Do you prefer working for a large or small company?
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
I work the largest employer in Pittsburgh but I have been in a development team of 2 to 3 programmers for my whole career (last 10.5 years) so I am not sure. I enjoy my job for the most part but I do work long hours at times which sometimes makes me want to look elsewhere. I think the best part of the job for me is that although my main part of my job is programming (I have written 500K lines of MFC code), I am the main network admin, I provide help desk support for a team of 20, I do all the computer purchases / installs, I repair all the computers, I am the main db/web page admin, I now have some managerial duties that extend beyond the programming staff, I move desks and install white boards, perform minor repairs of the facility ... So basically the diversity of the position is what I like most. I can not see having more than one or two of these roles if I go to a larger development team so maybe my answer is small company/team.
Last modified: 23mins after originally posted --
John
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
Miszou wrote:
Do you prefer working for a large or small company?
A small team within a large company.
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
small team. don't much care about the size of the company. the only really large team i've been on was a fiasco... it was a team of about 50 developers, 90% contractors.only a couple of people (the full-timers who designed the system) knew the overall product well enough to know what the individual pieces were supposed to do and how they were supposed to work together and they were totally swamped all the time. so the rest of us would get these requirements that made no sense at all because they were referencing parts of the product that we'd never seen, and nobody was ever around to explain it to us.
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
Not really. :)
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
In a small company, if you don't get along with anyone, there is almost no way to escape. That's why I prefer a large company. Of course, there are things you have to put up with in a larget company.
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
I'll take running my own company over any of these options. It's no cake walk but it keeps me focused and interested; something that being an employee never accomplished for more than a month or two at a time.
My Blog A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. - -Lazarus Long
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Not really. :)
I knew one of you self-employed types was gonna give a smart answer! Now, be off with you. This thread is only for slaves to the Man. We don't want your "freedom" here! :P
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
I work in a large company, fortune 50, but a medium sized shop, about 20 developers. Most of them don't know what a new CIS graduate would know. There is no one I can ask when I need help. One of our senior devs (15 years) tells me he doesn't believe in Patterns. Our current technical leaders think that Agile means you don't create any design artifacts ( that's because they can't design their way out of a wet paper bag ) while each developer writes spaghetti code in isolation and there are no code reviews. This all results in code that looks like it was written by an epileptic ferret. Our manager brings doughnuts every Wednesday and we have a half dozen Pizza (delivered) parties during the year.... these are a source of great excitement. I don't want to relocate so opportunities are limited and I am paid a ridiculous amount for the work I don't do.
Miszou wrote:
Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Personally, I'm looking forward to retirement.
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
I prefer a small company as well. At least I think I do, having never worked in a large IT department environment. Currently, I am one of four developers; I work alone for the most part. Before this job I was the only developer in that company. Before that I worked for a consulting firm, went to various clients as a contract employee, in most cases alone or a small team. My perception is that with a larger company, you get more office politics, more meetings that waste time, and similar things I'd rather avoid. Regards, BDF
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I knew one of you self-employed types was gonna give a smart answer! Now, be off with you. This thread is only for slaves to the Man. We don't want your "freedom" here! :P
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
Miszou wrote:
This thread is only for slaves to the Man. We don't want your "freedom" here!
*plays flute* follow me... follow me....
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
Size does not matter; the way you, huh, use it is important.
Maximilien Lincourt Your Head A Splode - Strong Bad
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
You're assuming that the size of the company is directly related to ones satisfaction at work and that isn't usually the case. It varies from company to company and from team to team. Break it down and ask yourself what is a satisfying and rewarding job experience. Generally the answers will not include a head count.
Todd Smith
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Miszou wrote:
This thread is only for slaves to the Man. We don't want your "freedom" here!
*plays flute* follow me... follow me....
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
El Corazon wrote:
*plays flute* follow me... follow me....
Man, you're creepy! :laugh: Is that[^] you?!
:josh: My WPF Blog[^] Without a strive for perfection I would be terribly bored.
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El Corazon wrote:
*plays flute* follow me... follow me....
Man, you're creepy! :laugh: Is that[^] you?!
:josh: My WPF Blog[^] Without a strive for perfection I would be terribly bored.
