[est31]

Thank you both for your input. I don't want to leave Germany on a permanent basis. I'm looking forward to the German job market in 5-7 years, maybe more, maybe less, depending on how much I like it.

As for well-known vs not well known: usually bigger companies have more employee protections, more career possibilities, pay better, etc. In small companies you have more power and control, and to some this makes them more interesting. I think larger companies are better but maybe I'll be annoyed by the bureocracy and switch to a smaller company, idk :).

[nosianu]

> usually bigger companies have

And again you make sweeping generalizations...

I worked at what was a startup whose name you likely know, during the dot com boom, you could go from not-long-out-of-university to "very important head honcho of XYZ department" going (or flying) to very important meetings with really important executives of major companies in no time. Try that at some major company. It's actually rather unhealthy - for everybody, although the drug feels good to you at that time.