By Veterans Transitional Services

Whenever you are doing a job search it is often tempting to only apply for those jobs that are being offered by large companies believing that they are the best ones. In fact when you are talking with your friends often a lot of people will ask what company you are applying to. Isn't it true, that if you tell them a name that they don't recognize it makes you feel like you made a mistake?

The hard facts show that today some of your best prospects for finding a job are with small companies and not with the big well established corporations. In fact you might be safer working for a small company that is able to be flexible in a changing economy. Often big corporations have a hard time adjusting to changes in the market place quickly. As a result they may hire for a position that is no longer viable and you may soon find yourself out of work. The reason is that large companies sometimes take a while to respond to market forces but when they do a lot of people pay the price all of the sudden.

Recently, we heard of a situation with a VTS member who was looking for work. She saw a job posting on Monster.com for a position she was interested in with Hewlett Packard. The position was offering a nice salary doing a job that she was a perfect match for. She submitted her resume and was soon afterward contacted for an interview. The interview went well and at the end of the interview she was told that she would have to attend one more interview before a formal offer would be presented. So she left happy and hopeful for the future. A week went by and nothing happen. No phone call, no letter…nothing. Wondering what had happened she called only to find out that the whole department had been downsized and moved out of the area. She later received an informal email stating that the position was no longer available.

This story may read like an unlikely scenario but it is not. There are a lot of changes occurring in the economy now and the rules of the game are changing. This makes it very difficult for anyone trying to find work that is not aware.

Some folks may say well isn't it safer to work for a large company since they have more resources and can better survive during tough times. Yes and No. Some large companies that are involved in businesses that thrive whether or not the economy is doing well (like entertainment) are the exception. However, some large companies like many of the automakers today are not a safe option. In recent months the newspapers have been reporting about the downsizing and selling off of assets by companies like Ford motors (they just sold off Jaguar and Land Rover).

Another thing to consider is that when you are dealing with a small company often you are dealing with the decision maker of that company. This usually means that they make decisions faster and don't waste time in having you jump through hoops. There are some reports that show that you can actually make more money with a small company and have better opportunities to advance your career with a small company. This is especially true with workers who are in their 50's. We often hear of age discrimination occurring with larger organizations that may have concerns about the possibility of an older worker nearing retirement. The opposite is true with a lot of small companies. They are excited about the possibility of having someone with many years of experience working for them.

So consider all possibilities and take a second look at those small companies you might be pleasantly surprised.