CAREERS NOW 04-08-09

Working In a Small Company and Thinking Big

DEAR JOYCE: After losing jobs (not my fault) at the last two sizable companies where I worked in a cubicle, I've had a news flash - maybe you were on to something when you briefly advised a reader to check out smaller companies. Perhaps my future also lies in a company where everyone knows your name. What are some advantages of going small? - C.F.

Most people don't realize that the majority of jobs in the United States are housed in companies with 500 or fewer employees. Nor do they note that the (italics) vast (end italics) majority (60 percent to 80 percent) of net new jobs in the U.S. turn up under small company roofs. I haven't seen a recent study comparing company size to the shedding of jobs, but assume that new data will turn up soon.

There's much you may like about working at a small company, including the intellectual challenge of versatility. One requisite mental reframing: Variety is stimulating, yay! Like being in a theater repertoire group where members play multiple roles, rather than repeat the same characterization year after year, quick costume changes permit the display of ingenuity and entrepreneurial skills that may be stifled in an elephantine culture.

Advancement can be quicker, but you should expect to grow wider rather than taller. You keep accumulating a bank of business skills until one day you can run the company - yours or another small one.
Are you flexible in changing conditions? In a small-company setting, adaptability ranks with team playing as a survival skill. The specialization that brings you promotions in big companies won't be so appreciated in a small place - that is, if you can only do part of your function. The financial executive who's a marvel at bringing in loan money, but that's all, won't dazzle a boss who needs help paring costs.

You may not be temperamentally equipped to operate without the myriad services a sizable corporation provides - although lately, as you've personally experienced, the support ranks have thinned, sometimes dramatically.
Yes, base pay at small companies is typically less than at the bigs. But with performance incentives, you can earn serious
money.

If you find yourself feeling locked in a heavy corporate cage, fighting claustrophobia, switching to a moving montage at a small company may be your get-out-of-jail card. Or not. Satisfaction at a small company requires a different mind-set than you've experienced to date. Tip: Make a list of the five best days in your working life, analyze what inner rewards each day provided, and ask yourself if those factors would be present in a smaller work setting.
Depending on your personality and life goals, not being hired by a large company may be a blessing in disguise.

DEAR JOYCE: I have been hoping that my employer would pick up the tuition for some courses I'd like to take, but I'm aware that many places are barely staying above water and are hardly interested in spending a dime on unexpected, extra expense. Can you come up with a solution? -- L.L.

Katy Piotrowski, author of "The Career Coward's Guide to Career Advancement" (jist.com), suggests you lead with your employer's interests. Ask, "In what areas would you like to see the team develop expertise this year?" Listen carefully and incorporate your boss's needs into courses that will also help you achieve your personal career training goals.
Piotrowski also recommends that you write a proposal that features hard data about how your improved education will result in increased productivity and opportunities, ultimately making or saving money. Educators may be able to suggest specifics.

Other proposal advice from Piotrowski: Pledge to pay for a course if you don't get a "B" grade or higher; promise to stick around for a set period of time (don't take the money and run); and offer to split the cost 50-50.
When you're hoping to earn an academic degree or certificate with the help of your employer's tuition benefits, rather than simply pursuing a series of unrelated courses, you may have to bite the bullet and handle the tuition yourself for any non-work-related course work in the curriculum you choose. That's usually true, even in good times.

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