It used to be that a big company meant more job security, better benefits and a bigger salary. But much of that has fallen by the wayside as some of the nation's largest employers struggle to survive. Now, workers from large companies are seeking jobs with smaller employers — who may not always welcome them with open arms.

"There's a tremendous fear when you hire someone from a large company that they won't stay because we can't offer them the same level of benefits," says Greg Redington, of REDCO Engineering and Construction Corp. "It's a big stumbling block to hiring these people."

While Redington has hired several people recently to work for his 15-employee company in Westfield, N.J., he says the key is finding workers who are willing to let go of their "corporate mindset" that is "completely contradictory" to a small business.

"If the phone rings here four times, then that means the receptionist is doing something else and you need to pick up the phone. If we need toilet paper in the bathroom, you need to go get it from the supply closet," he says. "If you come from a big company and consider that an insult, then you don't understand working for a small company."

Steve Jakes, owner of Drake Co. in Chesterfield, Mo., which employs 22 people, agrees.

"The key is understanding the culture. In a small company, it's sort of like family in a way. You need to be able to mix and mingle and interrelate with the other people. There's no room for silos," he says.

So how does someone from a large employer land a job at a small company and be content with the change?

Kathryn Kerge, president of New York-based Kerge Consulting, which provides human capital strategies to small businesses, says that those making the leap from what Drake calls the "battleship to the fishing boat" need to focus on the positive aspects of working for a small employer.

"It's going to be obvious to any hiring manager if you are going in with any trepidation," Kerge says. "If you're not 100 percent sold on the idea of working for a small employer, then they're going to know it."

Currently, the Census Bureau estimates there are 27 million businesses with fewer than 100 employees. A recent survey by Network Solutions and the University of Maryland found that of 1,000 small businesses surveyed, 69 percent made a profit in 2008.

Kerge says one of the big advantages for those seeking small-business employment is the opportunity to have interactions with company leaders, and to have a greater influence on the decision-making. "At the same time, the skill set you will acquire will be incredibly more diverse, you will learn strategies much faster and see results much quicker," she says.

If you're interested in working for a small company, those interviewed in this story suggest you should: