Is bigger always better?

73% of workers want to work somewhere else. Where? In a recent survey (by Insync and RedBalloon) of over 2,900 Australian workers, Google stole the top spot, with Virgin coming in second. Apple took fourth place, followed by Qantas, The Walt Disney Company, OMD, Sydney Water, Getaway and Coca-Cola. At the top of the list of factors pushing these employers is brand reputation, cited by 41% of respondents.

“I only want to work for a blue chip/corporate employer” is a common phrase when interviewing sales people. Do people honestly believe that bigger is better or do people like to hide within a large corporate business rather than be accountable within a SME? Having worked in both environments, here is an idea of what I think some of the pros and cons are which may help you decide what is right for you when looking for your next sales job.

Reputation

Working for a corporate business with an instantly recognised name in their field can make opening the door for a salesman far easier. Some sales people enjoy bragging down the pub about the big global company they work for and would be too embarrassed to work for a SME. An instantly recognised company on your CV can lead to the assumption of a well-trained, good performing sales professional. It seems the SME loses out if people are swayed by reputation as the corporate has the backing of a huge brand. 

Job Role

In a large corporate your job is likely to be more specific, more focused however in a smaller company the role is often less rigidly defined, there is more chance you’ll be mucking in on other tasks. So whilst a sales person may be predominantly responsible for account management they may also be expected to get involved in new business development. A junior sales person could be responsible for new business but may get involved in lead generation through marketing.

This can be seen as an opportunity to learn more skills with the job never getting repetitive but it may be more stressful in a small environment having to cope with an array of activities, especially if all you want to do is focus on your core sales role.

In an SME, the role will be more autonomous so young sales people can quickly grow their skills and mature into a senior role in a shorter timescale.

Culture

In smaller companies senior staff are nearby and so easier to talk to, meaning decisions can be made more quickly. More exposure to the owner of the business can be very influential for sales people who are looking for personal development.

Training

In smaller companies it’s easier to ask for training than in a large firm. You are more likely to be heard and it’s easier for managers to recognise your specific needs - one to one sales training is much more likely. In large firms it might be hard to spot where specific training is needed, small fish in a big pond….

In the SME of course it’s all about ‘on the job’ learning, whereas large corporates will have structured training schemes in place – which would you prefer?

Progression

It’s easier to define your own learning path for progression within an SME. If there is a part of your role that you’d like to develop you can, if you are keen to learn, you can.  In SMEs you feel more like you are making a real contribution as you can see your ideas being implemented. You are not just a number, you cannot hide in a SME business and that means it is easier to shine and be recognised for your skill set.

Ultimately it depends on the type of person you are as to how well you will be suited to either the smaller office environment or whether you will thrive in the corporate setting. Do you want to blend into the crowd or stand out from the crowd? One person's 'pro' may be another person's 'con’.  What do you want to achieve? What’s important to you?