Pros
I liked working on interesting projects, and the firm knows that is what brings new staff in who are hungry to work on projects for big name clients. There is a sense of power that the firm has so when you say to an engineer or vendor you work for gensler they jump to attention.
Cons
I did 4 years when Ed Friedrichs was the CEO, he was alright and the firm was about people. I moved and came back in 2011 and did 6 years and it was as awful as newer staff had warned me.The firm knows you want to work for the big name firm so senior associates and leaders try to use that in exchange for making you hit ridiculous deadlines which require all nighters (without charging your all night time) while they go to principal retreats and leadership meetings and put time on your project even if not working on it. There always seems to be that perception that if you don't want to sacrifice someone else will fill your seat in a minute. Not about people anymore. We are a commodity. Some people just deal with it, and some like me had to boomerang back again to see if things changed but they did not. I need to pay for my kids things so I went back for promise of a big bonus, but it wasn't worth it for the rest of the time.
