Archinect - Features

A Guide to Salary Transparency Laws Across the United States

2024-03-26T08:54:00-04:00

At present, there is no federal pay transparency law in the United States. However, as Archinect frequently reports on, several states and cities across the United States have enacted their own requirements for employers seeking to hire or promote within their organization.

Below, we have listed the details of salary transparency laws across American cities and states as they exist in March 2024. As is noted towards the end of this resource, several more states with no existing requirements are currently in the process of debating or passing legislation to strengthen salary disclosure requirements.

You can help us make architecture salaries more transparent through Archinect’s ongoing salary poll. The poll, currently approaching 20,000 submissions, allows workers from practices across the U.S. and globally to anonymously offer their salary levels.

10 helpful tips for architecture students going back to school

2023-09-19T08:23:00-04:00

School is officially back in session as new and returning students begin another academic term. Whether you're a fresh undergraduate student embarking on your first year of architecture school or you're a returning student about to continue another rigorous year of learning, experimenting, and designing — our ongoing Archinect Tips series has you covered!

Archinect's Tips for Recent Graduates Navigating Architectural Employment

2023-06-26T11:49:00-04:00

In 2023, navigating the job market for recent graduates can be daunting. Discussions surrounding portfolio advice, crafting an effective resume, and if one should follow their "dream job or a dream school" have been ongoing topics on Archinect and our forum. Within the last few years, expanded discussions over work conditions, ethical labor, and internship opportunities for graduates across our editorial have also been widely discussed. More recently, discussions of fair wages and unionization have propelled the launch of salary transparencies across several U.S. states and parts of the U.K.

For students who have recently graduated and preparing to enter the workforce this summer, Archinect aims to provide as many tips and resources for those preparing to step into professional practice.

Debunking Architecture’s Mythological Work Culture

2022-04-04T14:36:00-04:00

After a recent panel hosted within SCI-Arc, called Basecamp: How to be in an office, sparked protest from students and alumni, a slew of events unfolded within the school that rippled into the architecture community, prompting passionate discourse about ethics within professional practice and academia, especially as it relates to internships and the treatment of students and young professionals. But this isn't an essay about SCI-Arc, or an account of what is going on at SCI-Arc. The events have already been well documented online and in Archinect's latest reporting on April 1.

Instead, I want to explore the deeper historical and philosophical concepts that I believe underlie what we’ll call the conservative view of architecture work culture: that long hours, toil and suffering, and low pay are inevitable realities of pursuing a rigorous design career. I see a disconnect between the traditional professional ethos and the advent of the current zeitgeist that has been born, particular...

Workplace Dynamics: Dealing With Difficult Personalities in an Architecture Office

2022-01-13T13:44:00-05:00

When hiring new staff, one goal is to assess how a candidate’s personality fits within the office culture. Human resource professionals and hiring teams use various tools, and sometimes personality tests, to help assemble successful teams and office cultures.

Despite the effort firms and businesses make towards fostering encouraging work environments, we are bound to work with people whose personalities do not fit our own. If we could choose, we would decide not to work with these difficult individuals at all. However, if left unaddressed, these personality differences and quirks can result in clashed behavioral patterns and strenuous work situations.

To further explore this topic, we focus on how individuals working together in an office can assess these difficult situations and handle them.

On the Importance of Feedback: How Architects and Designers Can Improve Office Culture

2021-04-09T16:49:00-04:00

Whether you are a new or seasoned professional, being a fast learner is a sought-after characteristic. There are several tools and skills that will help expedite one's career advancement, yet a vital resource is feedback — to have someone share their perspective on your work and give actionable advice on how you can do even better next time.

Many companies have structured performance reviews on a quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis. These reviews, however, may not always be sufficient in frequency and value for new hires. It becomes easy to get enveloped in daily to-do lists, aggressive project schedules, and office politics. Instead of having a prearranged review meeting, it may be up to an individual to initiate these potentially difficult discussions.

While this may be easy for some, this much-needed mission of soliciting feedback can be daunting for many new team members. Below we deliver insights on how facilitating feedback can be a fruitful and organic conversation.

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How To Choose Between Architecture Schools

2020-05-12T16:06:00-04:00

One of our most popular questions in the Archinect Discussion Forum is how to choose between architecture degree programs. Some students might already be accepted to multiple programs and are uncertain which to choose while others may have yet to apply and are unsure of which to pursue. The question is usually along the lines of, “which school is better?” or, “which school should I go to?” and even sometimes, “can someone give me insight into these programs?”

It’s a tough position, and candidates want to make the right decision for their future, so they turn to the Archinect community for guidance only to be met with conflicting opinions or harsh feedback. When it comes to this crossroad, one that will influence the trajectory of the next 2 to 5 years of your life, turning to strangers isn’t always the best idea. In this article I hope to provide prospective students with some essential techniques in making a good decision about which school to attend and how to decide between diff...

Working With Stressed Coworkers During COVID-19

2020-04-24T09:16:00-04:00

Amid COVID-19, the rise of remote work has forced many professionals to upheave their old way of life for an unfamiliar "new normal." While several have risen to the occasion, plenty still face trials navigating this new collaborative dynamic. Particularly when it comes to coworkers under immense pressure during this time, staff in many firms have begun to see a different side to their fellow team members. It can be easy to forget that our coworkers are people with a whole life outside of work. They have families, loved ones, hopes, dreams, and fears, just like we do.

So, how does one deal with stressed coworkers during COVID-19? It could be a leader who is a bit brash, or who has left you to fend for yourself, with little direction or clarity on how to move forward. Or it could be a coworker who seems to be sabotaging the work you and the rest of the team are working on. It can take many forms. The common denominator are coworkers who are out of character, over-emotional, or even, ...

