[melloman]

In a small firm; you learn a bit about a lot of things.
In a big firm; you learn a lot about a few things.

I know how hard it is to find a job, especially with minimal to no experience. I'm a junior/intermediate drafter in the drafting/design industry.

My 2 cents is, a small firm is willing to put more into you then a big firm. A big firm has lots of people to look after, which means you're at the bottom of the ladder of seniority. It will take more time to move up, and more time to learn more. This is the only reason why I'd recommend a smaller firm over a bigger one.

BTW, I don't see why residential design would be repetitive, unless the firm is trying to save money and recycle the same design. Yet I find that hard to imagine as not every client would want the same thing. It's the reason why I'd like to move into residential in the upcoming years.