Moving from a small company to a BIG enterprise - how is it?

PurpleIT

I am looking at making a big career change and need some input from you folks.


I am currently a JOAT working for a small local governement agency, I supoprt about 20 servers and a couple hundred users. I do the networking, the server builds, desktop support, pull cables and just about anything else needed. I have one support guy who does the majority of my desktop support, but if it's anything even remotely complicated I am involved in that too.


I have a chance at a job with a BIG healthcare company and one thing that is a concern is the change from my small shop to a large enterprise.


I know I am going to have to adjust to not just diving in and getting things done; I will have to coordinate with other teams, get my boss's approval, etc.


I also know that I will have a very narrow set of respsonsibilities. I think that may be the area that I have the most trouble with. As much as I want to get out of the sys admin side of things and really focus on the networking, I am a little afraid I will be too siloed.


This is a contract gig and while it isn't the perfect job for me it DOES pay vastly more than I currently make and it is in a city I want to move to. I figure if I can hack it for a year I will have a lot of options. I will be able to maybe go permanent in this new job, look at other positions either with the same healthcare company (preferably as a direct hire) or just find something totally different in the new city I would move to.


Has anyone out there has made a similar change and do you have any thoughts to share?

CyberfiSecurity

You are always working for small company. Even though you enter a big corporate, but you work at the division level. I work for a medium consulting company until we lost the contract, and I went with HP Enterprise Services (formerly EDS bought by HP). Which is a division of HP, Inc....people out of your division do not know who you are. It just likes you work for a small company within a big company. Just likes you are attending Harvard University for MBA, apparently you're actually attending Harvard Business School (HBS) instead Harvard University.

However things you do must be compliance with the big corporate. I rather work for medium or small company because it is more cohesion between employees verse big corporation. However, whoever pays better. BTW, when I worked for HP Enterprise Service, the benefits and compensation was not that great instead my previous medium employer company.

PurpleIT

CyberfiSecurity wrote: »

You are always working for small company. Even though you enter a big corporate, but you work at the division level.

...However things you do must be compliance with the big corporate.

I see what you are saying, but I am not really worried about everyone knowing me (although that would be great when looking for another position); I think I am looking for more of the day-to-day routine, the hassles of getting another division/team involved because I will only be doing security and I need to get the routing team to do something for me, etc.

I think a lot of my fears come from not being allowed to do it all and needing to rely on others to accomplish simple tasks.

I rather work for medium or small company because it is more cohesion between employees verse big corporation. However, whoever pays better. BTW, when I worked for HP Enterprise Service, the benefits and compensation was not that great instead my previous medium employer company.

I think I would prefer a smaller company as well, but the amount of cash involved and the other long-term goals this will help me accomplish overwhelm a lot of those issues... that's just not a topic I care to bring up during interviews so I am hoping to get as much feedback as I can on here.

nathandrake

PurpleIT wrote: »

I know I am going to have to adjust to not just diving in and getting things done; I will have to coordinate with other teams, get my boss's approval, etc.

This right here is my biggest complaint and problem working in an enterprise environment that I have. I have a designed role and can only do tasks associated with my role. When I need something done from another team, it gets frustrating having to wait for them if they are back logged with requests. Like give a user access to a server or system. It's something I can do in under 3 minutes, but if that group that handles giving access is back logged with requests, it can take them weeks to get to it. It frustrates me a lot sometimes and makes me wish I actually worked in a small company so I can just handle everything myself. You also have to deal with the blame game. You'll also have groups blaming each other for issues, instead of them working together to figure it out. At least that is what it's like at my company.

The biggest benefit of working in a enterprise environment in my case is the pay.

--chris--

I worked in a small business for 10 years, but it was non IT so my experience may not translate (I think it will though).

The small business was all about getting *it done for the customer however you had to do it.

The big business (80 sites, 17 Billion in rev) is much more structured. I have a defined set of duties that I can not stray from. Change management is HUGE. Understanding why its HUGE will make your life easier. You will have to accept that sometimes you are unable to resolve an issue because you are waiting on someone in another team for a few days. That happens.

The pay & benefits will be different everywhere you work. I am leaving the big business for a small business that pays better and offers much better benefits.

The thing I like most about the big business are all the different people you work with/meet. I am a social animal, so that's a big plus in my book.

gorebrush

Someone who I work with recently ticked me off somewhat.

I work in a Network Engineer role, but I have many other skills outside of that. I'm MCSE and have a fair amount of VMWare experience too. My manager suggested that this person talk to me about an issue that they were investigating and the response was "Why ask him? He is just a Comms engineer"

That ticked me off - and the thing I missed about being in a Small company was that I'd be expected to know it and get on with it. The thing was, I could - my experience is vast.

But there are lots of other benefits to being in a bigger place I wouldn't trade in - plenty of career opportunity. I was dead end before.

--chris--

gorebrush wrote: »

Someone who I work with recently ticked me off somewhat.

I work in a Network Engineer role, but I have many other skills outside of that. I'm MCSE and have a fair amount of VMWare experience too. My manager suggested that this person talk to me about an issue that they were investigating and the response was "Why ask him? He is just a Comms engineer"

That ticked me off - and the thing I missed about being in a Small company was that I'd be expected to know it and get on with it. The thing was, I could - my experience is vast.

But there are lots of other benefits to being in a bigger place I wouldn't trade in - plenty of career opportunity. I was dead end before.

Yeah, depending on aspirations small shops can be the end of the road for advancement.

I took am surprised to learn that the lady who manages this obscure app here is also a guru with Dragon and some Citrix issues. She is my go to for most Dragon related issue beyond the application of patches and rebooting devices.

PurpleIT

Good feedback from everyone, thanks!


