I am bit perplexed with my current situation, all I know is when I go to sleep every night I feel I deserve better and more opportunity to learn.
I recently finished my masters of architecture from Cal Poly Pomona which is masters's degree for people from non-architecture background. In essence we share part of the curriculum with the undergraduate program with variation in the final project. For masters it is a thesis which is research and a design proposal while for undergraduate its more concentrated on a design proposal on subject of their choice.
Having said that, my thesis was well received by the jury members and one of them gave me a reference for an architecture firm which he believed would be a good fit for me. I went ahead and contacted the firm and they told me all the positions were filled up currently and they would be in touch. Meanwhile I got a job in an architecture firm which specializes in single and multi family and has an employee count of approx. 200 people throughout the US. They recently opened an office in Southern California and they in the process of building up the office. Currently we are at 3 people and we have more people joining.
My problems are
1)The design process is more oriented to the developer and less to the design. They want to have the maximum density and residences are referred to as "products" . In case of multi family the apartment plans are already designed and it is about the highest density. As the say " the first step is quantity and then quality". Similar in case of single family they have floor plans they just experiment with different elevations as per choice of client.There are no place for custom residences
2) During the interview I was given the impression that the work was in Revit as well as autocad. But since I have joined we have been working only on Autocad . I was more interested in developing my Revit skill where I think I have intermediate skill level . I also know it is the way forward.
3) I know my passion lies in healthcare architecture but during my job search I had to keep all options open. Maybe I need to find something in healthcare.I am trying to build contact from my resources and by volunteering in local architecture events. I am working on building my website but it is turning out to be a slow process.I know it has more to do with the college stress. I just got done and I feel I need to relax for a few days to get my energy back.
4) The salary is on the lower end I get $21 while I know people who are getting somewhere between $ 24-$ 26.I did not negotiate while joining , I think I could have gone up to $ 24 but I regret it now.
Maybe I am sounding unreasonable and this is the reality or do I need start looking for another job?
As they say you build your own reality and its gets more confusing!
DeTwan
Oct 7, 15 11:39 pm
You are actually doing better than most fresh graduates. There are a number of ppl working in the architecture industry that are in the $14-16 dollar range, even southern cali.
You may have a naïve idea of what architecture is, but it sounds pretty spot on to the realities of what is expected in the real world, especially working for a multi-family company. It is usually always about maxing out the site for maximum profits.
My guess is that you will never really use Revit at this company if no one is consistently using it for their projects. Your best bet is to continue to look for work elsewhere while maintain a productive work ethic at the current job. Next time consider negotiating your salary before accepting the offer. You could also think of trying to negotiate a better salary after working 9months to a year. All in all, it sounds like you make more than average for being right out of college, and with your limited knowledge it may be tough to convince your employers you're worth it without more professional experience under your belt.
Once you put your hopes and ambitions on the architecture 'train', you can expect a rollercoaster of a ride in life. Hang On!!!
midlander
Oct 8, 15 6:42 am
Your salary seems typical for an inexperienced graduate. You might be able to get a little more if you stick around and ask for a raise, but its not going to make much difference in the long run. Focus on getting into a firm doing healthcare design if thats what you want to do.
If you have projects that you can relate to healthcare design in your portfolio that will help a lot, and so would work that shows you can use revit well to model and document a design. Having a solid pdf portfolio is more important than having a website, so I'd skip the website if its taking too much effort.
Just find the firms doing healthcare in your area and target them. Try to meet people who work there who can help get you an interview.
On your first problem: thats actually a reality of architecture. And equally true in healthcare, where the functionality of the design is the priority. Meeting area requirments and program needs is always the basis of a design. Though there will be less standardization in healthcare since each overall project is a unique condition.
With revit, many firms exaggerate how intensively they really use it. In general the big firms focused on institutional work including healthcare use it much more because the labor savings for the architecture firm are more evident on big predictable projects, and the more professional clients see construction process advantages in it. I think if you find a firm doing larger healthcare facilities you will be working mostly or entirely in revit and have plenty opportunity to learn.
nisha_1123
Oct 8, 15 2:03 pm
Detwan_ Thanks for being forthright. I agree , my best bet is to look for jobs while maintaining a productive work ethic at my current plcae. At least I gain experience ,earn my IDP hours which is a step further towards my license path.
midlander _I don't mind working on the functionality of architecture my problem lies more with not working in my area of interest. My thesis is in healthcare which includes an in-depth research about the history and current trends in healthcare. I did 2 research papers which included interviews with healthcare experts and a design proposal for existing hospital campus. I agree I should build my portfolio and add Revit models
My undergraduate in architecture from India and I worked with a small architecture firm for approx 3 years which specialized in laboratory and research institute. I have worked on schematic design, construction documents and part construction administration.
However , when i go for interviews they seem to completely disregard my previous experience. It feels as if architects here don't seem to consider experience from developing countries.
