Have you ever worked for a small business owner before?

[BGCarrera32]

I interviewed for a mechanical engineering position last fall with an outfit that is owned by one guy and he has around 8 or 9 employees. He has been in business since 1993. For reasons I won't get into (and some that leave me scratching my head) I had a super interview but it never went anywhere. I got a call from him last week and he still wants to hire me (8 months later?)- evidently he never did move on anyone at the time. He indicated he had 4 or 5 guys he wanted to interview of which I was the first, and he stopped interviewing after me.

One of my big worries is that I am an 8 or 8:30 to 5 kinda guy with small kids, and I do night school online, often up til midnight. I can't do over a 45 hour work week and make things work. I am leery of the "one owner" kind of business where I am in 5 or 10 minutes late one day and I've got the guy watching over my shoulder all day regardless of how good the work I do is.

Have you worked for a small business owner before? Pros-cons-good-bad, I'd like to hear your thoughts.

[Reg]

Well- I have to say no I have not worked for a small business owner but am one.

For me I would be flexible with you if you were flexible with me. If you are good at what you do I'd see that and take the good along with the bad aspects of your employment. That is, as long as there was more of the former.

[Cdnone1]

I've owned a business that has employed around that many people. With the salaried employees I didn't really care about the hours they kept (within reason) just as long as the work I was paying them for got done. For some that meant going home early and for some working late.
Don't know if that helps

Steve

[stomachmonkey]

Last guy asked me to leave, said our personalities clashed.

Seriously, you can readily find the same attitude that concerns you in large corporations with 1,000's of employees.

In my experience the smaller places have been more flexible, family oriented.

[imcarthur]

Except for an 11 month stint with a multi-national, I have never worked for anything but small business owners.

Advantages:

You are recognized immediately when you do a good job.
You typically have more flexibility for personal 'things' (within reason)
Far less time wasted in pointless meetings.
Performance can be instantly rewarded.
You feel like you really matter.
The boss will listen to you.
You are not a cog in a cubicle.
You can meaningfully change the course of the business.

Disadvantages:

When you mess up, you hear immediately. You can't bury it or hope for others to be blamed.
When you are away, no-one can fill in.
Automatic raises don't exist. Your salary can lag because of this.
Benefits can be few or non-existent.
If the business suffers, you will feel it immediately.

Personally, I think big businesses suck.

Ian

[Rufblackbird]

He called you back eight months after he interviewed you? Wow.

Then again, I interviewed with a local small business owner last August...owner said he'd call me after the Monterey Historics weekend, then nothing. Maybe I still have a chance (job still posted on their website)...

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by Rufblackbird

He called you back eight months after he interviewed you? Wow

Many years ago (decades really) I sent 50 resumes to companies in my industry. I got 2 immediate interviews & a job. A little more than a year later, the you-know-what hit the fan. That same day there was a message at home from a company that I had sent one to. That led to a better job & a new direction for me. Fate sometimes smiles.

Ian

[look 171]

Most small business owner couldn't care less if you a a few minutes late or leave early once in a while as long as he knows you are good and making the company money. I ask my guys to take time off or leave early for their kids game, or take their parents to to docs. They will bust their a$$ for me when they know I need them to because they know I am good to them. He knows who the shinning stars are because the co. is so small and in return, you will be treated well if you perform above and beyond what's ask of you. Two of my guys just pull off a straight 3 weeks and no time off just to complete the job to please my client. I didn't even ask them. They don't know it yet, this Friday they are getting 1500 bucks extra for their suffering. Bastards.

[drew1]

I've worked for a few small businesses, but on a mechanic, machine operator, or machinist level instead of an engineer. Since there is no benefits, work time adjustment can be made, In big companies there is always somebody who will push the limits on this & messes things up. But work has to be ready when promised so, be ready to change your personal schedule when needed.

When you work for a small business, you work for somebody that loves the company & wants it to succeed. This isn't necesarily so with a big company.

[Halm]

Originally Posted by BGCarrera32

One of my big worries is that I am an 8 or 8:30 to 5 kinda guy with small kids, and I do night school online, often up til midnight.

I understand that sometimes we have to really cut to the chase on the board to ask a question. But I think the quoted sentence is the essence of your post. Over the last 35 years I have worked for big and small businesses, and been / am a small business owner. Here is my 2 cents worth.

You are not at a place where you want a job, much less a career. You want a paycheck. Small businesses are a real team approach. There is no margin for error. If you told me during the interview process that you were an 8-5 guy, I wouldn’t hire you. If you elected not to tell me that but then started acting that way, within 3 months I would fire you.

