Why I Chose to Stay at a Small Business After College

By: Danielle Birchard

I started working at a small defense company right out of high school and continued there all through college. I learned a lot on this job but thought I would move on once I finished my degree. When the time came for me to graduate, I could not imagine moving on from this small business. Several factors came into play over those four years that solidified my decision to continue my career working in a small business.

A small business truly has a unique environment. I love working for my company because every single person at the company knows me. As a relationship-driven person, these connections were vital to my success. Each of my coworkers knew when my exam weeks were, when I had a big project due, and the exact date when I would be finished with school. This closeness also transitions over to the business setting where we know what everyone is working on so we can lend a hand when needed. The atmosphere that a well-run small business provides is so unprecedented.

In working for a small business, you can see how your tasks directly affect the mission of the company. In large businesses, your efforts can get lost or go unappreciated. Working in a small business, I could clearly see how my work impacted our contracts, our projects, and our employees. The suggestions I made were taken seriously and put into motion. I was able to wear many hats in the company, some of which pulled me out of comfort zone. The knowledge that your work is making a difference for the company is irreplaceable.

Last, when working for a small business, you often get the opportunity to work with all the departments as well as company executives. I work directly with company leadership and I’ve had the opportunity to see exactly what types of decisions must be made at all levels of a company. Since working with the company while it was in its beginning stages to the thriving, well-oiled machine that it is now, I have been able to see and contribute to the hard work that running a business is. Every aspect of business I studied in school I was able to see applied firsthand. This gave me a huge appreciation for all other small business owners, as well as the hard work the owners of large businesses must go through to get their companies to where they are today. Through working for this business, I’ve seen how small businesses truly are the backbone of our economy and I will always strive to support them.