How important is the quality of works of the first firm you work at?
If you start the first job in a small firm, which does not have large or exciting projects, is it going to be extremely hard to get your next job in a famous firm?
Considering the facts that the small firm gives you the opportunity to be involve in more aspects and gain more real work experience (and fill out those IDP hours), whereas working for a massive corporate or staritects obviously gives you exposure to greater design but most probably what you end up doing is only CAD drawings and red marks ...
quality counts. working for a respected local / small office is a great way to get experience which bigger name-brand firms will value. if the work is crap, you're not going to learn how to get something good built, and you'll probably resent working there after a short while. but once you've established yourself in a city its possible to 'upgrade' firms if you get to know people who respect your abilities and work and would be willing to vouch for you in another office.
are you trying to choose between firms, or figure out what kind of firms to target? as long as you respect the work they do, you will get something valuable out of it that can lead to opportunities elsewhere later. you don't need to hold out for your dream firm as a first job, but don't work somewhere you wouldnt be proud of unless its your only option.
What Midlander said. Also keep in mind that you'll probably get a much more well-rounded experience at a higher salary at a non-starchitect firm, as opposed to spending your entire tenure sequestered away in a model shop for 16 hours a day for a laughable "stipend".
There's a vast middle ground between famous starchitect firms and offices that crank out nothing but permit drawings for Applebees locations. Just about every city has at least a few decent firms that consistently produce good-quality work but without the cult of personality that surrounds the starchitects. Seek out those firms.
Apr 5, 15 11:33 am ·
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Real work or starchitect for entry level?
So here is my concern:
How important is the quality of works of the first firm you work at?
If you start the first job in a small firm, which does not have large or exciting projects, is it going to be extremely hard to get your next job in a famous firm?
Considering the facts that the small firm gives you the opportunity to be involve in more aspects and gain more real work experience (and fill out those IDP hours), whereas working for a massive corporate or staritects obviously gives you exposure to greater design but most probably what you end up doing is only CAD drawings and red marks ...
quality counts. working for a respected local / small office is a great way to get experience which bigger name-brand firms will value. if the work is crap, you're not going to learn how to get something good built, and you'll probably resent working there after a short while. but once you've established yourself in a city its possible to 'upgrade' firms if you get to know people who respect your abilities and work and would be willing to vouch for you in another office.
are you trying to choose between firms, or figure out what kind of firms to target? as long as you respect the work they do, you will get something valuable out of it that can lead to opportunities elsewhere later. you don't need to hold out for your dream firm as a first job, but don't work somewhere you wouldnt be proud of unless its your only option.
What Midlander said. Also keep in mind that you'll probably get a much more well-rounded experience at a higher salary at a non-starchitect firm, as opposed to spending your entire tenure sequestered away in a model shop for 16 hours a day for a laughable "stipend".
There's a vast middle ground between famous starchitect firms and offices that crank out nothing but permit drawings for Applebees locations. Just about every city has at least a few decent firms that consistently produce good-quality work but without the cult of personality that surrounds the starchitects. Seek out those firms.
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