Thanks for your input.
midlander
Oct 8, 15 5:28 pm
It sounds like you have the material to make a strong portfolio that shows an understanding of healthcare / lab design. If you aren't getting enough interest from firms that focus on this ask someone you respect to review your portfolio - maybe it needs to be reworked to emphasize this aspect of your knowledge.
Multifamily residential and spec SFH is pretty straightforward and unexciting so if that's not your things I can understand being frustrated by it. If you have done any construction documentation work though that would be worth putting in the portfolio since it will show an understanding of American construction practice which is likely different from India.
Many of the big firms do plenty work in developing markets and I don't think they would disregard your experience if you show a good understanding of how it relates to their work. If they seem dismissive you might need to look and see if you are presenting it well, or if it's just too different from what they do.
3tk
Oct 8, 15 6:51 pm
Work hard and learn what you can, filling out the IDP hours that may be harder to gain in a larger practice where you will likely have a much more limited role. It's important to understand that student research is not as in-depth or extensive and rarely peer-reviewed in design field to the level it is 'useful' to an office environment. I can't tell you how many students I've interviewed that went on-and-on about a research topic on something I read in a peer-reviewed journal, and/or was on a topic not particularly relevant to every day work of the office.
As a standard, it's best to have a 5 min 'why you're great and how I can contribute' talk ready. At the end of the day, it's hard for entry level staff to be revenue positive as it does take mentoring to get caught up to speed in an office, so being able to directly correlate your ability to their work is a good way to 'sell' yourself to a potential employer.
The dismissive tone may be in part due to the relevance of that experience: how much of a role you had and if the project types, regions, project cost range, etc is similar or different from what they do. I've been shocked both positively and negatively on how prepared an individual with 'experience' was for the firms I worked in. Experience is not equal to everyone - finding the right fit is key.
You'll get a sense for how well you're doing at your current work and might try to have a 'how am I doing' conversation with your boss. If you know that your work has increased the profitability of the office, you might be able to ask for a raise: "I feel like my contributions have had a positive impact on the office and would appreciate a sign of appreciation". Might be an extra day or two off or a little check. I'd at least wait for the end-of-year though - typically firm's 'balance' employee's pay and work off with a bonus. (if 2 people have contributed equally and person A made $2k more that person B, person B might get a higher year end bonus... it's the right thing to do, but not all firms operate the same way; growing firms tend to do it to gain a reputation as a good place to work to poach future employees).
At the end of the day, remember that the current job helps you get the next one, and the next, and so on - most jobs aren't permanent.
Hello Everyone,
I am bit perplexed with my current situation, all I know is when I go to sleep every night I feel I deserve better and more opportunity to learn.
I recently finished my masters of architecture from Cal Poly Pomona which is masters's degree for people from non-architecture background. In essence we share part of the curriculum with the undergraduate program with variation in the final project. For masters it is a thesis which is research and a design proposal while for undergraduate its more concentrated on a design proposal on subject of their choice.
Having said that, my thesis was well received by the jury members and one of them gave me a reference for an architecture firm which he believed would be a good fit for me. I went ahead and contacted the firm and they told me all the positions were filled up currently and they would be in touch. Meanwhile I got a job in an architecture firm which specializes in single and multi family and has an employee count of approx. 200 people throughout the US. They recently opened an office in Southern California and they in the process of building up the office. Currently we are at 3 people and we have more people joining.
My problems are
1)The design process is more oriented to the developer and less to the design. They want to have the maximum density and residences are referred to as "products" . In case of multi family the apartment plans are already designed and it is about the highest density. As the say " the first step is quantity and then quality". Similar in case of single family they have floor plans they just experiment with different elevations as per choice of client.There are no place for custom residences
2) During the interview I was given the impression that the work was in Revit as well as autocad. But since I have joined we have been working only on Autocad . I was more interested in developing my Revit skill where I think I have intermediate skill level . I also know it is the way forward.
3) I know my passion lies in healthcare architecture but during my job search I had to keep all options open. Maybe I need to find something in healthcare.I am trying to build contact from my resources and by volunteering in local architecture events. I am working on building my website but it is turning out to be a slow process.I know it has more to do with the college stress. I just got done and I feel I need to relax for a few days to get my energy back.
4) The salary is on the lower end I get $21 while I know people who are getting somewhere between $ 24-$ 26.I did not negotiate while joining , I think I could have gone up to $ 24 but I regret it now.
Maybe I am sounding unreasonable and this is the reality or do I need start looking for another job?
As they say you build your own reality and its gets more confusing!
You are actually doing better than most fresh graduates. There are a number of ppl working in the architecture industry that are in the $14-16 dollar range, even southern cali.
You may have a naïve idea of what architecture is, but it sounds pretty spot on to the realities of what is expected in the real world, especially working for a multi-family company. It is usually always about maxing out the site for maximum profits.
