There are many reasons to work for a big company as a Black professional in Canada. For example, according to a survey by KPMG Canada, nearly seven in 10 Black Canadians feel employers have made progress on being more inclusive and equitable for Black employees and have also made genuine efforts to hire more Black Canadians.
On top of this, kicking off a professional career with a large company is filled with perks that can have positive long-term impacts for Black, Brown and underrepresented professionals.
Certainly, no big company is perfect and there will be a downside to kicking off a career in big corporate. But I am convinced working for a large company will bring more positive outcomes than negative outcomes.
The job of your dreams.
No matter your race, or where you're from.
Personally, I started my career working for a large corporation. After spending over a decade with the company, I’m convinced I learned more in the time I spent in the fast-paced corporate world than some people do in an entire career.
Following my corporate experience, anything else I took on seemed easy. Here are 3 reasons to work for a big company as a Black Professional in Canada.
Reason 1: you’ll get access to mentors.
When I started my first job at a big company, I was surrounded by a bunch of really smart people that taught me lots, far beyond the technical components of practicing Human Resources.
I was fortunate that a lot of these more senior, smart people were women. There are, of course, some extra lessons for women looking to move up the corporate ladder.
I was surrounded by women leaders who were interested in my progression and open to teaching. By being around these more experienced folks, I learned about accepted standards of behavior, the importance of managing perceptions and even how to dress.
Some of the most valuable lessons I learned in the early days of my career were pretty basic. “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it”, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have”. Timeless and important advice that a lot of us already know.
On top of these basics, mentors helped me understand everything from how to navigate office politics to how to best communicate with the most senior levels of the company. They also helped me understand the importance of networking inside and outside of the organization – and how to do it.
I think its important to note, I never actually had a mentor who was a member of a visible minority group. In my corporate experience, I never worked with a Black, Brown or underrepresented female. This was a definite downside of my corporate experience. A downside which I didn’t recognize until many years later.
Reason 2: You’ll get access to training dollars.
Often large corporations have training budgets and include learning and development as part of performance management. This means free training for you. This is so valuable as you start or build your career.
Access to training dollars from the company can mean hundreds to thousands of dollars in savings and perks for you.
Imagine you want to pursue a professional designation, or a Master’s Degree to further your education. In a large company, you might be able to access budget dollars to pursue something like this.
To top it off, you’ll likely have access to folks who have already completed similar training to provide support and guidance.
Personal development and training might be part of your overall job offer or part of the company benefits package. During an interview it is worthwhile to ask something like ‘how does the organization support ongoing training and development’.
If you’re already working inside the organization, look for any relevant policies that could answer any questions you might have. If you’re not able to fin anything, check with your manager or Human Resources.
Reason 3: Everything after will seems like a breeze.
Working for a mature private company can be pretty tough. This is especially true if you’re looking to progress and climb the corporate latter.
As a Black, Brown or underrepresented professional, the challenge can be even greater. The desire to progress your career often means extra hours, taking on special projects and making a commitment to continuing education.
You’re essentially competing with everyone else who wants to progress and vying for a pretty limited number of positions. Due to the competitive nature of the corporate environment, performance is really important and work often becomes all about impressing more senior folks with influence over your future placement internally.
Working for a big company is typically complicated with lots of relationships and perceptions to manage. Because most folks are always bringing their A game, you have to do the same, or better. Unfortunately, as a minority you probably already understand that the playing field isn’t level. While an A game is exceptional for most, as a minority you have to bring an A+.
This isn’t right or fair. Unfortunately, it is a reality faced by underrepresented professionals. One which we can work to overcome through the resources offered here at Hire Diverse, through continuing discussions and education.
Conclusion: Black professionals can benefit from working for a large company but should be aware of the possible downsides.
As a Black professional in Canada, there is a definite upside to working for a large organization. But while being high performing in a competitive environment is rewarding, it can also be pretty tiring. When I went from large corporate to a smaller organization, my standards seemed very high because my frame of reference was large corporate.
Whatever you decide, you have to do what’s best for you and your family. As a Black professional, don’t rule out big corporate right away. It’s not all bad and there are some definite perks that might help you advance your career, over the long-term.