Nathandrake: I think that is one of my biggest worries. I prefer to get things done and waiting for other people to do small/simple things so I can get my job done will either drive me nuts or lead me to complacency. I am not sure which I dread more.


The pay and location is a big part of this for me; I will finally be living where I want and by the end of the contract I will be debt-free (other than a car payment), but it is such a dramatic change. For the first time in I don't know how long I was nervous before the interview. I'm talking, I thought I was gonna barf nervous. I don't get nervous like that - ever.


Chris: You and nathan touched on another of my big worries - a narrow set of defined duties, no real freedom to go off and explore, and the real risk of boredom as day after day I put Tab A into Slot B over and over...


I think I will get a better idea of the duties in the second interview so some of the boredom fears may go away. I have to think that for what they are paying it has to be more complicated than I am imagining.


Of course, all of this may be for naught. I am expecting to hear about the timing for the next round of interviews any day, but since I haven't heard anything yet...

jibbajabba

Big Enterprise


I got shell-shocked when I started in a big enterprise. I mean big BIG. What shocked me the most was indeed the red tape. To get things done was sometimes a lengthy process. Even the easiest things. I was used to just fix it without nonsense. And I don't meant things like Changecontrol (which to be honest, CAN slow things down). I mean management who have no idea about the technology but still think they have to have their say.

Blame - another big thing I have experienced. Management is always under pressure to deliver. So if something goes wrong, the pressure is being passed down and sometimes without even hearing your side of the story.

I have noticed that in not just one company, but almost all of the ones I have worked for.

Another problem is diversity. If you are Windows admin, you are unlikely to touch network gear etc.

Small Companies
A lot less red tape, but sometimes problems to get things done due to the lack of funds. A lot of work due to the lack of people or knowledge.
On the other hand you get to work with a lot of different techs due to the lack of people / knowledge and / or both.


There are advantages and disadvantages in working for either. Some people can't take the big ones and some can ..

docrice

A few years back I went from a small company (about 400 head count) to a Fortune 50. I didn't consider how completely different-paced the large environment would be. It was excruciatingly slow (although that's how it typically is for them for new hires during the first few months).

I didn't survive beyond 45 days. I left for another much smaller (300 head count at the time) company. I'm too used to moving at a certain pace, having hands-on in many areas in an operational environment, and feeling much more alive (with the sense that I make more of a difference and provide a larger contribution to the employer).

Note - the business sectors between the two small companies and the Fortune 50 was completely different though, which generally means a noticeable difference in corporate culture. The two smaller companies are in technology, the larger in retail.

Just because a company is bigger doesn't necessarily mean they'll pay more than the smaller company. It depends on the specifics of the situation.

jibbajabba

I made even bigger jumps .. Moved from a 20head company to a 12k and needless to say - I didn't make it long there either ...

wgroom

PurpleIT wrote: »

I think I am looking for more of the day-to-day routine, the hassles of getting another division/team involved because I will only be doing security and I need to get the routing team to do something for me, etc.

I think a lot of my fears come from not being allowed to do it all and needing to rely on others to accomplish simple tasks.

This is what I am dealing with now. For years I was the person who dealt with VoIP, and LAN switching. If there was an issue, I personally handled it from end to end. Now, when I plug in a phone, if it does not light, I have to call a member of the network team, hope they have a moment, so they can configure a switch port for voice. If they are busy or do not answer the phone, I am forced to wait for the change, at which time I get involved in other tasks. This means multiple balls in the air at the same time, which can be annoying.

If the money is right, and the location is right, then it sounds like a good move. You may be able to make the transition smoothly, and find the larger corporate environment works well for you. If you are able to thrive in a small shop, this may work well for you. If not, you are in a new market, and have made connections that will assist with taking the next step in your career. Best of luck in your decision.

shauncarter1

Tough call and it depends on what your long term goals are. I enjoy small organizations because you can do it all from decision making with senior management to implementation. From my experience they often come with a bit more stability as well. The downside to it is that you do not get some of the enterprise level experience and of course the pay is usually a little lower. I would go with the Big healthcare company if it represented a step in the right direction not only in terms of money, but career progression. For example, it maybe easier to get the IT management experience with the smaller gig to move in that direction. While, if you wanted to remain on the technical end of things for your career moving on to a larger organization with more technology may be the best route.

So I guess the question is, does the job represent a step in the direction that you want your career to go in? If yes, I would go for it.

techtex

I second most of this statement and is why I stay in Small/Mid-Size Market now....one thing that killed it for me in Corporate side

Change Control Board

The epitome of all things that embody red-tape and procedures, necessary sometimes on a larger scale but soul sucking for progression and any level of experience

gorebrush

Heh - I went from a 100 person company to one that is now 80,000 in size.

--chris--

PurpleIT wrote: »

Chris: You and nathan touched on another of my big worries - a narrow set of defined duties, no real freedom to go off and explore, and the real risk of boredom as day after day I put Tab A into Slot B over and over...

I would let this topic just die out, but I feel the community members can benefit from the experiences posted so I will continue adding to this.

In regards to the above, working with a narrow set of duties is good and bad. The good, you get really good at the things that fall in that narrow scope. The bad, you dont learn anything new.

Also, with a narrow scope (and this was mentioned above) you will often start something and have to wait for another team to do something. While you are waiting you pick up on another task in your scope. This can result in juggling a dozen or more things daily which can get stressful when each one has its own clock ticking, end user waiting and manager waiting for the EU to get back to work.

Priston

working for a company with 75000+ employees can sometimes feel like working for a company with 200 employees. On a day to day basis I only have to deal with a handful of people. Then their are some days when you hit the red tape and you remember how big the company you work for is and how much BS some of the decision making is.

They spent how much on something no one has ever touched since it came in and they can't spend 10 dollars on something I'll use everyday?