Is It Better to Work for a Large or Small Company?

 

The Advantages of a Big Company

 

1. ____________________________

When you enter a large company, you're taking part in a machine that's been around for a long time. As such, there is typically an established way of doing things. As soon as you walk in, you will know what your job is, how you fit into your department and over time you'll even learn the obvious pathways for promotions. This isn't the right route for everyone, but if you want to go into a job with a sense of stability and a well-defined path for advancement, larger companies typically have great templates already in place.

2. _____________________________

Larger companies, in general, are better about providing benefits like health insurance or retirement plans. The smaller a corporation's revenue is, the less likely it can afford to pay for benefits. According to a recent study, only 47% of companies in the U.S. with 2-99 employees offered any benefits at all.

3. _____________________________

Large companies need a lot of people working a wide variety of jobs to operate. While your specific role may be specialized, it's possible to change positions and explore a new area without leaving the company. Developers can become project managers, designers can become marketers, etc.

The Problems at a Big Company

1. ______________________________

Shaking things up at a big company can take a lot of time. Even if your company is open to new ideas, getting your department to move to a new model or create a product can take a lot of time.

2. ______________________________

No matter how social or friendly you are, if you work in a company with hundreds or even thousands of employees, it will be impossible to know everyone. Inevitably, some aspect of your job will be affected by someone you've never met. It may be the General Manager, the head of payroll, or the legal department, but someone will make a decision that determines how you work and it may be difficult or even impossible to speak to that person directly. A good company will provide a method for employees to voice serious concerns to upper management, but this isn't always guaranteed or effective.

3. _______________________________

A related problem is that your success and happiness can be determined by where you are placed within the company. Working with a dysfunctional group can bring down the quality of your work, despite your best efforts. It may even affect your ability to move up in the company.

 

 

The Advantages of a Small Company

 

1. _______________________________

Unless you work near the top, accomplishing something significant at a large company will probably never reach the ears of the General Manager. At a small company, however, great work can be seen by everyone. This makes it easier to distinguish yourself with certain skills. Your actions are also more significant. Especially if you're starting out in a new career, working for a small company is a great way to establish your abilities and gain references and reputation that can follow you for years.

2. _______________________________

Being able to work closely with all of your coworkers doesn't just mean they can see you. You also have access to a lot more of the company's moving parts. Being able to speak directly to your upper management can result in much faster movement. What may take days or weeks of submission and approval processes at a big company may take knocking on your boss's door at a small one.

3. _______________________________

In a larger company, you may be able to switch to a different job and exercise a different skill set without leaving your company. In a smaller company, you may be required to exercise a different skill set without leaving your desk. Especially in a startup environment, you may be called on to fulfill more roles outside a narrowly-defined job description. If you like using a variety of skills without changing jobs, a smaller company may be more suited to you.

 

The Problems at a Small Company

 

1. _______________________________

Knowing your company's General Manager can see it when you land a big client is great. That can become a double-edged sword, though, when you screw up. Obviously, a good employee would want to minimize failure regardless of who can see, but it never feels good when the majority of your coworkers all know when you've made a mistake.

2. _______________________________

As stated earlier, smaller companies typically don't have as extensive benefits packages as larger companies do. If you need benefits and the company you're applying to doesn't offer them, it's more prudent to find one that does rather than hoping that you'll get what you need some day.

3. _______________________________

Small companies often don't get around to setting up things like legal or human resources departments until they've been established for a while. This can be nice as it simplifies the roster of people in your company, but it also means that there's no one in the company whose sole job is fielding complaints. Particularly in the legal department, keeping a lawyer on retainer is expensive, but there's a reason for that: knowing whether something you want to do is legal is extremely valuable and difficult to figure out on your own.

 

 

Раздел 6.3

 

№1

Прочитайте и переведите диалог.

 

M = Martin; S = Sandra

M: So... how can I help you?

S: Well, we'd like some background information about the project...

M: OK, I can ask my assistant to send you some details. We sent out a press release a couple of weeks ago.

S: Yes, we have a copy of that, thank you. We're interested in finding out more information about the people working here. How many workers do you have on site? What do they do? Where are they from? Are they all local people?

M: Oh, that depends on what's happening. As you can imagine, this is quite a complex business, so we have different subcontractors and suppliers coming in and out all the time. But, to answer your question, I'd say we usually have about 100 people on site. And they're mostly from this area.

S: And are you in charge of the site?

M: Well, yes, my company - actually, my father's company - is the general contractor for the project. We co-ordinate all the subcontractors and make sure things stay on schedule and stay within budget. I report to the project manager, Sabina Tom.

S: I see. And is your father Kasper Karp?

M: Yes, that's right. Sometimes, on bigger projects, we work in a consortium with other contractors and companies.

S: Could you tell us something about...?

M: Excuse me, I've just seen Mr. Lang. He's walking through the gate. He represents the client, and I have a meeting with him and Anna Black in a few minutes' time...

S: Anna Black?

M: Anna works for the cement supplier, DKI Cement. They're supplying all the cement for the project. Just a moment, please. My assistant, Robert Lane, will answer any further questions you have.

S: Thank you.

 

Закончите предложения, используя информацию, которая содержится в диалоге.

 

1. Karp Construction is the…

2. Martin Karp is the…

3. Sabina Toms is the…

4. Kasper Karp owns…

5. Mr. Lang represents the…

6. Anna Black works for the…

7. Robert Lane is…

 

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