Pros
Some of the best things about HOK is the professional development opportunities including the LEED exam. There are several in-house training programs, seminars, guidebooks etc. The company pays the costs for professional exams and provides paid time off to study. It is easy to stay current in the industry through presentations and idea sharing. The projects at HOK are large and complex. You learn a lot in a short time. about your particular area. HOK is the leader in sustainability, with a constant push for newer and better design solutions. There has been more opportunity for employees to switch to different design teams and discplines to try something new. When large projects finish or go on hold every effort is made to reassign team members instead of laying them off.
Cons
Some of the downsides to working at HOK is that employees can often get "pigeon holed" into a certain role and within a certain level. For example an employee who is quick at cad work may only ever get to do cad work without experiencing all parts of a project. A clear career path and progression in the company is not as evident as it could be. Clarity within the organization i.e. who is at what level and does what tends to be lacking, which can lead to frustration. The focus can seem like it is on the bottom line and not employee development. People tend to leave and then come back in order to be promoted.