There are distinct differences between working in a large and small enterprise. In the large enterprise, you can derive a deep sense of satisfaction from being a member of a well-known organization such as General Motors, Microsoft, or the Bell Telephone System. Your friends will take their caps off on hearing your employment. You have the opportunities of learning from the experienced managers and knowing about the standard process of work. Finally, you have a sense of job security---anyway a big ship doesn’t easily get wrecked, does it?

In the small enterprise, most probably a private-funded company, you have bigger responsibilities and your decision may bring immediate effect. You feel like a big fish in a small pond. Normally you are exposed to various experiences and expected to do a great many things without much help or guidance. In this way, you learn and grow quickly.

A POSSIBLE RESPONSE: Personally I prefer to work in a small enterprise, where my prospect of promotion is good as long as I work hard. To tell the truth, I’d rather become a well-known and important figure within my own small pond.

ANOTERH POSSIBLE RESPONSE: Well, it’ hard to determine which is better: to be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond. Either has its merits and defects. For example, a worker in a national or international corporation often feels like a cog in an enormous machine. He loses his identity and he may be less motivated in time. Conversely, if you work with a small company, you may get promoted quickly but you often feel a lack of job security. So it seems to me that there is no set answer to this question---it’s totally up to you to decide.