I left a small company a couple of months ago as I didn't see any career growth and now I'm in a similar situation. The new company is about the same size but is growing, all be it slowly.
Small companies usually mean less open positions and less promotions. I really do like this company though.
If I say I left because of career advancement and mention my previous company size, I may not get an offer. Should I just give a generic answer?
If you're leaving because you're not getting the career advancement you want, you should state that to potential employers since it seems to be very important to you.
You may also have unrealistic expectations for what options are available to you since the time frames you're describing are somewhat short. Determining what advancement looks like at potential employers seems like an important step in your process.
Should I just give a generic answer?
Yes, career advancement is a generic answer, no need to mention the size. Bigger companies don't necessarily mean faster advancement, sometimes it's totally opposite.
When talking about career advancement there is one pitfall.
Unless you're applying for a job that is more advanced than the one you had it doesn't make a lot of sense. Companies don't go to the trouble of hiring someone in the expectation of advancing them soon after. They hire people to fill a role that needs filling for the foreseeable future.
You can always frame things from another perspective.
Self-centered perspective:
"I left the company because I am no longer getting any career advancement. I was promoted to the position of..."
Company-centered perspective:
"I have contributed to the limitation of my abilities, and challenges were much harder to come by. I contributed to the company through..."
