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Working in Real Estate making $$$, but how can I gain IDP/work experience?

batman

I will be working in real estate starting this year (couldn't pass up that $$$ salary). I have a dual degree in both architecture & real estate, but since I will be working in real estate I won't be gaining IDP hours or work experience. Unfortunately my real estate job won't touch any architectural design per say, but its definitely at the intersection of the two fields. 

I eventually want to transfer back to architecture/design role (i dont even know how or what position I can qualify without starting as an intern).

What can I do to gain relevant work experience(and get IDP hours) ?

Has anyone been in my shoes and transferred back to architecture? what did you transfer into and did it make equivalent salary?

 

I eventually want to run my own firm and that does development and design.

 
Jan 4, 17 9:10 pm
Non Sequitur

Are you working under a licensed architect? Are you managing construction or producing construction drawings? If not, then it's hardly likely that you'll be able to claim any IDP. I would strongly disagree that real-estate and architecture go hand-in-hand by default.

What's a $$$ salary anyways?

Jan 4, 17 9:16 pm  · 
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batman

Are you working under a licensed architect?

no

Are you managing construction or producing construction drawings?

 

If not, then it's hardly likely that you'll be able to claim any IDP. I would strongly disagree that real-estate and architecture go hand-in-hand by default.

 

 

What's a $$$ salary anyways?

$80-100K

Jan 4, 17 9:17 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

^stay in real-estate until you have the chops and experience to hire your own architect and drafting team.

Jan 4, 17 9:20 pm  · 
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batman

so long sweet love

Jan 4, 17 9:39 pm  · 
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chigurh

making "$$$" gonna be an architect on the side.

Jan 4, 17 10:08 pm  · 
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On the fence

Too much money to walk away from.  Now is the time to suck it up if you really ever want to be an architect because in a few years making that kind of money you are not going to leave it for $30k internship of 5-10 years.

Jan 5, 17 10:28 am  · 
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Quentin

I wouldn't leave...

Jan 5, 17 1:20 pm  · 
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x intern
You can make that in architecture
It will take you a few years. Interns are paid poorly because they don't know how to do anything.
Jan 5, 17 1:46 pm  · 
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"Interns are paid poorly because they don't know how to do anything."

Is that what they tell you to keep you in line, or what you believe?

Jan 5, 17 2:59 pm  · 
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OP, if you haven't read this yet ... read it. If you have read it ... read it again because the answer to your first question is there. 

AXP Guidelines

Jan 5, 17 3:07 pm  · 
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x intern
I was an intern and got paid about what I was worth. Once I knew how to put together a building, oversee construction, understand the contracts of the parties and their responsibilities I get paid in the range above.
If you can do all this go get your license then ask for more money or move. If you sit in the office drafting all day you only know the beginning of architecture and I would bet you learned that in a firm.
Jan 5, 17 4:09 pm  · 
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quizzical

batman - over the course of my career, I've worked in both industries (although I got my license before moving over to real estate) so I have some personal knowledge and experience related to your situation. These are my thoughts on your decision:

a. Many of the posters here will consider R.E. to be "the Dark Side" -- I say embrace the Dark Side, ignore the criticism and don't look back. Unless you believe you possess truly exceptional design talent, entering the profession will simply place you among a large swarm of other interns, all competing for the same limited number of opportunities. You've been on this forum long enough to know what that means, both economically and professionally.

b. Take the money, pay off any student debt you have as quickly as possible and then start saving as much of your income as you possibly can -- R.E. is a capital intensive industry and you'll need a decent nest egg when you want to strike out on your own.

c. The real estate industry is subject to the same boom / bust cycle as is architecture. R.E. firms have layoffs during recessions just like design firms. The nest egg mentioned above will come in handy if a layoff ever happens to you.

d. If you're clever and work hard, in a few years you'll find yourself in a position where you are responsible for, or have major input regarding, which design firm(s) your company hires for its projects -- and you'll probably have a major role in managing those relationships over time. When that starts to happen, you'll have vastly more control over the quality of the finished project than you'll ever have working in a design firm. 

e. When you strike out on your own, you won't miss having a license. It will be easy to hire, or partner up with, qualified architectural talent and you'll still be able to exercise considerable control over the design process.

Good luck.

Jan 5, 17 5:21 pm  · 
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batman

Quizzical -

i think you are the only person with the same background as me. thank you for your input.

I think once i strike out my own, I think I sorta have it laid out - hire some of my colleagues who are licensed and partner with them. During this I will also ask him/her to sign off my hours!

but for now, I am taking plan b (which I had planned to do anyways), pay off my student loan under a year (MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH)

and save aggressively!

 

win win baby. 

Jan 5, 17 5:26 pm  · 
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