To all the fellow software engineers, who have recently joined the IT industry and gained some experience, but whose current job doesn’t seem like a good fit.

Work environment matters. When you end up in a company that promotes a different working style than your native one, you'll suffer. You won't feel like you belong, you won't develop yourself, and it's just a step away from burnout and frustration.

Why condemn yourself to eight hours of deep unhappiness a day?

Let's leave this dramatic picture behind and discuss your career options.

As a software developer, you face a dilemma about whether to work for a software development company or a product company. It's something to think through, so take some time to do so.

But today, focus on a different question — should I work for a big corporation or a small boutique company with less than 50 employees?

A small company is like a tribe

Scientific evidence shows that a human can comfortably maintain stable social relationships with no more than 150 people. It’s called Dunbar’s number, in the name of a British anthropologist Robin Dunbar. 

Yes, there’s a limited number of people you can comfortably maintain regular contact with. We don’t know for sure, but it might be related to early humans forming tribes or groups of about 150 people.

A small software company is like a tribe or a village. All employees have an opportunity to meet and get to know each other well. You learn very quickly what to expect from each colleague, and you know their preferences and favourite topics of conversation.

It means that you’re not just another face in the crowd.

For many people, it can be very motivating because your engagement in work is more likely to be seen and acknowledged. Closer relationships with coworkers can also mean firmer mutual support.

With high visibility comes high ownership

If you prefer to hide in a big team, where at least a few people have the same skills as you, a small company might not be the best fit. 

You know how it is — the bigger a company, the broader its resources. There are more opportunities to gain knowledge from someone specialising in a different field than you. Stumbling upon a particular problem might not be that challenging when there are more colleagues to help.

But if your main goal is to grow quickly and learn to take ownership of your tasks, you will thrive in a small software development company. Smaller teams often require learning different aspects of software development. 

If you aim to become a full-stack developer or learn CI/CD, even if you’ve previously specialised in React, a small software company is your go-to place! 

Based on my experience, it’s also less possible to over-engineer solutions with smaller-scale projects.

In a small company, there is a high chance that somebody will notice and appreciate your efforts. You can be more engaged in your work and have a considerable impact on the company that you’re working for.

Small scale, enormous possibilities

If you have any experience working for big corporations, you’re probably familiar with slow processes. You just wanted to replace your broken mouse, yet you needed a million approvals for that!

Small companies are usually more flexible — they have less inertia and adapt quickly to changing external conditions. But at the same time, it can create organisational chaos.

As I mentioned, working for a small team requires wearing different hats. Not only can you quickly jump between technologies, but it's also easier to try yourself in a very different role, e.g. as a tech recruiter or a content writer. It can pave the way for a quicker promotion, which doesn’t usually require multiple steps and approvals from senior managers and other executives.

So, how does it all sound? Do you tingle with excitement or fear?

If a small software company seems to be a good fit for you, why not join Evojam?