Expert: The Daunting Task of Getting a Job at a Small Business and Thriving There

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - March 19, 2009) - The deep recession is bringing its fair share of sea changes. One is the imperatives for many people who are accustomed to large organizations to seek jobs at small companies, some of which are growing and hiring because they're able to serve cost-conscious clients less expensively.

"Coming off as an appealing candidate to a small company is no mean feat for a lot of capable people who have been reared in large organizations, many of which are now downsizing," said Kathryn Kerge, founder and president of Kerge Consulting, which provides human capital strategies to small businesses. "The rub is that small companies that are hiring can now be extremely choosey -- and find the person who not only has the best qualifications but who also really feels right from a cultural perspective."

She added, "Before you go for an interview at a small company, make sure you do a 'mindset check' -- and also think carefully about the questions you ask and the responses you give to theirs. You have to think and act like one of them -- and they can often tell if you're faking it. Embrace the idea that small companies, while often free of process and short on resources, are the hotbed of innovation and professional fulfillment. Get your head around the idea that it's good for the soul to have to defrag your own computer because there's no IT department."

Ms. Kerge is available to discuss the mindset shift, as well as the interview do's and don'ts, that big-company veterans need to internalize if they need migrate their careers to the small business economy.

During a discussion, she can elaborate on...

• The "Mindset Shift" that People from Big Companies Need to Make. "You really have to get your head around the positives of a more impromptu, less structured environment. You have to be OK with -- and excited about -- the notion that what you've planned for work one day might be completely derailed when something new and pressing comes up. Small companies are just more seat-of-the-pants. Less defined job titles don't mean the company isn't effective and that you aren't making a huge contribution. And, you need to embrace that jobs at small companies usually don't have established career paths -- you need to create your own -- and understand that bare-bones job benefits don't mean the company is unstable or a 'bad place to work,'" she said.
  
  
  • "If your attitude on the first day of the job is going to be, 'Ok, where's my BlackBerry?, What car service do we use? and What time does everyone leave?', then you need to fix your attitude. In small companies, you often have to deal with your own technology and transportation -- and get used to the idea that you don't go home until all your work is done," she added.
    
    
  • "If you're turned off by the fact that your job interview takes place on a folding card table in an unused office, then you need to learn more about small companies -- or perhaps re-think whether you can handle the informality and frugality," she continued.
    
    
• The Questions and Answers that Could Be Major "Turn-Offs" During Job Interviews with Small Company Leaders. "Even if your experience and qualifications are great, interviewers can easily detect whether you're up for life in a small company. Questions and answers that might be completely appropriate at a big organization can scream 'bad fit' at a small company," she said. Ms. Kerge recommends avoiding comments and questions like...
  
  
  • What's the promotion path and history for this position, and how will my title evolve? "You could very well be the first person in this position, or the common experience might be that the person's strengths determine the promotion path -- and the direction of the company," she said.
    
    
  • How stable is your company, and what's the plan for expansion? "Questions about company stability might convey that you're skeptical about small companies and too risk-averse to put your soul behind the job," she added.
    
    
  • If I take the position, what will the training plan be when I arrive? "There may be no training plan. Small companies want people who are self-starters and self-sufficient," she said.
    
    
  • What resources are allocated to this group for marketing? "There may be no set resources. You need to assume everything has to be done on a shoestring -- or that you need to create budgets by demonstrating the need," she said.
    
    
• The Right Things to Say and Ask in Interviews -- to Show that You've Got the DNA Small Companies Want. "Remember, it's easy for interviewers to tell whether you just need a job -- or whether you're 'fired-up' about their company. Also, small company leaders usually need people who are genuinely excited about the opportunity. They want people who are no less than 110% involved, so you need to find a way to show that you're 'psyched,'" she said. And when it comes to asking key questions, she said it's important to cast them in a small-company context. For instance:
  
  
  • Instead of asking, "What resources are allocated to this position?" ask, "I'm sure you need to be really innovative when it comes to resources. What has worked in the past?"
    
    
  • Instead of asking, "Who does this position interact with in terms of other verticals?" ask, "I'm sure there needs to be a lot of cross-functioning in this role. Who are the folks I'd be working with the most?"
    
    
  • Instead of asking, "What's the career path of this position?" say, "I'm sure that everyone who's integral to this company has carved their own way. I'd love to know some of the stories of your people."
    
    
• Packaging Big-Company Experience as Perfect for Small Companies. "When you talk about your work at your big-company job to a recruiter at a small company, make sure you make yourself sound entrepreneurial, self-starting and flexible," she said. One might...
  
  
  • Emphasize smaller-team projects over bigger ones.
    
    
  • Discuss new-business triumphs at a previous job -- to demonstrate a grassroots approach to business.
    
    
  • Talk about being the "first" to do this or that at an organization. ("I was the first to design and implement a new budget process. I saw the need and went ahead and did it.")
    
    
• Flexibility that Pays Off -- Especially When it Comes to Alternatives to Full-Time Jobs. "Small companies are far more likely to suggest part-time positions, projects or freelance work. It would be a mistake to rule those out too quickly. Not only can they be lucrative and rewarding, they can lead to bigger things, including full-time positions," she said. "If you're presented with an opportunity that's not what you're used to or what you set out to get, don't be afraid of it: It could be cutting edge and get you more experience than others with whom you're competing in the job market. Why not offer to help on projects when they're in the search process?"

"Remember, small companies offer some of the most rewarding experiences in the business world. It can be worth taking the leap to the other side," said Ms. Kerge.

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Katarina Wenk-Bodenmiller of Sommerfield Communications at (212) 255-8386 or katarina@sommerfield.com

About Kerge Consulting
Kerge Consulting provides human capital strategies to companies seeking innovative and effective ways to optimize the performance of both their people and business. Our unique understanding of human resources and its impact on business performance allows us to provide our clients with solutions that are created specifically for them with this objective in mind. Our services are designed to provide leadership and consultation across specialized human capital areas including Talent Acquisition and Recruitment, Performance Management, Organizational Development, Management Practices and HR Infrastructure. www.kergeconsulting.com

Contact Information: Contact: Katarina Wenk-Bodenmiller Sommerfield Communications (212) 255-8386 Katarina@sommerfield.com