One of the most common questions people ask when job hunting is whether it’s better to work for a small business or a large corporate. The honest answer is this: there is no right or wrong choice.

I can’t count how many times a candidate has told me they only want to work for a small business, or only for a large organisation, only to end up accepting a role in exactly the type of business they initially ruled out. Often, after interviewing, they realise their assumptions don’t hold up in practice.

What Really Matters

Rather than focusing on the size of a business, it’s far more important to look at a few core factors. Is the organisation growing? Does it offer the right opportunities for development? Does it have the tools, systems, and support you need to do your job properly? And just as importantly, does the culture feel right for you?

A growing small business can offer rapid responsibility, visibility, and progression. Equally, a large corporate can provide structure, training, strong clients, and long-term career stability. Both can be excellent, or poor, depending on how they’re run.

Don’t Be Closed-Minded

If you’re actively job hunting, my advice is simple: don’t be blinkered. Interviewing costs you very little beyond an hour of your time, but it can give you invaluable insight. Speaking to different types of organisations allows you to test your own assumptions and make a genuinely informed decision.

A bad experience with one large company doesn’t mean all corporates operate the same way. The same is true for small businesses. Every organisation is different, and the only way to understand that is by asking questions, meeting the people, and seeing how it feels in reality.

Make an Informed Choice

Career decisions shouldn’t be based on rigid rules or past experiences alone. Instead of automatically ruling out certain types of businesses, approach your job search with an open mind. Meet different employers, understand their growth plans and culture, and decide what’s right for you at that point in your career.

Being open-minded gives you more options, and often leads to better outcomes.

Key Takeaways

• There’s no “right” choice between small businesses and corporates

• Business growth, opportunity, tools, and culture matter more than size

• Interviewing different organisations helps test assumptions

• Open-minded job searching leads to better career decisions