My guess is that you will never really use Revit at this company if no one is consistently using it for their projects. Your best bet is to continue to look for work elsewhere while maintain a productive work ethic at the current job. Next time consider negotiating your salary before accepting the offer. You could also think of trying to negotiate a better salary after working 9months to a year. All in all, it sounds like you make more than average for being right out of college, and with your limited knowledge it may be tough to convince your employers you're worth it without more professional experience under your belt.
Once you put your hopes and ambitions on the architecture 'train', you can expect a rollercoaster of a ride in life. Hang On!!!
Your salary seems typical for an inexperienced graduate. You might be able to get a little more if you stick around and ask for a raise, but its not going to make much difference in the long run. Focus on getting into a firm doing healthcare design if thats what you want to do.
If you have projects that you can relate to healthcare design in your portfolio that will help a lot, and so would work that shows you can use revit well to model and document a design. Having a solid pdf portfolio is more important than having a website, so I'd skip the website if its taking too much effort.
Just find the firms doing healthcare in your area and target them. Try to meet people who work there who can help get you an interview.
On your first problem: thats actually a reality of architecture. And equally true in healthcare, where the functionality of the design is the priority. Meeting area requirments and program needs is always the basis of a design. Though there will be less standardization in healthcare since each overall project is a unique condition.
With revit, many firms exaggerate how intensively they really use it. In general the big firms focused on institutional work including healthcare use it much more because the labor savings for the architecture firm are more evident on big predictable projects, and the more professional clients see construction process advantages in it. I think if you find a firm doing larger healthcare facilities you will be working mostly or entirely in revit and have plenty opportunity to learn.
Detwan_ Thanks for being forthright. I agree , my best bet is to look for jobs while maintaining a productive work ethic at my current plcae. At least I gain experience ,earn my IDP hours which is a step further towards my license path.
midlander _I don't mind working on the functionality of architecture my problem lies more with not working in my area of interest. My thesis is in healthcare which includes an in-depth research about the history and current trends in healthcare. I did 2 research papers which included interviews with healthcare experts and a design proposal for existing hospital campus. I agree I should build my portfolio and add Revit models
My undergraduate in architecture from India and I worked with a small architecture firm for approx 3 years which specialized in laboratory and research institute. I have worked on schematic design, construction documents and part construction administration.
However , when i go for interviews they seem to completely disregard my previous experience. It feels as if architects here don't seem to consider experience from developing countries.
Thanks for your input.
It sounds like you have the material to make a strong portfolio that shows an understanding of healthcare / lab design. If you aren't getting enough interest from firms that focus on this ask someone you respect to review your portfolio - maybe it needs to be reworked to emphasize this aspect of your knowledge.
Multifamily residential and spec SFH is pretty straightforward and unexciting so if that's not your things I can understand being frustrated by it. If you have done any construction documentation work though that would be worth putting in the portfolio since it will show an understanding of American construction practice which is likely different from India.
Many of the big firms do plenty work in developing markets and I don't think they would disregard your experience if you show a good understanding of how it relates to their work. If they seem dismissive you might need to look and see if you are presenting it well, or if it's just too different from what they do.
Work hard and learn what you can, filling out the IDP hours that may be harder to gain in a larger practice where you will likely have a much more limited role. It's important to understand that student research is not as in-depth or extensive and rarely peer-reviewed in design field to the level it is 'useful' to an office environment. I can't tell you how many students I've interviewed that went on-and-on about a research topic on something I read in a peer-reviewed journal, and/or was on a topic not particularly relevant to every day work of the office.
As a standard, it's best to have a 5 min 'why you're great and how I can contribute' talk ready. At the end of the day, it's hard for entry level staff to be revenue positive as it does take mentoring to get caught up to speed in an office, so being able to directly correlate your ability to their work is a good way to 'sell' yourself to a potential employer.
The dismissive tone may be in part due to the relevance of that experience: how much of a role you had and if the project types, regions, project cost range, etc is similar or different from what they do. I've been shocked both positively and negatively on how prepared an individual with 'experience' was for the firms I worked in. Experience is not equal to everyone - finding the right fit is key.
You'll get a sense for how well you're doing at your current work and might try to have a 'how am I doing' conversation with your boss. If you know that your work has increased the profitability of the office, you might be able to ask for a raise: "I feel like my contributions have had a positive impact on the office and would appreciate a sign of appreciation". Might be an extra day or two off or a little check. I'd at least wait for the end-of-year though - typically firm's 'balance' employee's pay and work off with a bonus. (if 2 people have contributed equally and person A made $2k more that person B, person B might get a higher year end bonus... it's the right thing to do, but not all firms operate the same way; growing firms tend to do it to gain a reputation as a good place to work to poach future employees).
At the end of the day, remember that the current job helps you get the next one, and the next, and so on - most jobs aren't permanent.
good luck