The Great Stability Myth

As my boss Danny Cahill famously says at his training seminars,“salespeople enjoy the world’s only job security.”  This is indeed a fact, yet I’ve never understood why some candidates (particularly in the sales world) say that they are looking for a more “stable” opportunity, by gearing their search towards bigger companies.

I’ve been recruiting technology sales talent since 2000, and can tell you that from my perch, bigger does not necessarily equal more stable. In fact, an argument could be made that smaller companies actually provide a more secure environment. When it comes to job stability, is working for a large company better than a smaller organization?

• Survival of the “fittest”

You need to have a particular set of DNA in order to survive and thrive at the “IBMs” of the world.  And you need to have a certain makeup to be able to work at a startup. Some people enjoy being a part of building something new and having their voices heard, while others prefer the structure and resources that a large corporation offers.

• Relationships

I’ve historically seen smaller to midsize companies be much more invested in their employees’ success. It’s a much more personal and vested relationship,…and in many cases, one that is harder to end. When a bigger company has layoffs, personal relationships and performance are often not factors, as cuts are made line-by-line. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen quota achieving sales candidates caught in a RIF (Reduction in force). Rarely will you see an overachiever laid off at a smaller company.

• Stability, schmability

I hear every day how employees at larger companies have suddenly had their territories changed. I can’t imagine being a sales rep, spending a year or more building out the pipeline in my territory, only to have it change and having to start from scratch again, while another rep reaps the benefits of my hard work. Where’s the stability in that?

At the end of the day, stability is nothing but a myth. Yes, there are both great and risky elements in working at a big company versus a smaller one, but the only true stability comes from our track record of revenues and confidence in our abilities… As long as you can sell, you have a home somewhere.

-Larry