In general, working in large companies is always the desire of fresh graduates. The advantages of working in one cannot be denied with the most obvious reasons being the opportunity to participate in the graduate training schemes and having a higher starting salary with good benefits as compared to smaller companies.

However, if large companies are all they’re eyeing, then it’s not possible to get everyone on board. Do you know that SMEs actually account a much bigger share of companies compared to large organizations in Malaysia? Let me present you some facts. First off, what is an SME? They are organizations with less than 150 full-time employees for manufacturing sector and less than 50 full-time employees for services sector. From SME Info, it was noted in recent years, the SMEs account for 99.2% of total business establishments and they also account for 96.5% of all enterprises in the manufacturing sector.

The statistics indicated several things but a clear fact is this: you are more likely to end up in an SME and why not? We know of some fresh graduates that insist they wanted to work only in large organizations. Did they miss out something here? Here are some points on why working in small companies is not such a bad idea after all:-

1.Job roles in smaller companies are less specialized and often less rigidly defined. You get the chance to wear many hats and get a better view of the entire operation which helps you to multi-task and adapt to changes easily.

2.Working environment is often more informal and less bureaucratic than in larger organizations.

3.Heard of “big fish in a small pond”? When the setup is small, your work performance can come across as loud and visible. That way, you get recognized easily for your achievements.

4.Sometimes when the setup is really small, you even get the chance to work with the business owners directly and what better way to have your work noticed immediately.

5.More opportunities to have your ideas heard and implemented.

6.Smaller firms usually practice flexible working hours. Other terms are more flexible too as access to business owners and partners of the company is greater as compared to larger companies.

7.Research has shown that job satisfaction and promotion prospects are often higher with small companies.

8.And should small business owners find the right combination of motivation and talent in an employee, the opportunity to grow is very much a reality and probably a chance to be made as a business partner in the long term.

You may lose out in terms of higher starting pay but if you out-perform yourself within a short period of time, you may see a great jump in your salary thereafter (another take on flexibility as small companies don’t often have a salary bracket for different levels or positions).

So, the next time you see a job advertisement by a small company, do not write if off straight away. Getting a job there may turn out to be the best career of your lifetime!