How much can the transition from a large company to a small one affect my future career? When is working in a smaller company a better option than staying at HON?
Some say that the size of the company is not relevant and that moving to a smaller company can even be a resume booster, while some have the opposite opinion.
11 replies (most recent on top)
@1mlm Yes there can be extreme stress at a small company but,there can also be opportunity to change the system to get things done. In a big company (HON) you have to just struggle with the system there is no possible way to improve it.
There can be some extreme stress working for a small company. Ship that system or product on time or the company itself is at risk. Worked many weekends at a small company. They often have little in the way of resources but at least they don't play the kind of foolish GE style whack-the-employee games that HON plays.
The smaller companies I have interviewed for and now work for tend to be worried about those coming over from large corporations and not used to being held accountable for their commitments. No passing the buck.
What matters is the scope and complexity of your projects. When applying to a new company, the new company will look for specific skillsets and experience that can help with the problems/challenges they are facing.
Where this tends to have an impact is with interpersonal behavioral skills.
"Describe a time when you had to resolve a conflict..."
"Describe a time when you had to collaborate across teams..."
Solving a problem with 30 teams and 100 people is very different from solving a problem with 2 teams and 3 people. A smaller company will obviously tend to have lesser scope and complexity in this regard, but depending on your career stage and aspirations, it may or may not matter (less senior roles require less scope/complexity in experience).
In any case, you should get out of HON.
Variety looks good on a resume. Not talking about jumping around every 18 months. I have worked at HON 23 years but have also worked at 5 different companies and moved 6 times in 35 years of work. A couple moves were with Hon. Small and large, Aero and automotive, low volume and high volume. The best job I had was at a small company - 450 employees total. It all comes down to the owner when at a small company. It is also easy to get lost in a large corporation and not gain diverse skills. When job hunting they ask you what you did. If you want a good resume, do a lot of work - large or small. If you find yourself later in your career and you only worked at Hon Aero, that will make your options less if wanting to move.
You haven't indicated how small. In my lengthy career I've worked for companies ranging from 5 employees including the owner to the ever-shrinking Honeywell. That includes several large multinationals.
While I liked the range of opportunities at the larger companies, I found the smallest companies to be the most energizing, as I had to wear many hats, learn many facets of the business, and was able to make many things happen because these companies were in it to succeed and put their money where their aims were.
Mid-sized companies offered a lot of growth opportunity as well, tended to offer more formalized training, and did not hesitate to invest in their employees. You tend to progress through job titles faster at smaller companies, and can rise faster to be a "big fish in a small sea".
You may not click with everyone or every company you work for, but when you find yourself in a good fit, make it a point to learn what they want from you in order to be able to stay there. A resume can only get you in the door. It's up to you to demonstrate the skills to stay in the room.
These comments do not apply to succeeding at Honeywell, where getting a fair shake at building a brilliant career has become virtually impossible for Americans.
Tough to find larger companies without becoming a delivery driver or learning how to march
A smaller company often has opportunities to broaden your skill set, so that is something to ferret out.
I've worked for small, medium, and large companies, and you'll find unique opportunities at each. What's most important is developing new skill sets that will improve your opportunities in the future, and of course, produce solid results. Even more important is a healthy environment in which you can grow and flourish - Honeywell isn't that. Best of luck moving forward.
I’ve worked for both small and large companies. Honeywell is the worst you can expect from a large corporation. Smaller companies tend to have a sole owner that is boarder line insane. You just have to adapt accordingly…
What matters is you not the job or the company. If you don't believe in yourself then you will never make a difference in any company. Best bet in that case is a nice government job.