Size doesn’t matter. Why specialists opt for smaller companies?

Sooner or later there comes a time for a company when their HR manager has to look for new employees. It is not an issue for large companies as they typically have a department dedicated to searching for new candidates. Those companies have well-developed brand and easily-recognised, which makes people come to them due to their LARGE SIZE.

However, what HR managers and recruiters of smaller companies should do? How can they lure a person into their company? And is there a way for a small company to lure over a programmer from a large corporation? What arguments will be effective?

Truth be told, sometimes they come on their own and it’s not that uncommon. This is done primarily by specialists with many years of experience, who have a variety of options in front of them.

What is the reason for such a decision? To answer this question, let us compare the work of a programmer in large and small companies.

A small cog in a large wheel

Main difference lies in how an employee is treated. In large companies, the system is built in such a manner that a single programmer has minimal or no impact on the company as a whole, being just a small cog in a large corporate wheel.

On the other hand, a person who is working in a small company can always express thoughts about the project or the company itself and its voice will be heard. This way, every employee can feel that s/he is making a real impact. Propositions are being considered and criticism is being taken into account; all of this is a huge boost to morale.

System is complete. No changes are welcome

Another part of programmers’ work is their integration into the company workflow. At this point, the employee realizes whether s/he can become a part of a team, whether working conditions are acceptable, etc.

One of primary problems is that in a large company there are no means to create your own workflow. You either do everything the way everyone else does or you’re not part of the team. Everything is much simpler in smaller companies. The workflow management is more fluid and can be changed according to the employees. This may even include working hours, if it doesn’t affect the quality of deliverables.

Bureaucracy is not for everyone

Another aspect of working in a large company is that many processes are greatly formalized. As a result, everything transforms into a typical bureaucracy which doesn’t bode well with everyone. First of all, it scares away creative people and those willing to try something new.

Nevertheless, formalization and regulation are necessary. There would have been a complete chaos without. However, everything is good in moderation. Smaller companies are flexible to maintain a proper level of formalization and regulation, which allows employees to concentrate on quality of their work rather than feel distracted by unnecessary bureaucratic procedures.

Personal fulfillment is an important factor

Self-fulfillment and professional growth are two factors that are of utmost importance to everyone working in IT. Here we can go into the details and discuss all the pros and cons but there is one fact that is set in stone — it is the smaller companies that are the first to start working with the newest technologies. They are the ones that set trends and actively look for their place on the market. On the other hand, large companies start using technologies only after they become mainstream.

Large companies severely limit the space for self-actualization, especially if you have a non-standard outlook and methods of work. It doesn’t matter how you used to work in the past; once you’re a part of large company, you should become like everyone else. In Rome do like Romans do.

The contact with supervisors

Large companies have a very strict hierarchy. And no matter what everyone says, it is almost impossible for a regular employee to get in touch with the top managers of large IT company due to a great number of intermediaries standing between them.

In smaller companies the executives of the company are ready to hear out the propositions and complaints of their workers.

In smaller companies everyone knows everyone; the attitude of supervisors is much more forgiving and every employee is valued way more. Smaller companies also tend to have more laid-back atmosphere.

Projects are smaller but way more interesting

Broad variety of projects is definite advantage of smaller companies. It is not profitable for a large company to take small, short-term projects, so they usually work on projects that last for years. Therefore, it is nearly impossible to come upon an interesting startup that uses innovative technologies while working in a large company.

Many specialists value the opportunity to work on interesting projects even more than financial rewards. Even for those primarily motivated by the size of their paycheck, the opportunity to develop on interesting projects is a key factor.

Thus, we can say for sure that smaller companies offer more opportunities, more space, and more incentive for their workers to achieve personal fulfillment. What’s more important is that while working in a smaller company, the employees can affect the company itself, make it better, and actively grow along with their teammates.