The Psychology of High Ceilings and Creative Work Spaces

2020-04-15T14:03:00-04:00

Published last year, registered architect Donald M. Rattner wrote My Creative Space: How to Design Your Home to Stimulate Ideas and Spark Innovation to help creatives optimize their home environments in a way that heightens their powers of creativity. Pulling from years of psychological research and countless case studies, Rattner takes the reader on an educational and enlightening journey. The book offers 48 spatial strategies that help facilitate creativity in the home. Covering everything from which colors lead to peak creative performance to how smells can influence problem solving, My Creative Space is an intriguing exploration during this time when we are all confined to our homes.

How to Craft an Effective Job Ad: Streamline the Application Process Using Archinect’s Online Application Center

2020-01-15T14:30:00-05:00

The hiring process can be a complicated undertaking, for both employers and job seekers. Especially when it comes to the application process, employers face the challenge of managing countless submissions, organizing files, comparing top candidates, and efficiently communicating with their peers on the hiring team. Similarly, job applicants face their own obstacles when applying to various opportunities each with different submission guidelines. For the effective hiring team. streamlining the application process will not only optimize internal firm operations, but it will also ensure that promising candidates don’t slip through the cracks as a result of avoidable mishaps.

This is the sixth in our How to Craft an Effective Job Ad series. Be sure to check out all of the articles for a comprehensive look at composing the perfect Job Ad.

How to Craft an Effective Job Ad: Plan According to the Job Market

2019-12-20T13:06:00-05:00

The job market is in a constant state of flux. The biggest factor that contributes to market conditions is the economy, but this may affect industries, specialties and regions in very different ways. When a business needs to hire new talent, it's the employer's responsibility to understand the current job market when advertising their opportunities to the pool of job seekers.

This is the fifth in our How to Craft an Effective Job Ad series. Be sure to check out all of the articles for a comprehensive look at composing the perfect Job Ad.

How to Craft an Effective Job Ad: Consider Your Reputation

2019-12-13T12:18:00-05:00

The talent procurement process is an interactive back and forth between job seekers and employers, each striving to secure an ideal future relationship. Employers want team members that will help realize their vision, and job seekers want employers who will play a part in fulfilling their career aspirations. In markets where potential candidates have the luxury to pick and choose what firms they want to work for, employers must take a close look at their reputation within the industry, and consider how that status can influence their perceived allure to potential hires. When crafting your job ad, context is crucial, and your reputation is the foundational framework that will establish that contextual impact amongst your competition.

This is the fourth in our How to Craft an Effective Job Ad series. Be sure to check out all of the articles for a comprehensive look at composing the perfect Job Ad.

How to Craft an Effective Job Ad: Clarity is Key

2019-12-09T12:05:00-05:00

In professional correspondence, clear communication tends to be a universally desired ingredient. We've all opened the puzzling email, read the templated cover letter, and even conversed through the cryptic phone call. Especially, when it comes to reviewing the applications of prospective talent, employers want to see well presented and well written materials, absent of elementary oversights and errors. In the same way, when job seekers search through job advertisements, they too are looking for clearly communicated content, that they can follow, understand, and take action on. When crafting your job ad, clarity is key.

This is the third in our How to Craft an Effective Job Ad series. Be sure to check out all of the articles for a comprehensive look at composing the perfect Job Ad.

Archinect's Guide to Job Titles: Intern

2019-12-06T11:34:00-05:00

As one progresses in their professional journey, the depth of knowledge required to practice architecture arises as a requisite reality. Aspiring practitioners enroll in college and proactively acquire foundational skills for their future careers as architects. Internships act as a salient supplementation meant to deepen the practical education of the up and coming pupil, with an aim for growth and development. But what exactly does an intern do? What do firms look for in an intern? And what characteristics make up a good internship?

This is the first in a new series titled, Archinect’s Guide to Job Titles where we will be taking a deep dive into each of the architecture industry’s professional job roles. Some of the positions we’ll be looking at in the next few pieces include BIM Specialist, Studio Director, and Project Manager. For this piece, we’re excited to kick off with an exploration of the intern, which will also be followed by another series looking at exemplary internship...

How to Craft an Effective Job Ad: Curate Your Image

2019-11-19T09:19:00-05:00

In the hunt for new team members, an ideal aim for most firms is to establish oneself as a kind of talent magnet. Quality response from quality candidates is an ideal outcome for any job advertisement. A crucial aspect in achieving this is in the representation of one's public image. A firm must craft a thoughtfully curated picture of who they are, allowing job seekers to acquire a deeper understanding of its internal character.

This is the second in our How to Craft an Effective Job Ad series. Be sure to check out all of the articles for a comprehensive look at composing the perfect Job Ad.

How to Craft an Effective Job Ad: Talk About Lifestyle

2019-11-13T14:27:00-05:00

Writing a job ad can seem like a toneless task. Just get it out it out there as fast a possible, we need people, some might think. But, really, the desired outcome is to attract the best talent, and that takes some finesse. Especially in our current market, where job-seekers have a plethora of opportunities to choose from, firms more than ever need to approach their search for new talent with a spirit of excellence and creativity.

Like a job seeker's application package, a firm's job ad is essential in its search for quality candidates. Templated formats don't usually work here. Rather, one must craft an impactful representation of the opportunity at hand and creatively display what makes a particular place of work worth pursuing.

This is the first in our How to Craft an Effective Job Ad series. Be sure to check out all of the articles for a comprehensive look at composing the perfect Job Ad.