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signing bonus?

proFuse

What is a typical signing bonus for an Architectural Intern at a large international firm.

I'm a regular here, but have chosen to change my name for obvious reasons. Thanks archinect.

 
Mar 16, 05 8:32 pm
e

signing bonus for an intern? are you smoking crack? i've never heard of such a thing. do you know something i don't?

Mar 16, 05 8:36 pm  · 
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robm

I got a $1000 bonus on my first paycheck at the firm I just started at and I barely have any experience. However they said I really stood out amongst 10 or so other applicants
. I have my bachelor's and working on my masters.

Oct 19, 23 8:36 pm  · 
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jas

When i graduated in '98 in LA there were rumors of a signing bonus's that were being given...

I never saw one then...and still now...

Mar 16, 05 8:37 pm  · 
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no signing bonuses here. Never even heard people talk about them, other than speculative stuff like this.

Mar 16, 05 8:44 pm  · 
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evilplatypus

get a finance degree

Mar 16, 05 8:47 pm  · 
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vado retro

a signing bonus??? be glad they are paying you period.

Mar 16, 05 9:19 pm  · 
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sarah123

I actually asked for a signing bonus and got one,
but that was in Jan of 2001.
Wouldn't dream of asking for one.

Just ask for what's fair in terms of salary.

Mar 17, 05 2:17 am  · 
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sameolddoctor

"I'm a regular here, but have chosen to change my name for obvious reasons" - I dont think anyone gives a rats ass about identities..not me at least

as for sign-in bonuses, I think it totally depends on your position, your skills and most importantly how badly the company wants you. If given a job offer, you have to gauge if
a.they are taking you because you are invaluable to them and you are absolutely essential, for say a new project they have got themselves
or
b. they are are interested in you because they dont have not found very good options, but at the same time, can wait.

I hope you fall into the first category and can afford to be a bit demanding. And i would say that a good amount would be the first month's pay, or thats where you can start negotiating.. (i know some MBA's getting 4 months of pay as their sign-in bonuses..but...)

As you say its a large international firm, i think its possible - if not a sign-in bonus you can ask for a relocation package...or at least try

For the record i did get one, for 1000$

Mar 17, 05 4:09 am  · 
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b3tadine[sutures]

ok, had to come back for this one...

i got a signing bonus, and a little something more, here are the terms;

1. $10,000 - put into an account, with a nice rate to be paid at the end of my contract.

2. $5,000 per mention in Arch Record news section
3. $10,000 per cover and article in Arch. Review
4. $20,000 per AIA National Honor Award
5. $75,000 for winning AIA Firm Of The Year

and last but not least;

6. $1.5 mil. for hitting .365, 50homers, Gold Glove and making the All-Star team...

whew, but i can do it, i really can!

Mar 17, 05 6:34 am  · 
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A

I want a signing bonus! Have never ever heard of one for an intern architect.

But every single one of my friends not in this business has gotten a signing bonus.

Mar 17, 05 11:16 am  · 
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e

doctor, i hear you, but the person is an intern. i don't think they could fit into category a or b. interns are a dime a dozen.

Mar 17, 05 11:47 am  · 
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Ms Beary

Hmmmm, are you giving THEM a signing bonus? HAHA

Mar 17, 05 12:09 pm  · 
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heterarch

ha ha. signing bonus... i remember before i went on my internship, people a couple of years ahead talked about looking for/trying to get signing bonuses, none of them ever got one. then when my time came, everyone i knew was talking about trying to get one.. no one got one. it seems every architect i know, knows of someone who knows of someone who got one... so other than the few who say they've gotten them here, i don't think it happens much. certainly more often for more experienced architects, but almost never for interns. advice: if a firm's willing to give you a signing bonus to intern there, then the firm's probably not good enough for you, ie, you won't learn as much there as you would elsewhere. i worked for a starchitect on my internship, didn't get paid AT ALL, and as time has gone by, have realized it was one of the best professional experiences i've ever had.
good luck.

Mar 17, 05 1:15 pm  · 
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sameolddoctor

e, i was(am still) also an intern

Btw, I just heard that a friend of mine here in LA got a signing bonus for joining this huge corporate firm. He is also an intern, but they really needed him, since they got a project in his hometown in China.

I also think that maybe to shun the whole notion of bonuses because we are architects adds to the shitty position we find ourselves in financially. There is nothing wrong is asking for one, the max they can do is tell you 'no were sorry we dont offer signing bonuses' but worth a try

Mar 17, 05 2:29 pm  · 
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e

good points doctor. you are right never hurts to ask. the idea of signing bonuses is just so foreign to me especially for interns. i don't have much experience with large corporate firms and your friend obviously has a skill set beyond his archi abilities that add value to the firm. so interns, ask away and best of luck to you.

