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I usually use "at a company" but I have encountered some articles using "in a company", "in XYZ firm" or "in an organization".

Which one is right?

RegDwigнt
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Is Learning English
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2 Answers2

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Use:

I work in/at/for a company that makes microchips.

I work at/for Intel.

I work in/for Intel's accounting division. (in sounds more natural in this case)

There is virtually no difference in meaning, except that I would notice:

  • for tends to emphasize the relationship you have as an employee to your employer

  • in / at are more about the physical place (this is where you go to work every day)

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The English Chicken
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    +1 for actually explaining yourself more generally rather than just stating the specific answer. – Adam Mar 18 '11 at 15:43
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  • I work at Avaya. — YEAH
  • I work for Avaya — YEAH
  • I'm with Avaya — YEAH
  • *I work in Avaya? — NOPE

Edit: "I work with Avaya" is more likely to mean you aren't an employee but may be an independent contractor of some kind.

Thanks @Robusto for the insights!

RegDwigнt
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n0nChun
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  • What the heck? Why the downvote! Oh God, Mercy! – n0nChun Mar 18 '11 at 10:34
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    "I work with Avaya" implies that you might work for another company which is working on a project with Avaya, rather than being an employee of Avaya. – Steve Melnikoff Mar 18 '11 at 13:35
  • You can still use it. I was just exhausting all the possibilities. – n0nChun Mar 18 '11 at 13:42
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    @n0nChun: Saying you work "with" a company is not the same as saying you work "for" or "at" that company. However, you can use "with" without the "working" to mean the same thing: "I'm with Avaya" means you work for Avaya. "I work with Avaya" is more likely to mean you aren't an employee but may be an independent contractor of some kind. – Robusto Mar 18 '11 at 14:32
  • @Robusto: Edited. – n0nChun Mar 18 '11 at 15:01
  • I don't see a problem with "I work with XYZ" even if they sign your paycheck directly. It's true - you do work with them. (unless you're a bad employee) I think "I work for XYZ" is usually preferred, though. – Adam Mar 18 '11 at 15:40
  • @advs89: True, you do work with the other employees, however as the others point out "with" here implies that you are separate from the company while "in" implies that you are part of it. "With" seems to work differently depending on whether you are talking about individuals or companies: "I work with Fred" may mean that you work for the same company as Fred, but "I work with Fred's company" most likely means that you don't. –  Mar 18 '11 at 16:48