Working at Skender

Working on some pretty interesting Chicago projects. Name recognition makes it easier to get hired to a better workplace.

The racism and classism. The CEO talks about "thugs" and being scared of the city. He talks about the value he brought to it while living there because it was a "slum." He mocks people with less money and "hoodlums." It's toxic -- and he breeds similar malevolence among some coworkers. Unfortunately, it means that we're working on projects for similarly narcissistic, egocentric, chauvinistic, MAGA-type personalities and we have to deal with their regressive attitudes, dismissiveness, and insults to where we live. Unfortunately, that effects our designs and builds, as they want it all homogenized and sanitized, to erase every bit of personality from buildings and very neighborhoods. It does make for blander, less novel work -- a lowest common denominator status-quo that they think makes it look "rich" and "expensive."

Attractive, clean building and offices. I consider some of my coworkers friends.

A few among the leadership team is compassionate and seems to be biding their time until a progressive leaf is turned over.

I'd fire the CEO. I'd do some earnest DEI training, not just the mocking and laughing nods to it. I'd give soft-spoken women a better platform to say what they really think without consequences. And I'd greatly increase the diversity among hires.

Well, be prepared to know some of their names and potentially pick up and fawn over some of the names they drop. Wear a patagonia or arcteryx jacket. Gird yourself for some low key offensive comments and play along with them. Of course have your resume all tighenened up, but grooming and networking mutual names will go a lot further here.

higher - 60th percentile

the most minimal of nods towards diversity and then they force minority hires to parade on their behalf

getting in design mindset and close friends