5 traps to avoid when working at a big company:

1. Being someone's lieutenant

If you're good, someone at the company will try to collect you.

They’ll imply that loyalty to them will fast-track your career.

They have a few followers already in their trap.

Avoid them. They will never let you excel past them.

2. Tribal knowledge

Big companies are full of legacy tech. And custom-built internal tooling.

These are skills you can't bring anywhere else.

If you're not careful, you'll only be an expert at THEIR systems.

Focus on building both internal AND transferable expertise.

3. Falling for perks

Snacks in the office cost the company nothing. Dry cleaning costs the company nothing.

Flying you to Denver and getting you a hotel room costs the company nothing.

In your head, you're likely pricing these perks as worth $40k. Don't fall for that.

4. Getting raises, not readjustments

If you're a top performer at your company, best case, you get a 7% raise each year.

Even if they should, companies don't adjust people's pay by 50%.

If you were to switch jobs, you might see that 50% boost.

5. Lack of recognition

You should be recognized for 70% of all the work you do.

If you expect to be recognized for 100% of your work, you're likely not a team player.

If you're recognized for _less_ than 70% of your work, you're being taken for granted. And being underpaid.

I avoided these traps at big companies. Smaller ones face them too.

Follow me @arvanaghi as I share the story of going from a big company, to a smaller one, to a tiny one, to starting @JoinMeow.