I've been offered a graduate role at an major architecture and engineering firm, similar in size to Arup. I'd like to know if anyone has experience working for a similar firm. They offered me a good package, however I am wondering if the working culture in these companies is similar to starchitects' firms (as I currently work at one), e.g high stress, long hours, poor training etc.
Feel free to list any benefits / drawbacks from your experience.
LITS4FormZ
Dec 25, 17 3:00 pm
I work for a large international practice. Here’s a list of pro’s and con’s
Pros: Travel - went to 9 countries last year Benefits - 20 days paid holiday per year plus flex time for sabbaticals, insurance is pretty good, vehicle allowance Flexible Work Locations - Openings in different offices and project sites are posted internally first. If there’s somewhere you want to work, there’s a good chance you can get in. Different project types - You can find your niche or experience different project types all in the same firm. Healthcare, commercial, institutional, industrial, etc. Networking - it’s easy to meet people in your industry all over the world. Technology - better access to what’s new and the budget to afford it Flexibility - it’s easy to reinvent yourself and take on a new role once you prove you can handle your shit.
Cons: Getting lost in the crowd - It’s easy to get pidgeon-holed if you aren’t on your game or get complacent(see flexibility above) Training - sink or swim, you have to be motivated to keep yourself ahead of the curve. There’s very little hand holding. Travel - it’s a benefit but can also be a drag. Deadlines - some deadlines are laughable and the PMs agree to keep clients happy Burnout - very common and sometimes hard to recover from
Best of luck and congrats on your offer!
AlinaF
Dec 25, 17 6:40 pm
Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Medusa
Jan 6, 18 12:10 pm
Large firms are sweat shops only if you allow them to be. Set clear boundaries from the beginning and you'll be doing 8-hour days 99% of the time.
Bench
Jan 7, 18 2:39 pm
Im at a similarly-sized firm. Much of my experience is similar to L4F's above, and almost entirely positive. The most important thing is to integrate effectively and be personable, while showing a keen interest in improving and taking on more responsibility.
thisisnotmyname
Jan 7, 18 6:00 pm
The big firm will probably have somewhat lower aesthetic standards and expectations than the starchitect. The interest in publicity and winning design awards will be much less, if there's any at all. It will be more about every job making a profit and doing whatever the client wants to keep them happy. There's usually a layer of project managers in the organization that spend all day every day making sure the engineers and architects work towards those goals.
I've been offered a graduate role at an major architecture and engineering firm, similar in size to Arup. I'd like to know if anyone has experience working for a similar firm. They offered me a good package, however I am wondering if the working culture in these companies is similar to starchitects' firms (as I currently work at one), e.g high stress, long hours, poor training etc.
Feel free to list any benefits / drawbacks from your experience.
I work for a large international practice. Here’s a list of pro’s and con’s
Pros:
Travel - went to 9 countries last year
Benefits - 20 days paid holiday per year plus flex time for sabbaticals, insurance is pretty good, vehicle allowance
Flexible Work Locations - Openings in different offices and project sites are posted internally first. If there’s somewhere you want to work, there’s a good chance you can get in.
Different project types - You can find your niche or experience different project types all in the same firm. Healthcare, commercial, institutional, industrial, etc.
Networking - it’s easy to meet people in your industry all over the world.
Technology - better access to what’s new and the budget to afford it
Flexibility - it’s easy to reinvent yourself and take on a new role once you prove you can handle your shit.
Cons:
Getting lost in the crowd - It’s easy to get pidgeon-holed if you aren’t on your game or get complacent(see flexibility above)
Training - sink or swim, you have to be motivated to keep yourself ahead of the curve. There’s very little hand holding.
Travel - it’s a benefit but can also be a drag.
Deadlines - some deadlines are laughable and the PMs agree to keep clients happy
Burnout - very common and sometimes hard to recover from
Best of luck and congrats on your offer!
Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Large firms are sweat shops only if you allow them to be. Set clear boundaries from the beginning and you'll be doing 8-hour days 99% of the time.
Im at a similarly-sized firm. Much of my experience is similar to L4F's above, and almost entirely positive. The most important thing is to integrate effectively and be personable, while showing a keen interest in improving and taking on more responsibility.
The big firm will probably have somewhat lower aesthetic standards and expectations than the starchitect. The interest in publicity and winning design awards will be much less, if there's any at all. It will be more about every job making a profit and doing whatever the client wants to keep them happy. There's usually a layer of project managers in the organization that spend all day every day making sure the engineers and architects work towards those goals.