterson]

You usually don't get too far up in the bigger companies unless you know someone. Rarely will you get something like a director job in a big company without connections. If that is your goal, then stay and start mixing it up with the big boys.

**************************************
Insert Witty Signature Here.

 

[bchizary]

not wanting to repeat the same, but it very much does depend on the person. i have moved from a small pond, to a bigger one and much prefer it. The novelty of being one of a few IT guys, always being on call etc etc, wore off for me.
I do miss playing around with lots of different things- now i work on one type of system and thats it, but for me at least, the benefits of the bigger pond make it a better place.

 

[rjoubert]

I was with a smaller company which "merged" with a larger company quite a few years ago. I still chuckle at how they called it a merger...let's face facts, it was a buyout (or takeover) by the larger company. One by one, our management personnel were either demoted (and forced to take a pay cut) or released from the company, as the larger company attempted to align everyone under their management structure. Now I'm certainly not saying that will happen at your company, but it's something to keep in mind.

 

[DonQuichote]

Sounds familiar!

I once applied for a job at a small company. The director hired me and told that they would merge with a bigger company. The day I started, he was thrown out.

Needless to say that motivation went backwards fast. The larger company just bought the smaller one to bleed it dry. At some point, we called our company "the Big Brother House", because every week someone left...



+++ Despite being wrong in every important aspect, that is a very good analogy +++
Hex (in Darwin's Watch)

 

[flapeyre]

I have had my current job for 11 1/2 years (less a two-month adventure with a smaller company only 10 miles from home (as opposed to 35 miles over a long bridge and bad traffic). Therein lies a tale.

In August, I gave my two-week notice at <BigCompany>. I had interviewed with, among others at <SmallCompanyCloserToHome>, the head of IT (who is also a well-known elected official locally). The place looked like a good company to work for; all the feedback I got was positive. Little did I know.

On my first day at <SmallCompanyCloserToHome>, I asked where <ITDirector> was. Answer: "His position has been eliminated." Yikes! Not an auspicious start.

Bit by bit, I started to realize the stupidity of my jumping ship in the first place. I started hearing things from people about <SmallCompanyCloserToHome>, and they were enough to give me pause (that, plus the inability of any human to keep up the ridiculous pace I was given).

I was trading 2 hours per day of stress commuting for 8 or 9 hours of stress on the job. It got so bad that my wife insisted I see my doctor, which I did (she came with me). Doctor advises me to take some of the stress out of my life (well, yeah...)

I finally decided, after two months of beating my head against the wall, to see if I could go back to <BigCompany>. Fortunately, I had left on good terms; they had not replaced me, nor were they looking for my replacement, and they welcomed me back.

Bottom line is, don't jump ship until you make sure your lifeboat has no leaks.


Solum potestis prohibere ignes silvarum.

 

[rolm9751]

flapeyre - how long were you with <BigCompany> before you jumped?

It'll be 12 years come April that I've been with <ThisCompany> I have seen others leave and return or try to return.

 

[flapeyre]

I was with them for just over 11 years (since 1996).

Solum potestis prohibere ignes silvarum.

 

[rolm9751]

I started in '96 here as well - I have been tempted to jump - at one time some people left here to work for Worldcom and McLeod - I'm glad I didn't go with them -

 

[flapeyre]

Update on me -

I took a half-day today so my wife and I could go back and see the doctor for a follow-up. He says I'm doing much better. Stress is definitely much less now. Got to get back to work this afternoon.


Solum potestis prohibere ignes silvarum.

 

[QuestingElf]

I once read a fantastic book by Jack Falvey with a title like "Career Strategies After 35." It ponders the same question you posed. Its conclusion was "It is better to have worked for a large company than to work for a large company."

Working for a large company does bring several perks, e.g., larger salaries and name recognition. Right now it seems the company everyone wants to work for is Google. However, some career counselors report that for every company with millions wanting to get in, a corresponding number of people want to get out. (Once inside, they realize the Googles, Apples, Disneys, etc. aren't as great as they thought.)

Large companies like Google have become unattractive to certain people exactly for that reason -- it's become large! You'll be pigeonholed into one specialty, and it will be very hard to move across the company. Some people are more interested in creating the next Google, and to do that, they have to start small.

In a small company, you will be asked to do a lot more because of the limited resources. Yes, you'll probably get paid less, and also you won't have the name recognition, especially when you must job hunt again.

So you can form this compromise, especially nowadays that careers face so much flux. First, realize that no job is forever any more. If that large company wants to lay you off (as Yahoo will be doing this week), they can and will.

Conversely, you too can lay off the company when it's to your advantage. You can take the large company promotion with the PRIVATE knowledge that you will stay there as long as it's to your convenience. You'll get the benefit of adding LargeCompanyName to your resume. If you really do want to go to a small company, do so later within a few years. Nobody has to ever know of your true career goals and what you're up to. Meanwhile, get to know some small companies and get them to know you.

Second, realize that ours is still a brand-name driven society. Whether it's clothing labels or popular Web sites, brands hold a powerful presence. Even the allegedly "unbiased" in IT can't escape brands, including those people who hire in smaller firms.

Smaller firms have the disadvantage that they're not so known, they don't have their own brand. However, when they look for people, they too will be swayed by someone who's got a few name brands. And those small firms will also find it appealing when you approach them, when you somehow let it be known that as impressive as LargeCompanyName is, you find them even more impressive.