Cetra/Ruddy Reviews

First and foremost, the management in the interior design department is very poor. There is a clear lack of respect and value for the designer's health and well-being, which is evident from the unreasonable expectations placed on employees. The Interior Design department is a mess and has a strong hierarchy, leading to a very toxic work environment. The leadership from the interior design department is demanding, demoralizing, and frequently exhibits bullying and yelling behavior, creating a very unpleasant and unprofessional atmosphere. Additionally, there is no mentorship or support provided to employees, and there is no innovation or creativity in the design process. The design process starts from knocking off images from Pinterest, without any strong concept or narrative research at all. As a result, the final design lacks creativity, innovation and sophistication. Unfortunately, I did not learn much during my time working here. The hours are incredibly demanding, often requiring 70~80+ hours of work per week for months continuously, without any compensation or compensation days. In addition, employees are expected to produce endless iterations to make up for the lack of a solid design approach. Junior and intermediate designers are treated like machines, without any respect or regard for their mental and physical health . Furthermore, it's demotivating and disappointing that even after working months of 70~80+ hours per week, designers are not getting any recognition for their hard work. This lack of recognition and respect for hardworking junior and intermediate employees is a major concern. In conclusion, I strongly advise anyone considering employment for the interior design department at CetraRuddy to stay away. The negative aspects of working at this company far outweigh any potential benefits, and no job is worth being treated as poorly as I was during my time there.

Lack of structure, communication. Changes to projects or schedules happen frequently and it’s not uncommon to shift between projects or find yourself with a new senior designer. It all depends which designer you get to work with. It’s basically a roll of the dice. You might end up with a designer who screams at you or one who is supportive, flexible and knows how to lead. Everything has to be approved or seen by top management which affects timelines and hinders creative freedom. In interior design, inspiration often crosses into copying, which was surprising for a firm of that size. In general, this is an architecture firm not an interior design firm, so don’t expect cutting edge interior design. They rather hire new, young employee to cultivating and developing their existing employees. Many times without consulting senior designers. This puts the strain or burden on senior designers of having to retrain new employees.