Career Growth Concerns: Is Moving to a Small Company a Step Back?

I am actually confused and would like to have some suggestions here. I have previously worked in industries with more employees. For example, in one company, there were over 500 employees, and in another, there were over 300 employees. Currently, I am working in an advertising-based organization with a total staff of only 20 employees. I am responsible for HR and Admin here.

Is it good to work in an organization with fewer people?

Will it impact career growth?

Working in Small Organizations

Working in small organizations means you will get all-around exposure to all facets of HR. This can be a good thing and give you wider experience. You have worked with large organizations and seen the functioning of the setup there. This combined experience will be beneficial for you. Wherever you work, read all basic regulations and laws, and understand the important parts that affect your day-to-day work.

Different Industries and HR

Different industries have different working styles, but HR is all about connecting with people. You should prioritize being people-centric while keeping organizational and legal aspects in mind.

Career Growth and Individual Potential

The career growth of any individual is directly proportional to the potential of the individual, which is gained through knowledge and experience. As you move forward, what matters a lot is the value you create for the company, the best practices and processes you have implemented, and your contribution to the company. Therefore, I would say the individual will own 80% or more responsibility in creating an impact on one's career.

Company Details and Opportunities

Apart from the headcount of 20, I request you to gather the following details of the company: When was the company founded? What is the focus of the advertisement company, and what modes do they use? What is the growth of the company, and have there been any improvements in recent years? What is the profit/loss structure of the company? More importantly, as the headcount is 20, what opportunities do you see to learn and test your skills? If there are no standard policies and processes, you can build those that are suitable for the company, which will add weight to your profile. You should understand the vision of the company and check if you can contribute to the company's vision with your knowledge and experience.

Potential Cons

The cons may include ending up doing repetitive administrative activities, which won't allow you to learn anything new. In small companies, the lack of a proper guide or mentor who is excellent in the same field is also an issue. You may have to do everything on your own. Job security is another concern in small-sized companies.

In conclusion, analyze yourself and the company to see what opportunities you can pursue over the next five years. Do your research and deliver your best. Who knows, many start-ups grow aggressively after a certain point in time.

Good luck,

Regards, Thiyagu

Perceptual Differences in Organization Size

Working with big or small organizations has a perceptual difference. The real problem with a career arises when there are differences in work culture, laws, rules, and other associated matters.

Recruitment and Career Growth

In general, a rule of thumb is followed by every establishment to recruit people with exposure or experience in the same or similar nature of business. The best way to learn is by doing or being involved in a job, not just through textbook knowledge. Textual knowledge serves as a guideline, but ultimately, your exposure is what proves helpful.

It is always advisable to consider organizations of the same or similar nature for career growth.

It doesn't differ, but if you have worked for 500+ employees, you would have been stuck to a single job. With a lower count, you will also have the opportunity to explore other roles. We all work for a salary, regardless of the size of the company.

The learned members have given useful inputs. Anyhow, you now have to your credit the experience of working in a big organization. Consider the difference between the two job profiles and analyze which profile can enhance your competencies in terms of diversity, scope, leadership, decision-making, and independence. In the future, employers will look for competencies, skills, and exposure rather than the size of the organization.

B. Saikumar
HR & Labour Law Adviser
Navi Mumbai

Adding to what I said, I did not notice that your future organization has only 20 employees. If so, the queries raised by Thiyagu are relevant to consider.

B. Saikumar

It does not matter whether you work in a small or big organization. What matters is your attitude - Are you ready to continue learning? Are you ready to take on all types of HR jobs? Are you ready to take on extra workload? So, just look at the organization holistically and make a decision not solely based on size.

It does not make much difference. You can use your experience for this small company for its growth. While you can have versatile activities for doing and implementing for setting up an organization with well-built policies.

The more you work at various levels, the more knowledge and experience you gain. And as said, HR is all about people. Connect well for better productivity and growth.

Dear HR colleague, you must ponder over the relevant points raised by Thiyagua. What is important for you to assess is whether, in this 20+ advertising company, you are likely to get opportunities to utilize your past experiences fully to make a significant contribution and achieve full job satisfaction. Prima facie, I don't believe so, as there may not be worthwhile areas to contribute. If anything, it will be minuscule, and in the long haul, it may prove to be frustrating. At the cost of sounding negative, think and act after deep thought.

Regards, Vinayak Nagarkar HR Consultant