With more and more startups and medium size businesses cropping up, job seekers should consider the benefits of working for those companies. It’s always tempting to work for brands that are large and well known because they are presumably successful. But there are a lot of benefits to working for small or medium size businesses. Here are a few reasons to consider SMBs (Small/Medium Businesses) for the next step in your career.

1. More Opportunity, Flexibility, Creativity

Small and medium sized businesses are not weighed down by the processes and regulations that larger corporations need to put in place to function. SMBs have the ability to be more flexible. It is easier to communicate across a smaller company and most small businesses encourage their employees to present any ideas and innovations they may have. Being hired by an SMB means you are a part of a small, tight knit community. You can be more involved in the business and you can create the opportunities and responsibilities that you want. If you don’t like a part of your job or are struggling, they are more willing to negotiate with you to keep you happy and working hard.

2. Personal Impact on the Company

Small and medium size businesses are much more tighter communities and everything you do affects the success of a company. In a large company, the work that you do can be overshadowed or seem insignificant. When you are working in a place with fewer employees, you can affect change in the work environment more easily and everything that you do has an impact on the company at large. Not only is knowing that your work has meaning important, but this impact that you can have on the company is also an opportunity for you to challenge yourself and take a chance on attempting something new.

3. Less Bureaucratic and Paperwork Focused

When working in a large enterprise, there are often many levels in each department and they do a lot of record keeping and paperwork. In smaller businesses, there are usually less levels in the company itself and getting things done or affecting change usually involves less paperwork and more discussion. When there are less employees in a company, it is easier to manage the workings of the business without paperwork and bureaucracy. Knowing that you don’t have to go through many individuals to get to the top is a great perk of working at a smaller company. There aren’t as many processes in place and it is easier to communicate with people across the whole company.

4. Adaptable Benefits and Perks

Flexibility in small and medium sized businesses extends to benefits and perks. Because these companies are smaller and have less employees to manage, they can offer their workers more PTO (Paid Time Off) or remote work opportunities. These companies can afford to be flexible with working schedules. They can also usually offer benefits like company sponsored celebrations because there are less employees to support at the events. It is easier to negotiate for different the benefits and perks that you want at a smalle business because things are not as strictly managed.

5. Faster Growth

When you are in a large company, there may not be a lot of growth or expansion. Many large companies operate on a successful model and are hesitant to change the way they do things. They may even be constantly trimming their business, rather than growing it. SMBs on the other hand are always looking for new ways to grow and expand, giving you more opportunities. Because of the flexibility of small and medium businesses, if a new project pops up that you are interested in, it is easier for you to get that opportunity. As the company grows, your role will grow. There is little fear of being stuck in a dead end job or having to do the same job with no change. Projects, promotions, and responsibilities are always growing in SMBs and that can be a great thing for your career.

6. Positive Working Environment

Because SMBs have fewer employees the company’s culture is usually very tight knit and positive. Every individual is directly contributing to the success of the business and this creates a feeling of comradery within the working environment. The businesses are usually more open, making it is easier to make connections across the company. In startups or small businesses, you may even know every employee of the company personally. Thus, the culture of the company is even more important than larger businesses and many of these companies put more work into creating a positive and close working environment.

There are many small and medium sized businesses out there that job seekers should consider. While larger companies may have a brand that you recognize or seem more stable, SMBs have a lot to offer in their own right. These are only six of the perks that come from working at a small or medium sized business.