--your longest-serving employee is either the janitor, the receptionist, or a spec writer
--your office is empty at 5.01 PM on a weekday and half-full at 5.01 PM on a sunny saturday afternoon
--your administrative assistants wear sneakers TO work, heels AT work, and then sneakers again when they go down to the loading dock to smoke
--your firm has administrative assistants
--you know at least three people who only come to work so that they can get vested in their 401(k) and then leave
--you have a "teambuilding" retreat, not an "office softball game"
--nobody makes fun of you for wearing a tie
--you can't recognize the guy who is standing in front of you hogging the microwave at lunch
--someone in your firm still thinks postmodernism has a chance
--someone asks you if you wouldn't mind working saturday...and sunday
--you can print one copy of a 200-sheet set in less than an hour...and you can't get a new chair in less than six years
--you wonder "why is the receptionist paging a client?" only to discover three weeks later that the person being paged actually works on another floor in your company
--you have to schedule the use of conference rooms
--your firm has a dedicated IT guy, not just the architect who knows the most about computers
--vendors beg to make lunch presentations to your staff
responses from one perspective - employee at a 700 person firm with a dozen or so offices, answering on behalf of a 50 person branch office:
--your longest-serving employee is either the janitor, the receptionist, or a spec writer
yes, spec writer.
--your office is empty at 5.01 PM on a weekday and half-full at 5.01 PM on a sunny saturday afternoon
nope. no one works weekends. since we have flex-time, many are in and out early, some stay late by choice. occassional deadlines call for late weekday stays.
--your administrative assistants wear sneakers TO work, heels AT work, and then sneakers again when they go down to the loading dock to smoke
50 people in this branch office, not a single smoker....well, except that one guy that manages to occassionally smell like smoke, although no one has ever seen him smoking...
--your firm has administrative assistants
5 in an office of 50. They do some CA (submittals etc) on top of other typical AA stuff.
--you have a "teambuilding" retreat, not an "office softball game"
office olympics, this past year's events included "rubber band archery," "hoola-hoop marathon," and "drafting table ping-pong."
--nobody makes fun of you for wearing a tie
indeed
--someone in your firm still thinks postmodernism has a chance
no comment
--someone asks you if you wouldn't mind working saturday...and sunday
not a chance
--you can print one copy of a 200-sheet set in less than an hour...and you can't get a new chair in less than six years
quick plots, yes. slow chairs? where there is a will, there is a way. upgrade my moniter? get in line.
--you have to schedule the use of conference rooms
nothing worse than getting kicked out by a damn product rep who needs to set up for a lunch & learn.
--your firm has a dedicated IT guy, not just the architect who knows the most about computers
dedicated IT department
--vendors beg to make lunch presentations to your staff
-you outsource your dd/production drawings[to india] because no matter that you are getting the top fees in the world you cant or dont see a difference in developing the project [on hands] complete or developing knowledge base of staff that need to know first hand how to execute project and rather feed the pockets of the partners [som corporate mantra! and i assume also big corps]
an environment that i narrowly missed. the office olympics sound slightly vomitous, but the regular hours are lovely. very envious on that part.
as and aside, my ol 15 person office also had a few people with deep faith in pomo. it is sadly a philosophy that is not limited to the big offices...;-)
Response from someone who has worked in offices with 100+ A/E staff, 200+ arch staff & 50+ arch staff
--your longest-serving employee is either the janitor, the receptionist, or a spec writer
Has always been a principle, or parterner, or founder of the company.
--your office is empty at 5.01 PM on a weekday and half-full at 5.01 PM on a sunny saturday afternoon
Never seen this. People are always working past 5pm. I try not to come in on weekends...work from home...so can't answer the other.
--your administrative assistants wear sneakers TO work, heels AT work, and then sneakers again when they go down to the loading dock to smoke
Never worked in an office where the admin smoked or wear sneakers.
--your firm has administrative assistants
Yes, and well worth the money. How can an office take on more clients/more work when architects are typing their own letters?
