Topic 47 A large company vs. a small company

Each year, millions of students graduate from schools and join the army of people seeking for jobs. Many of them aim at getting a position in a large and outstanding company that often means higher income on average and good fame. Walking in and out the high buildings in downtown areas and wearing professional clothes and attires (наряды), those lucky people working in big companies are admired by others. They are often referred as "white collars" or even "golden collars" that rank high in the society.

A large company offers many advantages that are helpful to a person's career development. I am now working in a company that is one of the largest ones in China and ranks among Fortune top 500. Our office building is located at the most prosperous downtown area in the city. Staff members of our company have higher income than those of many other companies. In recently years, our company is aiming at proceeding into the world market and has established business connections around the world, which provides us with opportunities to work abroad. In short, working in a large company may enable us to gain valuable experience and have broader views in a competitive environment.

Jane is not the best student in ordinary school subjects (общеобр. предметы), but she surpasses all the others in music.

But not everyone is suited to work in large companies. For those who like to work independently and enjoy more personal freedom, a small company may be a good choice. People in a large company may feel stable and be less likely to be dismissed, but they are also subjected (подвержены) to many restrictions imposed by the regulations of the company. A small company may require their employees to do more comprehensive (обширный, комплексный) works and give them more free choices.

In business, stagnation equals retrogression. Wherever we work, large or small company, it is essential to work hard to make progress. In a fast changing society, if we always stay where we are, we will face the risk of being surpassed (превосходить, обгонять) by others.