Gensler reviews

Gensler is an organization that began life as a design firm and has, over the past few decades made serious steps toward becoming more than just a design firm. Essentially, I've seen Gensler attempt to move from being a design firm that offers consulting serves to a consulting firm that offers design services, which it appears is what the senior leadership has tried to do. The problem with this is that the firm tends to fall back on design every time and abandon any efforts to branch out, thereby lurching the organization back and forth every few years. There is definitely an atmosphere of favoritism within the firm. If your manager likes you, then, as long as you're good at what you do and do quality work, you'll get ahead and do well in your career. If not, it is extremely difficult to progress or sometimes even survive within the organization. I've experienced it both ways and have seen it both ways with many others. Also, Gensler has long been, and remains, something of a cult of personality -- be it among the leadership or among some of the more "talented" design staff.

It is unfortunate that there is little personal interest shown in staff advancement by upper management or in fostering a harmonious team in NY. Smaller Gensler offices do much better at this. The impersonal approach results in a roller coaster of layoffs and hiring where experienced folks with higher salaries are shown the door in favor of low salaried interns who can't yet function in the real world of architecture. For the new hires it is a baptism by fire and many mistakes are made due to lack of experience and mentor-ship. Bare minimum benefits, minimum pay, less than average vacation.