Perkins & Will Designer Interview Questions
& Process

I chatted with the design team I would have joined, which was a good conversation, and then I spoke with HR. The HR person mostly talked about how great the Perkins and Will workplace culture is, using a 'group drone photo' as an example of their pride. It was a bit difficult to listen to and felt unnatural, as I don't think culture is built on taking a drone photo. It was really hard to relate to them because it sounded like they were drinking the corporate kool-aid. That part felt very corporate.

I had an hour-long interview with two Principals and a Senior Associate. One of the principals stayed after the interview to talk about the work culture and team dynamics. It was a very basic interview where I was asked to explain my portfolio. They were very kind and listened with interest. I got an offer two days later, but the salary was very low. I negotiated with HR three times before accepting the offer (definitely negotiate!).

It was a traditional and formal interview process, pretty normal overall. The downside was the interviewers seemed unengaged and gave off a vibe that they were worried about losing their jobs. There were five of them, all quiet and distracted, like they were just going through the motions. I asked for an office tour, and they said yes but rushed through it, sending the HR lady instead of letting me interact with any employees. Everyone seemed heads-down working. When I mentioned aspiring to be a lead designer, the main interviewer told me that was his role and I was being too ambitious. He then added that they only hire top talent and I should be grateful for the interview opportunity.