Should I stay or should I go?

Manique

This is not about the Clash, but about whether I job offer I have is worth taking. I have worked for a small software house for the last 5 years (and another similarly sized one before that for another 5 years). I have always wondered what it would be like to work for a big software house. In the last month I have recieved an offer from HP (the part that used to be EDS in the UK). The money is only a little better, but I keep thinking to myself, it would look good on my CV and I would get the chance to work on some really meaty projects....however I keep reading horror stories from ex-employees on the web, what experiences fellow code project members had of working for them and is it worth just passing the opportunity and waiting for something else? I am aware that few people post good things about a place if they are happy there, so I am taking the bad stories with a 'pinch of salt'. At the moment I am 50-50. I would greatly appreciate any comments.

Mycroft Holmes

5 years in one place - only my current position, in 40 years of working (and I'm still a contractor). If the money is not an issue then look at the content, getting stuck in a dead end support role will kill a creator. I would move on general principal except that it is HP/EDS who have a really crap reputation (I have no experience with them). Good luck with that decision!

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH

CPallini

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Dario Solera

I would never work for a giant Corp, but that's me.

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Lost User

Got a mate who works for them in Holland. He hasnt said anything negative abhout them though.

Morality is indistinguishable from social proscription

Dan Neely

Manique wrote:

This is not about the Clash

but this reply is. :laugh:

3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18

charlieg

HP? Yes. EDS? No.

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PIEBALDconsult

It has been my experience that we regret the things we don't do more than the things we do do.

Jim Crafton

Manique wrote:

I have always wondered what it would be like to work for a big software house.

Then don't go to work for EDS/HP. When you say "software house" I think of companies like Adobe, Microsoft, Autodesk, Apple, etc. HP does hardware. HP does consulting. But so far as I know it doesn't have much of a rep for software. And while the consulting arm of HP will certainly do software, I'd be willing to bet most of the projects suck.

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i j russell

I have been in the same situation and I decided that I prefer to be a big fish in small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond. I like that I can influence the technology that a project uses and be involved in all aspects of the development process. Moving to a bigger Company would reduce the impact that I would have and massively increase the level of bureaucracy that I had to deal with. I am a Software Professional not a Corporate Drone (TM).

Snowman58

I worked in large companies (Fortune 50) and in small companies. There are several generic differences that you should consider. They are not good or bad, but more stylistic in how one works and your comfort level within the group. But they can make a big difference in how happy you are; Specialization vs Generalization In a large company you are likely to be slotted into a specific role and rarely allowed to switch roles within the company. I have seen people that never left their first assignment and have one years experience twenty times over. The longer you are in that role, the less likely anyone outside the company will consider you for anything else either. You will rarely be allowed to make any but the smallest decisions on your own. But at the same time you can become a true and respected expert in that task. In a small company you are likely to need to spread your wings and perform multiple roles outside your core skills. You can end up doing something you hate or discover a new passion. You will get to make more decisions and therefore have more influence (good or bad) on the product. However it is unlikely you will become an expert in any one task. Opportunity to Advance In a large company, you have to be outstanding to even be noticed by senior management. So advancement can be slow and less performance and more seniority based. In a small company it is likely the management will know or at least recognize the relative contribution of every employee. This makes it easier to stand out from the pack and advance. On the other hand there are fewer opportunities for advancement. Available Resources In a large company it is likely you will be able to call on multiple experts in a large number of fields. Have an intellectually property or accounting question? It is likely they have a specialist on staff or a consultant available to give you a timely answer. Newer and more diverse support services and equipment will be available. You’re more likely to get a new development system, software specific to the problem and a dedicated testing staff. Large companies generally have multiple customers and the financial resources to weather down turns with fewer layoffs. In a small company, you will likely have to research topics yourself and while you will probably learn something new in the process, it will take you longer and you may still make the wrong call because you are out of your depth in a specialty field. You may have to make do with the available e