Although each company can claim to have its unique culture, most cultures are primarily a function of the size of the company: start-ups are high energy and intensely entrepreneurial; mid-size companies are often the "young adults" where order and systems begin to emerge; large companies often consciously organize business units into small, self-contained profit centers so as to recapture the entrepreneurial spark of the smaller firms.

Think often and intensely about how you work best and what kind of corporate culture will give you the best fit. Deciding what type of culture you will be happiest working in takes into several important factors, including the extent of collaboration vs. competition, degree of team-oriented vs. independent work, a relatively flat vs. more hierarchical organizational structure, how much access to information employees are granted, how much people know about each other and how "warm" or "cold" the environment feels.

Ultimately, Socrates' famous dictum, "know thyself!" applies. This self-assessment is an ongoing process that you will likely revisit at each stage of your career. What kind of temperament do you have? Do you like change? What is your tolerance for ambiguity? Do you need the certainty of established career path, or would you prefer a more fluid environment where you can set your own direction?

These questions are especially important if you are thinking of entering the biotech industry, since many small research-oriented firms are likely to be taken over by larger firms if their technology is not fruitful or if venture cash runs dry. This means churning at the top, which can be disconcerting to those wanting a measure of predictability when they come to work every day.

An Operations Manager gives a few important insights on start-ups: "There's a huge mount of energy focused on acquiring funds and assembling team. When funds do arrive, you set up the facility and do the work. There's no time to do an exhaustive talent search, so you have to hire people you know." Day-to-day can be hectic, and there's a "premium for being able to multi-task. You also have to cover for people's shortcomings, since some may not have full skill sets." Typically, however, those who are hired in start-ups are "usually very smart and innovative problem solvers." Because of the inherent economic risks involved, "some venture capitalist (VCs) station an employee in a start up to keep an eye on the financials."

As a firm transitions from a start-up to a small company (say, 10-60 people), rapid growth often occurs on scientific end -- either from academic labs or other companies. In a small company, multi-tasking continues, since the support infrastructure is not fully in place. For example, the Operations Manager notes, "a scientist may be hired to clone genes but have to take care of chemical waste or supervise a glasswasher or do ordering for the lab." Increasingly, however, the need for support for professionals is recognized and a Lab Manager and/or Facility Manager is hired at that point. The HR, purchasing, accounting, etc. functions are also gradually filled.

The Operations Manager notes, "Many founders like to invent things on their own, which leads to quirky management charts or unusual or atypical management structures. There is usually great loyalty to the original founders. A place for them will always be reserved but sometimes that results in additional management issues as firm grows. As professional managers come in, however, things become more streamlined. A graceful founder will step aside at that point."

At start-ups and small companies, the facility itself may not be an optimal space to work in and working conditions might not be as comfortable or attractive as in more established companies. Crowded, shared offices - sometimes even shared desks - are not uncommon. There is less likely to be much attention to when work gets done and more flexibility with regard to the hours worked, since the expectation is that you will do weekend work when necessary.

"Experiments are time to get results when the latter are needed - not to people's convenience," the Operations Manager continues. "There's a great camaraderie among the scientists and staff and real friendships form that last a long time. If you don't want to be friends with your co-workers, a start-up may not be the best place for you to work." Another important aspect of a start-up and very small company is that the contributions of each person are usually recognized, whereas in larger organizations, it is not always clear who is doing the work."

A Vice President of Business Development echoes this attitude, "The corporate culture is positive and collegial. We [business development people] are the business facilitators of the scientists and others working with them, who are all trying to do the right science and make the right decisions."

Mid-size firms have 60-300 employees, and are characterized by more organization, greater specialization of functions and more distinct organizational units. See from the organization charts that Business Development functions become separated out from Finance and Administration and that the latter have more distinct groups. Reporting and accountability become more established; career paths and job descriptions are formalized. Other HR groups - benefits administration, recruiting, training, etc. - become more fleshed out. "Planning occurs around specific goals and milestones and the need to manage scientific research is more apparent, as is the need to train senior scientists in management. A poor or ineffective management can be very evident at this stage." Finally, boundaries are placed around flexible work schedules. One Manager notes, "flextime is fine but everyone has to be here between 10 am and 3 pm."

As a company grows from 60 to 300, the type of people it attracts becomes different. "Creative geniuses can find that evolution restrictive," a senior Manager asserts. "The academic mindset is very individualistic. In companies, you have to work on a team to achieve the company goal. There is always some pain associated with the transition to a more collaborative mode. When people were assigned narrow pieces of a project, as opposed to being involved in all stages, it's hard to maintain the sense of ownership. It takes a different type of scientist, one who can sustain a certain amount of repetitiveness and get a sense of satisfaction from seeing his/her work as part of a whole."

A mid-size - or large - company environment can "be a much more logical place for the average worker looking for a relatively stable work environment." The trade-offs, however, can make a more significant impact on scientists accustomed to the professional visibility that is a norm in the academic world. As companies get larger, "the lab director presents papers, with only an acknowledgment to the people who actually did the work, so the visibility of bench scientists becomes more limited," a Manager pointed out.

Since the downturn several years ago, Biotech business models have been undergoing a gradual transformation. "In the early days of the industry, most people didn't 'get' that companies were economic entities. That has really changed in recent years," says one Business Development Manager. Specifically, this means that companies are moving away from strategies that use venture capital funding for protracted periods of time (usually 10-15 years) before commercializing a product to one that stresses bringing in a revenue stream from products or services as discovery research is underway. Consequently, the attitudes toward research itself have needed to evolve, as scientists are increasingly encouraged to find ways of leveraging their technology platform to help the company survive as an economic entity. A Business Development executive comments, "The industry is definitely maturing."

"It's wonderful to be in a growing market, where the products help people. It's also great to be working with very intelligent people. Ours is a nice atmosphere where everyone is respectful but loose enough to allow for some fun," notes a Manager of Business Development.