Mar 17, 05 2:36 pm  · 
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proFuse

Well, as you all have mentioned I would have never gone in thinking a signing bonus was possible but the person i interviewed with mentioned (off the record) that I should consider it. This person was not in HR, so they may not be in a position to say. Yet the fact that they mentioned it means that it’s a possibility.

The market rocks right now and so interns have a little more pull. I'm expecting offers from every firm I interviewed with this week. That being said, I think I'll start negotiating signing bonuses and relocation expenses.

Don't sell yourself short graduates. If you've got some skills then its a buyers market right now.

Mar 17, 05 5:11 pm  · 
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Saturn

OK. Here is one for ya. I got offered a $2500 sign on bonus from a firm in florida. In fact, almost all of my classmates have gotten sign on bonus offeres from their potential employers. I guess it is to try to entice interns to sign on for a lower amount of money than they should be getting, IMO. Just my two cents.

Apr 1, 05 2:01 pm  · 
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kissy_face

saturn...whats the going salary for architects in florida? Just curious.
Another question...did anyone here get money for relocation?

Apr 1, 05 2:38 pm  · 
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sahar

I know the firm I work for is desperate for people, and they offer employees $500/per person they recommend that the firm hires. They bumped it up to $1000 for this month only. I am sure if my firm compesates the people that recommend the new hire, they probably compensate the new hire too. I am not sure how much. I am a corporate cog (temporary intern), so I just got a mug and hat when I was hired.

Apr 1, 05 2:51 pm  · 
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g-love

this is why all of us should just go hang out with the business guys...

(courtesy of the washington post)

Mark V. Hurd, who takes over tomorrow as chief executive of troubled computer and printer maker Hewlett-Packard Co., is widely viewed as the antithesis of the celebrity chief executive, a nuts-and-bolts manager with little interest in grabbing headlines for himself.

But judging by his new employment agreement, HP's board appears to view Hurd as a superstar at least on par with the firm's formerly highflying chief executive, Carly Fiorina. The board forced Fiorina out in February for not fixing the company as quickly as it wanted.

According to the employment agreement, Hurd will receive cash, stock and perks worth at least $20 million for simply walking in the door at HP's Palo Alto, Calif., headquarters.

Paul Hodgson, senior analyst at the Corporate Library, a research organization, called Hurd's deal a prime example of the kind of "golden hello" package now commonly handed out by large public companies.

"This is exactly the same kind of contract they made for Carly when she started, and we saw what the result of that was," Hodgson said. "Hurd is getting so much up front that is absolutely unrelated to his performance."

Hurd's package includes a $2 million signing bonus, a $2.75 million cash "relocation allowance," 1.15 million stock options valued by the company at $6.9 million and 400,000 restricted HP shares worth about $8 million.

In addition to the relocation allowance, Hurd will also receive free housing for a year and a four-year "mortgage interest subsidy." There will also be "no limit on the weight of household goods" he chooses to ship to California, according to the agreement.

In addition, the contract calls for HP to reimburse Hurd for up to a 20 percent decline in the value of 850,184 shares he owns in the firm he is leaving behind, Dayton, Ohio-based NCR Corp.

In addition to the signing money, Hurd's contract calls for an annual salary of $1.4 million, an annual bonus of at least $2.8 million and as much as $8.4 million, and long-term incentive payments of between $4.2 million and $12.6 million per year. HP spokeswoman Monica Sarkar said the long-term incentive payments are not guaranteed.

In the employment agreement, HP said 450,000 of the stock options, valued at $2.7 million, and the 400,000 restricted shares were awarded "to make up for compensation forfeited from" Hurd's previous employer. HP spokeswoman Sarkar said the amounts were based on what Hurd was "leaving on the table" at NCR.

NCR spokesman Jeff Dafler declined to say how much Hurd was giving up by leaving but said the company would soon make a regulatory filing detailing the terms of Hurd's departure.

In a news conference yesterday introducing the new chief executive, HP Chairman Patricia C. Dunn said Hurd "became the unanimous choice of our board because of his strong execution skills, his proven ability to lead top-performing teams and his track record of creating shareholder value."

Dunn added, "Although NCR is smaller than HP, it is a complex global organization with multiple business segments, and there Mark built a strong leadership team, bolstered the position of NCR's product lines and improved operating efficiencies."

Apr 1, 05 4:33 pm  · 
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Saturn

Hey kissy_face the going salary in Florida is not what I would hope, but I guess that is the same everywhere. Interns, based off experience, get from about $25,000 to $43,000. Again, depends on how much experience a person has. I am pretty good with digital stuff (rendering) and they really love a portfolio that is completely digital. I do not believe that they will pay any relocation fees, but I got everything paid for when I visited the firms (milage, hotel room, food, etc.). I hear many horror stories about jobs and all but so far so good for me.

Apr 2, 05 9:14 pm  · 
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newstreamlinedmodel

I once asked for a partial advance on my first pay check so I could pay my rent and buy a pair of shoes for work. I got that.

Apr 3, 05 3:09 am  · 
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