--you have a "teambuilding" retreat, not an "office softball game"
Haven't heard that word in architecture offices. Have heard references to booze cruises and drunk fests. Teambuilding is Friday happy hours.
--nobody makes fun of you for wearing a tie
If I wear one I get asked if I'm meeting with clients or interviewing for a new job. Have worked in offices where it wasn't questioned. Didn't like that so much.
--someone in your firm still thinks postmodernism has a chance
Nobody that I've met.
--someone asks you if you wouldn't mind working saturday...and sunday
Nobody would ask me to work a weekend but if I was behind it would be expected that I'd get the work done on time. 10+ hour days are better than loosing a Saturday.
--you can print one copy of a 200-sheet set in less than an hour...and you can't get a new chair in less than six years
Yeah the OCE plotters go fast. No, I can get a new chair whenever I complain about the one I've got now. Getting an Aeron chair, that might take a promotion.
--you have to schedule the use of conference rooms
Unfortunately
--your firm has a dedicated IT guy, not just the architect who knows the most about computers
We have dedicated people to troubleshoot CAD
--vendors beg to make lunch presentations to your staff
Probably averaging two per week right now. Who said there's no such thing as a free lunch?
-you outsource your dd/production drawings
Never, but we have done DD and outsourced CD drawings.
How to really tell if you work for a corporate firm is when telling a stranger outside the profession where you work they immediately know of and have heard of the firm and you don't have to explain what local buildings you've designed so they can recognized the firm.
do you guys ever post a thread and stop and think....what was this thread originally about?
Gensler is a wonderfully encouraging firm and really looks out for the employee, which is so impressive since the total pop is around 2,500 employees. They are primarily workplace, but are good at what they do. If workplace isn't your thing, then another firm would be a good place to go. Otherwise Gensler is the best at what they're good at, and it's a great place to develop at such disciplines.
being that I currently work for a 1000+ employee firm (see profile), these are my favorite so far:
- Lunch and learns are catered by non-sandwich providing establishments.
Just to put it into perspective...we have so many request (for interiors only) that we have lunches every tues/thurs. In addition to this, we have vendors take small groups out to lunch (usually fancy restaurants) on a weekly basis (Mon/Wed/Fri) When I worked in our DC office we had the same + vendor sponsored happy hours (in-office every Wed.) Add to that the architecture lunches, and if you play your cards right you never have to pay for lunch...the downside is that with so many lunches, and a limited source of food vendors...you start hating some foods.
--Timesheets !
I fuck!ng hate this one!
With this said...
I firmly believe that we constantly try to produce the best work possible. If I didn't believe this, I would be somewhere else. it is kind of naive to think that this profession is filled with award winning work...at the end of the day this is a business. The upside of being sought after is that you get to turn down alot of work which may not be that "challenging" or "desireable"
Our dress code is extremely relaxed...which everyone loves. Today I am in a suit for a client presentation, but tomorrow is back to jeans and t-shirt.
Jul 27, 06 8:27 am ·
·
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.
Of the large corporate firms...
who (if any), in your opinion, are doing great work? i.e. most innovative, socially/environmentally responsible, etc.
KPF
KPF and Perkins + Will do good work.
Gensler doesn't hit many home runs, but they seem to have a consistently decent batting average.
SOM has been churning out corporate crap for 30 years, but sometimes they still get lucky with a decent project.
SOM is the standard of the industry. Raise the standard!
There are some variation per office/location based on talent - what cities are you checking out???
Pride ! ! Commitment ! ! teamwork ! !
(The words they will use to get you to work for half the pay.)
how many people do you have to employ to be "a large corporate firm" ?
Im thinking you at least have to have 100 people, more than one office, and a dress code.
url=http://www.bcj.com]bcj[/url
url=http://www.fxfowle.com]fxfowle[/url
oops... but you got the idea.
