What is it like to work in a big corporation?

Hey Franco,

I work for a large software company (although not nearly as large as the giants of Google, Microsoft, Amazon etc.). I was hoping someone from one of those companies would answer for you, but in the mean time I'll give you my thoughts.

I think there is a lot of variation between companies and even within companies. I've heard lots of good things from former classmates and acquaintances about Google and Microsoft. I've also heard middling things from others about working for Amazon and Oracle. Here is my take away.

Working for a large company can be less then optimal. I'm sure you've heard about workers complaining about amazon for example (if not a quick google will bring up a lot of articles from last year). Amazon in particular is known for being very hard on its workers, making them work long hours and keep up very high standards. This is not necessarily a bad thing if you are a very serious coder and graduated at the top of your class. For someone like me though, I would break down in that sort of work environment.

Other companies follow the Google philosophy, giving their workers lots of nice benefits, flexible hours, and extra time to work on side projects.

What can be an issue for all large companies is that as a worker your work is small compared to the project at large. Good large companies (in my opinion) keep teams small and intimate, so that as a worker you still get the experience of working at a smaller company; you know everyone you work with, everyone is easy to get in touch with, your opinions and ideas are heard, and you make meaningful improvements or fixes to the project in your area. At a bad large company, the people you rely on are hard to get in touch with. You're creative ideas go no where because you can't get in touch with the people to propose them to. Maybe its hard to work up the ladder because the team you happen to work on is obscure. In short, they don't care about you as an individual until you mess up. They are not supportive.

So, getting back to your question specifically, I'll describe my work at a large company. I work for Workday, which does enterprise software. I think we have around 6000 workers overall, with maybe 1000 to 2000 engineers (these numbers are rough, please don't quote me on them). I really love working at Workday. They have made a point to keep the culture and environment the same as when they started 10ish years ago. What this means is that I work on a scrum team of about 5 to 10 people; that's a few developers a couple QAs, a dev manager, and a couple product managers. We follow an agile methodology, meaning we work on a few units of work each 2 weeks, and then plan for the next 2 weeks. It keeps the work constantly changing which is nice. The best part is the people. Everyone is friendly and willing to help you out. I know my immediate team, everyone in all the other teams in my product area, and I can reach out to them instantly, all the time. The thing that really keeps it feeling small is that I know my manager, his manager, and his manager, and her manager, all the way up to the top of the dev organization (and the first couple layers know me as well, even though I've been here only a year and a half). I'm free to just walk up to any of them and express a concern or present an idea, and they are very receptive to that.

In conclusion, large companies are a mixed bag, just like companies in general. Some of them are exactly what you fear, others are are some of the best places to work. I'd recommend applying everywhere, and if you get to the interview stage, ask the interviewer what their company culture is like and how they work. Every company is different, so it'll be up to you to try and figure out what their environment is like and if it suits you.

Hope that helps you out a little bit. Good Luck.

Cheers,
Cody

I work for Verizon which is a nice sized company, and honestly the nature of the work depends on the team you land on.

Some teams are on the forefront of great developments and products.

Other teams are more in a maintenance type of mode.

One of the nice features of working in a large company is the diversity - you'll never know where your career will take you.

Some drawbacks are that, usually, in larger established companies, there are rules and protocols. We kid about some of the new developers coming in and developing like it is the 'wild, wild, west', whereas, the veterans on the team come from backgrounds with more guidelines.

Try to get an internship in a large and a small company to get a taste for the atmosphere.

Joanne

Big corporation offer better benefits but you are a number not a person. A small company you are a person but benefits are not as good. If you are just starting out I would suggest a smaller company and get the experience and then move on to a bigger company.

Hi Franco,

I work for Verizon and the thing I like the most is the options you have working in the company. You can move if you choose to, you can be a part of a large team or work more individually.

If your interests change you can find a job to meet those needs. I like knowing I have so many paths to choose from.

I have worked for both small boutiques and large corporate environments for nearly two decades and there are benefits and drawbacks to each one. Unfortunately, often for business profits small mom-and-mom boutiques end up getting acquired by larger corporations to stay sustainable. That said, I do believe working for large corporations has many pluses, including formal health benefits and retirement packages or investment breaks within the company (company stock at a reduced price). The general culture and goals at smaller companies is what draws people and personally, I feel like you feel more valued, but even then -- it depends on the team you land on and the work you do (often, in smaller shops you have to wear many hats and do many things that go beyond your hiring duties). I'd try and speak to as many people as you can within each organization and get a feel for the work, culture and vibe. What are your goals? To work with a fun group? To work for a company that is innovative, lets you work from home and gives you your birthday off? To ensure you can grow within your company? To get health benefits? I suggest you make yourself a list of ideals -- deal makers, breakers, etc. and see where your options fall. Good luck to you!