Anyone in a senior career move from a well-known company to a smaller-lesser-known company?

[SingaporeSting]

So far, in my 20 year career, I've worked for household global brands (currrent company around 250k employees) , and I've taken pride in my CV having some good names on it.

I've just been headhunted for a smaller company (20k employees) I've never heard of before, but the role sounds GREAT and I'm going through the recruitment process. Of course it may come to nothing, but I'm already wondering if I've really got the minerals to jump from a big brand MNC to a smaller company in a totally random industry.

Comp package is similar, senior role (Director level), but I'd never heard of the company, and the industry is very specialist and not one I'd previously had any desires to get in to.

However, opportunities where I live (abroad) in my specialism are few and far between. This is a 100% remote role with a really international (important to me) and as I say, the role sounds super interesting.

Any career experts out there who can give a view on whether big names on CVs really matters? At my stage of career, I've probably reached my peak, so it's more about moving around to do the same same but different leveraging my experience. But current company is also "fine". Good days and bad days, been there for 7 years and have worked bloody hard there so far. So it's difficult to walk away, though it's quite comfortable, and has a bit of a reputation as being somewhere where people stagnate, and have a "need to change itch" so this surprise headhunt situation has got me thinking!

It's not exactly small if they have 20k employees!!

I work in finance and found the bigger the brand, the worse it is to work there! So I say go for it.

I do think big company's look quite impressive (rightly or wrongly!) but you have already got those.

No I know 20k is not small really. Maybe “well-known” is more apt.

I see so much on “personal brand” these days and I’ve always been quite fussy about who to work for. And I’m very conscious about getting to an age where I’m simply seen as not young or modern enough so I suppose I’m worried about damaging “my brand”.

Usually I target new employers and who I would and wouldn’t work for, so this situation is not my usual approach. However recently I’ve also been thinking that things are a bit comfortable and it’s time to take some little risks, just so that I don’t get out of practice doing so!!

I moved from a big company to a medium-sized company in my field (nowhere like your headcounts though!). I found that I had more scope to do interesting things in the smaller company. I improved my existing skills, picked up an area of responsibility that I'd never worked with before and wasn't afraid to get stuck in.

On the minus side, I experienced a bit of culture shock at the beginning. At my previous company, there were whole departments of people doing individual aspects of a job done by one person (or me!) at the smaller company. I couldn't just book a flight to wherever I wanted to go and sort out a problem. I got used to it though and am glad I made the move.

As long as it ticks your "must-have" boxes, then I'd say go for it. You already have the big brand experience.

Thank you, some interesting points to reflect on.

Ideally I’d consult and work on it all!! One day….

I’m in a similar position, always been at household names but recently accepted a director role at a smaller company. I’ll let you know how it goes…

for me it felt like a risk worth taking. The senior role rather than the household name. I think if it’s an obvious step up then the move looks sensible on the cv.

also I look at it as possibly a stepping stone. No reason I need to be there for 10 years, so the next move might be back to household name but with the seniority.

Hi,

I've worked in a wide range of company sizes:

• Start-ups - 20-200 people.
• Mid size public companies - 5,000-10,000 people.
• Larger global enterprises - ~300,000 people.

I always feel that as long as I can explain WHY I chose that role and that company, it is a useful component to my 'personal brand'.

E.g.

I've been hired by start-ups upon receiving series funding ($10m to $100m) - and my role has been to scale-out their operations ready for acquisition. In these examples I sit on the executive leadership team.

I've worked for mid-sized companies to set-up new functions, which suddenly become both useful and viable at around 5,000 people. In these examples I work at VP or SVP level.

I've worked in business transformation/change management in global enterprises, to help them evolve more quickly (using the mindset I learned at start-ups). In this examples I work at Director or Senior Director level.

And yes, this is spot on
f you’re clear on why you took the role, what you’re looking to achieve, what the challenge was, why it excited you, then it’ll fit the cv (and personal brand) perfectly

Thanks again. I guess if it’s right it’s right.

I have worked bloody hard at my current place and walking away would be tough. Starting from scratch would also be tough.

I could potentially coast at the current place for a few more years at least. Some times I feel like sitting back and just enjoying somewhere comfortable. Some days I think that it’s too important to not coast and instead it’s crucial to push yourself out of your comfort zone every few years.

Potential new role is not a step up, I’m pretty much top of my game, it’s now more about variety, and change.

It doesn’t appear to be a quick recruitment process anyway which is good, not feeling rushed into make a quick decision.

About to do this myself, haven’t got started in new role yet but my reasons for moving from big industry brand to smaller “boutique” business in same industry:

excitement
sense of autonomy
nice team/people
more money
board director role
chance to influence business strategy at top level rather than being on receiving end
to boost my cv

i was initially very nervous and unsure (like you have always worked in established corporates) but figured the big brands will always be there in the future, this particular opportunity for this niche company probably won’t be. If it goes wrong I go back to corporate.