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
fxfowle
dress codes suck
you might work at a corporate firm if:
--your longest-serving employee is either the janitor, the receptionist, or a spec writer
--your office is empty at 5.01 PM on a weekday and half-full at 5.01 PM on a sunny saturday afternoon
--your administrative assistants wear sneakers TO work, heels AT work, and then sneakers again when they go down to the loading dock to smoke
--your firm has administrative assistants
--you know at least three people who only come to work so that they can get vested in their 401(k) and then leave
--you have a "teambuilding" retreat, not an "office softball game"
--nobody makes fun of you for wearing a tie
--you can't recognize the guy who is standing in front of you hogging the microwave at lunch
--someone in your firm still thinks postmodernism has a chance
--you have meetings to schedule all of your meetings.
-your plotters are run by another company
-you have new employee training
aia honorable mention award for a granite reception desk is recieved by upper corporate partners and there are 25 people on the stage for it.
*i did see this.
I 2nd BCJ on all counts.
--someone asks you if you wouldn't mind working saturday...and sunday
--you can print one copy of a 200-sheet set in less than an hour...and you can't get a new chair in less than six years
--your company has multiple floors
--you wonder "why is the receptionist paging a client?" only to discover three weeks later that the person being paged actually works on another floor in your company
--you have to schedule the use of conference rooms
--your firm has a dedicated IT guy, not just the architect who knows the most about computers
--vendors beg to make lunch presentations to your staff
-they ask you if you know how to fill out T.P.S. reports
-your firm has product luncheons-weekly
-your firm has over 20 principals
responses from one perspective - employee at a 700 person firm with a dozen or so offices, answering on behalf of a 50 person branch office:
--your longest-serving employee is either the janitor, the receptionist, or a spec writer
yes, spec writer.
--your office is empty at 5.01 PM on a weekday and half-full at 5.01 PM on a sunny saturday afternoon
nope. no one works weekends. since we have flex-time, many are in and out early, some stay late by choice. occassional deadlines call for late weekday stays.
--your administrative assistants wear sneakers TO work, heels AT work, and then sneakers again when they go down to the loading dock to smoke
50 people in this branch office, not a single smoker....well, except that one guy that manages to occassionally smell like smoke, although no one has ever seen him smoking...
--your firm has administrative assistants
5 in an office of 50. They do some CA (submittals etc) on top of other typical AA stuff.
--you have a "teambuilding" retreat, not an "office softball game"
office olympics, this past year's events included "rubber band archery," "hoola-hoop marathon," and "drafting table ping-pong."
--nobody makes fun of you for wearing a tie
indeed
--someone in your firm still thinks postmodernism has a chance
no comment
--someone asks you if you wouldn't mind working saturday...and sunday
not a chance
--you can print one copy of a 200-sheet set in less than an hour...and you can't get a new chair in less than six years
quick plots, yes. slow chairs? where there is a will, there is a way. upgrade my moniter? get in line.
--you have to schedule the use of conference rooms
nothing worse than getting kicked out by a damn product rep who needs to set up for a lunch & learn.
--your firm has a dedicated IT guy, not just the architect who knows the most about computers
dedicated IT department
--vendors beg to make lunch presentations to your staff
see above.
-you outsource your dd/production drawings[to india] because no matter that you are getting the top fees in the world you cant or dont see a difference in developing the project [on hands] complete or developing knowledge base of staff that need to know first hand how to execute project and rather feed the pockets of the partners [som corporate mantra! and i assume also big corps]
nice, ap.
an environment that i narrowly missed. the office olympics sound slightly vomitous, but the regular hours are lovely. very envious on that part.
as and aside, my ol 15 person office also had a few people with deep faith in pomo. it is sadly a philosophy that is not limited to the big offices...;-)
Response from someone who has worked in offices with 100+ A/E staff, 200+ arch staff & 50+ arch staff
--your longest-serving employee is either the janitor, the receptionist, or a spec writer
Has always been a principle, or parterner, or founder of the company.
--your office is empty at 5.01 PM on a weekday and half-full at 5.01 PM on a sunny saturday afternoon
Never seen this. People are always working past 5pm. I try not to come in on weekends...work from home...so can't answer the other.
--your administrative assistants wear sneakers TO work, heels AT work, and then sneakers again when they go down to the loading dock to smoke
Never worked in an office where the admin smoked or wear sneakers.
