Flat organisational structure v. hierarchical
I want to give you a bit of advice to those with multiple offers.
They say flat structure is better. There have been a number of people who publicly supported the implementation of flat organisational structure. Hot desking is one example of that. Those companies normally have large common rooms where employees are encouraged to exchange opinions. I am saying that companies like Google might be getting things horribly wrong as far as personal development goes. Ping-pong tables are good only if you are already millionaire hanging in your office thinking what to do next.
I want people with multiple offers to think twice before accepting an offer from these so called non-hierarchical companies.
The first few years, you have to learn. You can't be giving advices to MDs or VPs. Your opinions don't mean much. Your job should be to do what you are told to do as well as possible. Given this, you are better off being in a organisation with hierarchical structure. As you prove yourself, you will have more say.
I started my career in a firm where I was expected to make tangible contributions from day 1. As a result, there are many things that I still don't know. I learned finance on wikipedia. I wish I spent a few years in a company with rigid training programme. If you are under 40, you have time. You can waste a few years. In a small firm, you learn by "trial and error."
Remember, management consultants who advocate flat structure work at a firm with a rigid hierarchical organisational structure.
Just think about it.
You eventually want to move to a smaller place where you have massive say, but do you want to start your career in a small firm?