Downsizing, rightsizing, whatever they call it, has occurred in large corporations as well as in small companies. The number of people coming out of large corporations is much greater than out of small companies. This has been going on for awhile and what we're seeing is that hiring in both large and small organizations is limited.
No new news so far, I know. What I want to help job seekers understand is that there are differences in what employers look for, that larger is not always better and it is important to know how your experience will be valued in small or large, because you need to play to both audiences. You need to keep your options open. There are many more small companies than large companies.
I am going to make generalizations and I know that is dangerous. Let me preface this all by saying I've worked for a company with 4 employees and I've worked for a company with 2,000 employees. My personal preference has been working with the smaller guys!
There are certain job titles that exist in large companies and not in small companies. However, the functions performed typically exist in both sizes.
When I worked for a small company I was called the Office Manager. I reported to a Senior Vice President. Besides performing office management functions, I had to unload shipments, sell our services and water the plants. There was a huge variety to my day and I had opportunities to try out new skills and develop existing skills. I worked hard, no doubt but looking back it was a great experience and gave me the opportunity to do new things.
It used to be that at certain parts of our careers we could expect certain things. Those expectations may not be so real any longer. The world has changed. Corporations have changed. We find ourselves no longer able to pursue the goal of the gold watch for 30 years of service.
I found these posts to shed some additional light on the differences between large and small.
Leadership
Development for “The Little Guys”
Top 3 Myths About Leadership in Large Companies
Most likely, you've had your own experiences with a large vs. small company shift. What have you found? Please, tell me in a comment!

Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.