--your firm has administrative assistants
Yes, and well worth the money. How can an office take on more clients/more work when architects are typing their own letters?
--you have a "teambuilding" retreat, not an "office softball game"
Haven't heard that word in architecture offices. Have heard references to booze cruises and drunk fests. Teambuilding is Friday happy hours.
--nobody makes fun of you for wearing a tie
If I wear one I get asked if I'm meeting with clients or interviewing for a new job. Have worked in offices where it wasn't questioned. Didn't like that so much.
--someone in your firm still thinks postmodernism has a chance
Nobody that I've met.
--someone asks you if you wouldn't mind working saturday...and sunday
Nobody would ask me to work a weekend but if I was behind it would be expected that I'd get the work done on time. 10+ hour days are better than loosing a Saturday.
--you can print one copy of a 200-sheet set in less than an hour...and you can't get a new chair in less than six years
Yeah the OCE plotters go fast. No, I can get a new chair whenever I complain about the one I've got now. Getting an Aeron chair, that might take a promotion.
--you have to schedule the use of conference rooms
Unfortunately
--your firm has a dedicated IT guy, not just the architect who knows the most about computers
We have dedicated people to troubleshoot CAD
--vendors beg to make lunch presentations to your staff
Probably averaging two per week right now. Who said there's no such thing as a free lunch?
-you outsource your dd/production drawings
Never, but we have done DD and outsourced CD drawings.
How to really tell if you work for a corporate firm is when telling a stranger outside the profession where you work they immediately know of and have heard of the firm and you don't have to explain what local buildings you've designed so they can recognized the firm.
The amount of pens carried (which are visible ) is inversely proportional to the guy's position in the office pecking order.
AND of course How could i forget ! !
any given day , anytime ,minimum one guy out of three is wearing a blue shirt and black trousers ( pleated )
--you use the intercom ( extension 9 or 0 ) to speak to the guy sitting 10 feet away from you.
do you guys ever post a thread and stop and think....what was this thread originally about?
Gensler is a wonderfully encouraging firm and really looks out for the employee, which is so impressive since the total pop is around 2,500 employees. They are primarily workplace, but are good at what they do. If workplace isn't your thing, then another firm would be a good place to go. Otherwise Gensler is the best at what they're good at, and it's a great place to develop at such disciplines.
--fantasy football is the predominant topic of most discussions/emails.
--friendhsips are forged/broken over fantasy football.
--90% of the office uses the same instant messenger to discuss fantasy football.
FANTASTIC!
--You spend your first 2 weeks of employment designing your benefits package.
--You have no idea who is actually in charge.
--ID Badges!
--Timesheets !
- Lunch and learns are catered by non-sandwich providing establishments.
- Coworkers you've never met or heard of schedule meetings with you via outlook, all from another state.
- you receive a manual on using email
--"Casual Fridays" mean you don't have to wear a tie
being that I currently work for a 1000+ employee firm (see profile), these are my favorite so far:
- Lunch and learns are catered by non-sandwich providing establishments.
Just to put it into perspective...we have so many request (for interiors only) that we have lunches every tues/thurs. In addition to this, we have vendors take small groups out to lunch (usually fancy restaurants) on a weekly basis (Mon/Wed/Fri) When I worked in our DC office we had the same + vendor sponsored happy hours (in-office every Wed.) Add to that the architecture lunches, and if you play your cards right you never have to pay for lunch...the downside is that with so many lunches, and a limited source of food vendors...you start hating some foods.
--Timesheets !
I fuck!ng hate this one!
With this said...
I firmly believe that we constantly try to produce the best work possible. If I didn't believe this, I would be somewhere else. it is kind of naive to think that this profession is filled with award winning work...at the end of the day this is a business. The upside of being sought after is that you get to turn down alot of work which may not be that "challenging" or "desireable"
Our dress code is extremely relaxed...which everyone loves. Today I am in a suit for a client presentation, but tomorrow is back to jeans and t-shirt.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.