I'd say look at what your goals are for the short and long term are and pick the firm that will best help you accomplish both.
Being a middle aged dork I'd ask the following practical questions, in no order of importance:
1. What dose each pay?
2. What are the possibilities of long term employment in each.
3. What are the office cultures like?
4. What are the communities like at each office location?
monosierra
Aug 7, 19 10:13 am
If you're going to Gensler, its unlikely that you'll join BIG and firms like BIG (OMA, UN, MVRDV etc) in the near future.
thisisnotmyname
Aug 7, 19 1:02 pm
Does the BIG internship have a path to a full-time position?
Assuming it does not, and if you can make the BIG internship work financially, I would do it and treat it as a short stint where you learn all you can and move on.
With BIG on your resume and in your portfolio, Gensler will want to hire you in the future and you may get an even better deal than whatever they are currently offering you.
I also agree with monosierra that experince at BIG will get you into the "starchitect employees club", which means OMA and the like will consider you for future positions. Gensler experience would be a somewhat tougher sell if you ever wanted to move to a starchitect job. Gensler has positive aspects, but they are not consistently strong in design.
Everyday Architect
Aug 7, 19 1:20 pm
Does BIG pay their interns?
Jayness
Aug 7, 19 2:37 pm
Is the Gensler offer in Copenhagen> I'm not sure this decision really matters for your career, but one will probably offer a more interesting experience (if you can afford it!) I'd also second the idea that going to BIG could enhance your attractiveness to firms like Gensler while going to Gensler won't necessarily mean much to BIG, at least not for entry level architects.
robhaw
Aug 7, 19 3:19 pm
Why do people on here think that Gensler is not a good option? I thought it was regarded as a very popular place for graduates..
thisisnotmyname
Aug 7, 19 4:34 pm
Gensler is not at all a bad option, but BIG (rightfully or not...) is perceived as much higher caliber firm. The mystique and prestige associated with BIG open doors to some places that many tend to keep closed to people with backgrounds at corporate firms like Gensler. And I do think that BIG has a certain clarity about their design agenda that Gensler is never going to have.
Janosh
Aug 7, 19 4:45 pm
They are big and have lots of resources, IDP support, reasonably good clients and market themselves well. But it isn't a great place to work until you are at least an associate. And in every sector (interiors, core/shell, workplace, entertainment, sports) there is some other firm doing it better. And like all large corporate firms during hot markets, there are a lot of folks in every office that are dead wood and drag the whole vibe down.
Mies Panda Rohe
Aug 8, 19 4:16 am
Depends on your financial circumstances, which office location and the work they said you will do.
I have a few friends who worked at BIG. One of them who had a 6 month internship was told she would do physical modelling and visualisation. In the end they convinced her to do physical modelling only. Also, as others have alluded to, Copenhagen is very expensive to live.
You will most likely network more at BIG as it has a lower average age.
I would consider what you want to do in say five years time and see which one would be more beneficial from that point of view.
justavisual
Aug 8, 19 10:26 am
Where is your master from? It's illegal to hire graduates as interns in Europe...so I'm curious how this is working without an Erasmus or something else.
eg15
Aug 9, 19 3:58 am
It's illegal, but happens all the time. Seems like no one really cares.
zonker
Aug 8, 19 12:02 pm
go with BIG, I know lots of people that used to work at Gensler
BIG will get you into more better opportunities
Do you want to be a designer or just a job captain?
BIG = design
Gensler = job captain doing sheet set up in retail studio
Archlandia
Aug 8, 19 6:16 pm
What do you want on your resume?
Everyday Architect
Aug 9, 19 11:11 am
How much are your student loan payments going to be?
Hi, I just finished my master degree.
BIG Cophenagen gave me inernship
Gensler gave me fulltime position.
What would you choose?
full time...do you have to ask?
BIG for the long term, Gensler never.
what kind of money have they offered you?
tell BIG you want a full time position
First off congrats!
I'd say look at what your goals are for the short and long term are and pick the firm that will best help you accomplish both.
Being a middle aged dork I'd ask the following practical questions, in no order of importance:
1. What dose each pay?
2. What are the possibilities of long term employment in each.
3. What are the office cultures like?
4. What are the communities like at each office location?
If you're going to Gensler, its unlikely that you'll join BIG and firms like BIG (OMA, UN, MVRDV etc) in the near future.
Does the BIG internship have a path to a full-time position?
Assuming it does not, and if you can make the BIG internship work financially, I would do it and treat it as a short stint where you learn all you can and move on.
With BIG on your resume and in your portfolio, Gensler will want to hire you in the future and you may get an even better deal than whatever they are currently offering you.
I also agree with monosierra that experince at BIG will get you into the "starchitect employees club", which means OMA and the like will consider you for future positions. Gensler experience would be a somewhat tougher sell if you ever wanted to move to a starchitect job. Gensler has positive aspects, but they are not consistently strong in design.
Does BIG pay their interns?
Is the Gensler offer in Copenhagen> I'm not sure this decision really matters for your career, but one will probably offer a more interesting experience (if you can afford it!) I'd also second the idea that going to BIG could enhance your attractiveness to firms like Gensler while going to Gensler won't necessarily mean much to BIG, at least not for entry level architects.
Why do people on here think that Gensler is not a good option? I thought it was regarded as a very popular place for graduates..
Gensler is not at all a bad option, but BIG (rightfully or not...) is perceived as much higher caliber firm. The mystique and prestige associated with BIG open doors to some places that many tend to keep closed to people with backgrounds at corporate firms like Gensler. And I do think that BIG has a certain clarity about their design agenda that Gensler is never going to have.
They are big and have lots of resources, IDP support, reasonably good clients and market themselves well. But it isn't a great place to work until you are at least an associate. And in every sector (interiors, core/shell, workplace, entertainment, sports) there is some other firm doing it better. And like all large corporate firms during hot markets, there are a lot of folks in every office that are dead wood and drag the whole vibe down.
Depends on your financial circumstances, which office location and the work they said you will do.
I have a few friends who worked at BIG. One of them who had a 6 month internship was told she would do physical modelling and visualisation. In the end they convinced her to do physical modelling only. Also, as others have alluded to, Copenhagen is very expensive to live.
You will most likely network more at BIG as it has a lower average age.
I would consider what you want to do in say five years time and see which one would be more beneficial from that point of view.
Where is your master from? It's illegal to hire graduates as interns in Europe...so I'm curious how this is working without an Erasmus or something else.
It's illegal, but happens all the time. Seems like no one really cares.
go with BIG, I know lots of people that used to work at Gensler
BIG will get you into more better opportunities
Do you want to be a designer or just a job captain?
BIG = design
Gensler = job captain doing sheet set up in retail studio
What do you want on your resume?
How much are your student loan payments going to be?