Josh Smith wrote:
Man, you're creepy! Is that[^] you?!
worse, I am larger still! http://www.zianet.com/jjustinb/aboutme.html[^] hopefully I won't look like that for at least another 20 years. ;P Not positive who that is, but I don't know all the native american flute players.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Would you generally prefer to work in a large company with a large IT department, or a small company where there are only a handful of developers? Each has advantages I think, but I'll provide a few anecdotal tales here for reference. Several years ago, I worked in a software house with about 50 other software engineers. There were multiple teams of people working on multiple projects. If you needed help with something, there was always someone who could help. After a while, each person fell into a niche area of expertise (mine was the tree control for some reason!). Keep in mind that at this time, there was only one computer connected to the Internet via dial-up, and the quarterly MSDN updates were a source of great excitement. So, having such a large and varied group of software developers was a huge bonus, as there was always someone to share ideas with. Conversely, at my current position I am one of only three developers and I am solely responsible for the new in-house application to replace their legacy system. The other 2 guys are the team leader and the website developer. We are a very close team and get along really well. The small company atmosphere (as well as the nature of our business) means that everyone is pretty relaxed. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this post - I'm really just curious if people prefer a large or small company. Personally, I'd take a small company any day of the week.
Sunrise Wallpaper Project | The StartPage Randomizer | The Windows Cheerleader
I prefer working in a municipal government for the stability. The 2 small companies I worked in, the 1st went bankrupt, the 2nd was a sweatshop (ie 2hrs to change a form!).
"Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit..." "There is no one who loves pain itself, who seeks after it and wants to have it, simply because it is pain..."
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Only worked at one place so I can't comment relatively speaking but I like where I am now. We've made the top 100 companies in the state by employee satisfaction the last 7 years running so we're definately doing something right. :) ~1400 company wide, ~900-1000 at this location, ~250-300 at this building, ~20 on my program, I'm the only person writing code for my application.
-- If you view money as inherently evil, I view it as my duty to assist in making you more virtuous.
dan neely wrote:
~20 on my program, I'm the only person writing code for my application.
What do the other 19 odd people do then ?
Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ "I am working on a project that will convert a FORTRAN code to corresponding C++ code.I am not aware of FORTRAN syntax" ( spotted in the C++/CLI forum )
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dan neely wrote:
~20 on my program, I'm the only person writing code for my application.
What do the other 19 odd people do then ?
Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ "I am working on a project that will convert a FORTRAN code to corresponding C++ code.I am not aware of FORTRAN syntax" ( spotted in the C++/CLI forum )
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Josh Smith wrote:
Man, you're creepy! Is that[^] you?!
worse, I am larger still! http://www.zianet.com/jjustinb/aboutme.html[^] hopefully I won't look like that for at least another 20 years. ;P Not positive who that is, but I don't know all the native american flute players.
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
El Corazon wrote:
Not positive who that is, but I don't know all the native american flute players.
I think you mean flautists, right? ;P
:josh: My WPF Blog[^] Without a strive for perfection I would be terribly bored.
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El Corazon wrote:
Not positive who that is, but I don't know all the native american flute players.
I think you mean flautists, right? ;P
:josh: My WPF Blog[^] Without a strive for perfection I would be terribly bored.
Josh Smith wrote:
I think you mean flautists, right?
I realize this is cliche' but everytime I see that word I read it as 'flatulist'. Which has a much different meaning. Although they do both involve the passage of air through an aperture which vibrates as a result :)
The early bird who catches the worm works for someone who comes in late and owns the worm farm. -- Travis McGee
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Josh Smith wrote:
I think you mean flautists, right?
I realize this is cliche' but everytime I see that word I read it as 'flatulist'. Which has a much different meaning. Although they do both involve the passage of air through an aperture which vibrates as a result :)
The early bird who catches the worm works for someone who comes in late and owns the worm farm. -- Travis McGee
Patrick Sears wrote:
I realize this is cliche' but everytime I see that word I read it as 'flatulist'. Which has a much different meaning. Although they do both involve the passage of air through an aperture which vibrates as a result
Did I ever tell you about the time when I was at band camp...?
:josh: My WPF Blog[^] Without a strive for perfection I would be terribly bored.
