Yes, LinkedIn allows you to filter job search results by company size. This can be a useful way to narrow your search when looking for jobs, as company size can impact aspects like company culture, opportunities for advancement, and work environment.
Filtering by Company Size
There are a few ways to filter by company size on LinkedIn when searching for jobs:
- Use the filters on the left side of the job search page – Under “Company”, check the boxes for “Small”, “Medium”, or “Large” company sizes to only see jobs at companies falling into those categories.
- Search using keywords – Include keywords like “startup”, “small business”, “large company”, etc. in your keyword search bar to bring up jobs at those types of companies.
- Search within a company page – Go to the “Jobs” tab on a specific company’s LinkedIn page to browse openings at that particular organization.
Company Size Definitions
On LinkedIn, company sizes are defined as:
- Small: 1-50 employees
- Medium: 51-200 employees
- Large: 201+ employees
So you can narrow your job search according to those brackets. For example, if you filter for “Small” companies, you’ll see job listings at organizations with 1-50 employees.
Benefits of Filtering by Company Size
Filtering LinkedIn job listings by company size can be useful for a few key reasons:
- Find the right cultural fit – Small companies tend to have more collaborative, casual cultures while large companies are more structured.
- Scope out opportunities for growth – Large companies typically have more extensive training programs and avenues for promotion.
- Assess work/life balance – Startups may require longer hours while big corporations are more likely to offer generous time off policies.
- Gauge job stability – Larger, established companies often provide more job security than younger startups.
So thinking about factors like those, you can use company size filters to narrow in on job opportunities that line up with your preferences and career goals.
Considerations When Filtering by Company Size
Here are some important things to keep in mind when using LinkedIn’s company size filters:
- Company size isn’t everything – Factors like company culture, leadership, role responsibilities, etc. also come into play, so use size as one consideration among many.
- Individual experiences may vary – One person may have a drastically different experience at Company A versus another employee.
- Categories are imperfect – A 70-person startup may feel small and scrappy while a 100-person company could seem large and bureaucratic.
- Blanket assumptions can mislead – Avoid assuming all small companies are disorganized or all large ones are soulless – assess each individually.
So while company size can signal aspects about the work environment, treat it as helpful guidance rather than a definitive indicator of what any given job or company will be like.
Pros of Small Companies
Here are some potential advantages of working at a small company with under 50 employees:
- Greater opportunity to make an impact – Employees often have more visibility and influence in a small company.
- More flexibility – Small teams and lack of bureaucracy can allow for more schedule flexibility.
- Direct access to leadership – Employees can often engage directly with executives.
- Wearing multiple hats – Individuals often get experience in diverse aspects of the business.
- Casual culture – Small companies tend to have more relaxed, casual work environments.
- Room to grow – Fast-moving startups can provide opportunities to take on more responsibility quickly.
Cons of Small Companies
Disadvantages of small companies can include:
- Instability and uncertainty – Startups have higher failure rates which can mean more job insecurity.
- Fewer benefits – Small businesses may not be able to offer robust benefit packages or high salaries.
- Lack of structure – Policies and procedures may still be informal at smaller, younger companies.
- Long hours – Small teams can equate to taking on more workload with fewer resources and people.
- Limited advancement – With fewer roles, getting promoted may be unlikely without the company itself growing.
Pros of Large Companies
Benefits of working at a large company with over 200 employees can include:
- Job stability – Established large firms offer more certainty and security.
- Strong training programs – Budgets allow for extensive onboarding and ongoing training.
- Clear growth paths – There are usually more defined roles and advancement opportunities.
- Generous benefits – Big companies tend to offer competitive health insurance, retirement plans, and time off.
- Prestige – Large, well-known companies carry more name recognition on a resume.
- Work/life balance – Employees are more easily able to take time off and unplug after hours.
Cons of Large Companies
Downsides of jobs at massive corporations can potentially include:
- Bureaucracy – Policy and structural changes take time in large organizations.
- No room for mistakes – Employees often have less freedom and responsibility with more diffuse power.
- Less visibility – It’s easier to get lost in the shuffle among thousands of employees.
- Impersonal culture – Employees are often numbers rather than team members.
- Moving up takes time – More defined advancement ladders also mean slower ascension.
Key Takeaways
Here are some of the key points to keep in mind when filtering LinkedIn job listings by company size:
- Use LinkedIn’s small, medium, and large filters or keywords to search.
- Factor in culture, growth, balance, and stability preferences.
- Don’t rely on size alone – look at the full picture.
- Both small and large companies have pros and cons.
- Fit ultimately depends on your career goals and personality.
Company Size Data
Here is some data on company sizes in the United States (source: US Census Bureau):
Company Size | Number of Employees | Number of Companies | Percentage of Total Firms |
---|---|---|---|
Small | 1-19 | 5,966,987 | 90% |
Medium | 20-99 | 642,541 | 10% |
Large | 100-499 | 18,678 | 0.28% |
Very Large | 500+ | 18,636 | 0.28% |
As this data shows, the vast majority of companies in the US are small businesses with under 20 employees. When searching for jobs on LinkedIn, you’ll likely come across far more openings at small and medium sized companies versus large corporations. Keep this perspective in mind as you use company size filters to narrow your job search.
Conclusion
Filtering by company size on LinkedIn can be a useful way to narrow your job search to find openings better aligned with your professional needs and preferences. Focus on using company size as one helpful data point rather than the sole determining factor. Evaluate the full picture of a job opportunity, and aim to find the right cultural fit, growth trajectory, work/life balance, and role fulfillment based on your own career goals.