Pros
The internship experience GGP offers is wonderful. It's probably not the first internship that people would think of when applying for internships and it doesn't have the most recognizable "brand name," but I am so glad I jumped on this opportunity. From Day 1 I was never treated as the "intern" but rather as a member of the team working together to attain a collective goal. I was the only intern in my office so I really had to pull my weight, just like any other employee! GGP provided me with an intimate work environment that allowed me to develop a friendly and lasting friendship with my supervisor and other workers that will serve me well into my career. I worked on many assignments which helped to reveal the inner workings of a large corporation. I got to see how a reputable, ethical and influential company is supposed to be structured, something I will carry with me in future corporate/entrepreneurial pursuits. From the top corporate management in Chicago to the field offices on property locations, everybody had the same understanding of company goals and directions. I also really enjoyed the extensive online learning programs I had access to. It's a streamlined operation.
Cons
It's a very narrow field of business, and much of the work skills needed are GGP-taught skills and not so much skills you would learn in school. GGP is notorious for their intense focus on the bottom-line, and sometimes that shows through in property operations and corporate expectations. The dead weight in their portfolio seems to inhibit movement/focus on the future.
