Don't focus on the size of the company. Smaller companies will be more ready to discuss and consider nontraditional job experience. Smaller companies will be

Don't focus on the size of the company. Smaller companies will be more ready to discuss and consider nontraditional job experience. Smaller companies will be easier to analyze for exactly what kinds of projects you'll be working on. Smaller companies will be more transparent in terms of giving you an idea how your work environment will feel. Smaller companies will allow you to make changes to your own circumstances more easily. Smaller companies will be more likely to recognize, and reward, real talent rather than ass-kissing and toeing the company line. While larger companies tend to be more resilient to the vagaries of the market, thus ensuring their continued existence, they achieve that in part by being willing to lay off hundreds or thousands of good workers at a time when the going gets tough, thus eliminating any imagined job security benefit (though there are exceptions, like Toyota). About the only advantage a big company really has is the ability to make a lateral career move with greater ease, in organizations that encourage hiring from within, because they're more willing to hire someone without relevant experience as long as they have plenty of experience within that organization. Remember, there's a difference between "startup" and "smaller company". Many smaller companies are stable, friendly work environments where people have a fair bit of autonomy (relative to the vast majority of the bigger companies), without suffering the problems that afflict dysfunctional startups. You don't need to take the diametrical opposite career track to get a couple of benefits that are lacking in your current circumstances; you just need to make a change by enough degrees that it addresses the specific problems you currently face. In fact, you're more likely to be happy that way, because you don't have to give up as much of what you like about your current circumstances (even if you do not realize there are things you like about it). edit: Okay, maybe you should focus on the size of the company somewhat -- but not the way you think.