Q: Is it best to work for a large engineering firm or a small engineering firm?
Welcome to Episode #8 of Engineering Career TV. The topic for this episode is Large versus Small Engineering Firms.
I will spend most of the Engineering Career TV episodes answering questions that have been submitted from engineers around the world on how to rapidly advance their careers and live the lives they want to live.
You can submit questions for the show by clicking here.
Let’s jump into today’s topic, Large versus Small Engineering Firms, which is based on a question from Kate who’s a recent graduate, where she asks the following:
Q: I am a recent engineering graduate working overseas. I am planning on transitioning home soon so I’ve started looking at possible positions in the states. I was curious about what kind of engineering firm is best to work for as a young engineer. Is it best to work at a larger firm or a smaller firm? I’ve researched it and I find a lot of conflicting views. What do you think?
A: The full answer can be seen in the video above, but here are a few of the main points:
Small Engineering Firms
- Advantage: Working in a small engineering firm, you get to work on different things and gain a lot of experience.
- Disadvantage: Small engineering firms have limited resources compared to bigger firms.
Large Engineering Firms
- Advantage: With bigger resources, bigger firms can offer better compensation packages and benefits as well as access to high profile projects.
- Disadvantage: You will be limited to doing a specific type of work.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
TECC 142: Choosing Between a Fortune 50 Company and a Small Engineering Firm
I hope you found this episode of Engineering Career TV helpful.
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What questions do you have about working in a large or small firm?
To your success,
Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success
