Pros
Excellent for building knowledge in the A/E/C industry. Casual work environment in terms of dress code. Made a lot of friends that still keep in contact. Salaries were boosted after a massive staff flight late 2013 / early 2014 which was incentive to stay longer in the position. It became easier as time went on. I had fun on occasion. One time I found a way to break onto the roof of the building.
Cons
Ethical qualms with advertising, but isn't there always? Wasn't much opportunity for growth until the company reformatted; even then, it was strictly financial development and nothing really offered in regards to career expansion. Sometimes the idea would be flirted with, but communication always halted for one reason or another. Exclusively hired externally instead of promoted into upper ranks, with one very isolated exception. Watched the company dwindle from 45 people to 10 in 2 years, even though the higher tier of employees continued to travel internationally and furnish their private offices. There was a clear divide and lack of respect for the lower levels in the staff, even though the AMs/AEs arguably brought in all of the revenue (this is not an embellishment; subscription numbers were non-existent and everything else was acquired through material/tangible trade). In the grand scheme, client retention was at the bottom of the list of the company's priorities - at least up until it was already looking grim and management started to realize how important it was - which explains why it was necessary for Design Bureau to fold. The design industry is only so big, especially when your client base is exclusively designers of high-end, boutique built environments.