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Anything private sector, then maybe education, and never government.
A major advantage of a large company is the possibility of an intra-company transfer to a job with more appeal. I was at a large company for many years and worked in five different groups at three different locations, with all relocation expenses paid for two long-distance moves.
The advantages of a smaller company are less bureaucracy (e.g., in software process) and more opportunity to make a difference (and be rewarded for it), because your role isn't as narrowly defined.
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I have universally despised working for large organizations. There is always that one manager that blocks all crap and just becomes a redtape nazi. Cannot stand them.
Yes they say there are opportunities but only if you jump thru the right hoops and kiss the right butt.
ymmv. Just my personal observations.
To err is human to really elephant it up you need a computer
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A large company where one manager can impede progress and where toadyism is expected has a serious culture problem that probably starts with the CEO. That wasn't my experience, but had it been, I would have looked externally. What you're describing is far more likely in the education, or especially government, sector.
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Something in between.
The money is better in a big company, but there's more BS to deal with. The best thing is that there will likely be a variety of things to work on over a longer period.
A small company will likely have a smaller budget. And they may have only one task to work on and then say goodbye once it's "finished".
"Beware of Bein' the Roller When There's Nothin' Left to Roll" -- Shel Silverstein
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interesting. currently company is what I would call smaller(not really) but privately held. The money is decent and the breadth of things I get to do is astounding.
I might have just hit Goldilocks though.
To err is human to really elephant it up you need a computer
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PIEBALDconsult wrote: And they may have only one task to work on and then say goodbye once it's "finished".
Is software ever finished?
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A great quote that someone posted on this site a little while back:Quote: Remember, Grasshopper, "Software is never completed. It is only released."
EDIT: Here's the original[^] so that everyone can upvote it. 
modified 3-Feb-22 11:14am.
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I've worked in a lot of different types of places as well, both as an employee and a contractor.
Lots of factors for what makes a good workplace. What I try to avoid are government agencies with unionized staff. I find that the places tend to accrue IT workers that work their until they max out their benefits/pension, and pretty much just go through the motions after that. They still work, but make no effort to learn new techniques, or improve the codebase, or much else. The best one can hope for is that they retire soon....
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I have seen that in the Education organization I worked for. But I also so quite a few people willing to put in the extra effort. The people there really believed they were helping kids become good human beings so that made it a great place to work.
To err is human to really elephant it up you need a computer
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I probably have all the fun... Small private company, that part of a big group, working for education and government (also education)...
"The only place where Success comes before Work is in the dictionary." Vidal Sassoon, 1928 - 2012
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If I had the right opportunity, would love to work with a (reasonable) startup as a team lead. Work with some of the younger people to build a new product.
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As I tax-payer I've worked for the government all my life. 
I've been employed by two sole proprietorships (one of which was run by the owner and his family); three very large, international corporations; one medium sized, privately owned (four co-owners) business that was sold to a corporate house-flipper who sold it to a large corporation; and a large but local non-profit financial institution. The medium-sized business was my favorite while the four guys owned it, but it went deep south almost instantly after they sold it. My second favorite is the non-profit FI.
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP.
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That's where I work now - a company that is privately owned and run by a family. As it turns out, this is an enormous company with annual sales in the nine (9) figures and we have about six thousand employees at around two dozen locations. It actually seems like a small company in practice but this is one of the biggest privately owned companies in the USA and is in the top five biggest in our industry. We have an IT group, which I do not work in, and just one small group of software engineers - a little over a dozen people. We write the software that controls the machines in the factories. We buy a fair number of machines from outside suppliers but we usually run them with our software. What I find very interesting is that even with a company of this size, I am on a first-name basis with the executives who are members of the owning family. I have worked with smaller companies but I actually enjoy this situation the most. To be honest, it also helps (a lot) that we are paid pretty well here and business has boomed the last few years so the raises and bonuses have been really, really good. At least, for me they have.
"They have a consciousness, they have a life, they have a soul! Damn you! Let the rabbits wear glasses! Save our brothers! Can I get an amen?"
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I've been in the military and small businesses my entire career. The first small business was a collection agency, and it was a good place to work until the owner was bought out. I'm now at a university foundation, which gives me the best of having someone else support the network and avoiding the bureaucracy that exists in large organizations.
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I work for a semi-startup and quite like it. A total startup would be fun to try.
As for "Privately owned family" those are double edged swords. If the family is like in your company fine. But if it is baad, like we saw earlier today here in The Lounge, it stays baad.
"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"
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this was the Lounge discussion that started my thought process and question. SlowEddie. Good luck dude.
To err is human to really elephant it up you need a computer
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Ehm! I aint SlowEddie. I was just drawing a parallel between your post and Eddies. Hardly need for any sarcasm.
"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"
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oh I am sorry. This really was NOT meant as sarcasm. It was truly and really fully not directed at you either. It was just a note in general that Eddie got me to thinking about this and that I was wishing him good luck.
To err is human to really elephant it up you need a computer
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Ah fine! Maybe I jumped the gun there a bit.
"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"
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The family is the family; the corporation is the old boys' network.
I prefer freelance / contract; because you know there is an end; which includes offers of "permanent" employment.
"Before entering on an understanding, I have meditated for a long time, and have foreseen what might happen. It is not genius which reveals to me suddenly, secretly, what I have to say or to do in a circumstance unexpected by other people; it is reflection, it is meditation." - Napoleon I
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I would like to work for a company that makes Millennium Falcons.
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As OG said. Working for myself is best, but the income is too variable.
I love startups. Second choice is small growing company.
At the bottom of the list are government and very large company.
I will never again work for any company in the financial or insurance sectors. Soul-less vampires, they are.
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I worked at a small-ish commodities trading firm for 3 years. 6 weeks in I knew it was going to be horrible. I stuck it out for three years just so I wasn't job hopping on my resume. Probably wasn't worth it at all.
To err is human to really elephant it up you need a computer
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I'm surprised it lasted that long without some trader blowing up their account so badly that the company went under. Commodities trading is worse than a casino.
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When I'm retired and old and decrepit...I can only hope to work for Oldje.com.
NSFW!!!! Do NOT go there on a monitored connection. You have been warned.
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