You better be able and willing to put in whatever it takes to make your business and yourself successful. My suggestion would be get the night school out of the way. To bring in some $$$ in the interim, go contact all the “rent a temp” companies you can find. There are low expectations on temps. Alternatively apply for a job where anything beyond 8-5 is forbidden, not expected. They are out there. Government and utilities are examples. Then you will be happier and your employer will be happy.

[GH85Carrera]

I have worked for small business owners all my life. The advantages, no company meeting with managers. The owner is 100% in command. There is no chain of command, just talk to the owner and get any question answered, or make a suggestion and get a direct response.

Does any of the family work there? If his wife is part of the business ask him directly, who is the final decision maker. Family members that only show up to collect a paycheck can cause friction.

Once the owner sees that you can produce the work and make him money you will have some leverage. He will know who produced what and at what profit. It will all depend on that man and how he takes care of employees. If he really understands that he has no company without employees he will be nice to you. If you are just another burger flipper you are easily replaceable.

[David McLaughlin]

I find that a smaller business is less structured than a large one. The reason I'm stall at my day job is because I can be late or just call in on short notice (snow days, sick days and what ever my kids throw at me) and be OK. A larger company had more dead weight with nothing better to do than breath down your neck while in the smaller one, everyone is busy and doesn't have the time to be bothered.

[TechnoViking]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Seriously, you can readily find the same attitude that concerns you in large corporations with 1,000's of employees.

In my company ($7B corporation) we have offices all over the world of different sizes and different personalities. IMO, there is a positive correlation between the size of the office and the amount of micromanagement.

[mca]

I work at a small company. There are 9 of us - 3 of which are the partners.

One of the partners is my college roommate. So I have the strange boss / friend thing to deal with.

I have been here for 5 years and was freelancing prior to joining the team. I can honestly say that I love 90% of the job. We can pretty much come and go as we please - but we MUST get our work done. Nobody is looking over my shoulder and most of time we are treated as equals with the partners.

We also get to bring our dogs to work and can wear flip flops and shorts during the hot summer months.

We are like a family. We have fights from time to time (which is perfectly ok and normal) but mostly we focus on improving our craft and working as a team. I dig it.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by BGCarrera32

I can't do over a 45 hour work week and make things work. I am leery of the "one owner" kind of business where I am in 5 or 10 minutes late one day and I've got the guy watching over my shoulder all day regardless of how good the work I do is.

As a small business owner I'd say that a big company where you can punch a clock and be a drone until you finish school is probably more suited to your needs.

[porsche4life]

I grew up in a small business..... Like both my parents and 4employees at the max... My dad is VERY flexible on hours... but... if he is going to work 60hrs that week to get all the jobs done... you better be ready to as well, but we are out working on signs behind the highway... if we are working that its b/c thats when our gap in the weather is. Being an engineer behind a desk you won't have that problem.


I work at a small pharmacy/general store now. I talk directly to the owner every day. Ask him where he wants me that day. When I need an afternoon off for school I tell him. I think the trick to working with a small business is finding one where you fit in and the owner is willing to work with you.

I'm not sure I will ever be able to work in a large corporation. I will most likely end up opening my own place once I am done with school.

[GH85Carrera]

One of the definite perks is flexible hours & casual dress. I wear shorts all summer long and jeans in the summer.

The company does not give a flip if I need to take off for a couple of hours for a personal thing. As long as the work is done we can surf the net and work on personal stuff.

[911Rob]

I liked Ian's post.... go4it

As for the 8 month gap, they probably choose their people carefully and wisely, then commit to them; use it as a positive to re-affirm this when you talk to them. Have fun.

[svandamme]

yeah, it was more fun, just me and the boss, still consider him a friend now 10 years after i left..
Went to big multinationals... that's only as good till the managers change and you get a douchebag stuffing crap down your throat, because he says that's the way he wants it..

now i'm in a midsize company that grows... best of both worlds i think, better pay, less strict work, more room to evolve myself along with the company as it grows...

[Dave L]

Originally Posted by Halm

I understand that sometimes we have to really cut to the chase on the board to ask a question. But I think the quoted sentence is the essence of your post. Over the last 35 years I have worked for big and small businesses, and been / am a small business owner. Here is my 2 cents worth.

You are not at a place where you want a job, much less a career. You want a paycheck. Small businesses are a real team approach. There is no margin for error. If you told me during the interview process that you were an 8-5 guy, I wouldn’t hire you. If you elected not to tell me that but then started acting that way, within 3 months I would fire you.

You better be able and willing to put in whatever it takes to make your business and yourself successful.

And thats the biggest issue with working at a small business, the expectation from some business owners is that because they are putting in 70 hours per week so should everyone else.