All - I have been working in architecture for the last 7 years, went through 7 years of school prior to that.
I have managed to almost always work at small/boutique offices (for better or worse), and have been able to work on some seriously cool projects. But I have found serious issues with continuous vile-conflict with certain coworkers and inconsistency in work. Although conflict is inevitable, I have found it particularly frustrating surrounding a work environment that does not template or create a consistent workflow -- that does not have a "way."
Additionally, those interactions have burned down any desire for design. Although I still have a significant interest in art and music. I have no burning desire...
...to be on the front lines, to be honest, I just want to work, make money and go home, and have a quality work-life balance. I have almost always been told "that's not possible" by colleagues, a-la-internet-or-in-person.
My real questions are...
Is there an area of architecture/planning/construction, that truly offers a consistent workflow with tamer personalities?
Where do I look?
What other profession could I find a way into with this background and experience?
I am an ENFP (should that mean anything to you)..pleading for help here...
Non Sequitur
Dec 2, 16 10:09 am
Yeah, there totally is.... quite literally everywhere else. Just look around other office, ask for their turn-over rate and average employee length of employment.
These are indicators that that office has good life-balance and steady work. Not sure why you assume conflict is inevitable, perhaps that is part of the problem since you expect to bump heads where it should not be the case.
Alternatively, you can just get licensed and start your own thing. After 7y exp, you should already be anyways.
archietechie
Dec 2, 16 10:16 am
"...ask for their turn-over rate and average employee length of employment"
This.
Peter Normand
Dec 2, 16 11:58 am
Try building code enforcement work for a city become a technocrat. But you have to be consistent fair and curious.
Over and OUT
Peter N
Everyday Intern
Dec 2, 16 12:02 pm
With your comments about being frustrated that there is not a template or consistent workflow, and your desire to just work, make money, and go home ... it sounds like you'd fit in pretty well picking up redlines at a large corporate firm where things are structured from the top down. Nothing wrong with that either. It may not fulfill everyone else's creative desire, but it sounds like you don't really care about that. My only advice about looking at large firms is find one where your coworkers are personable and you can get a long with them. At any rate, if you're currently unhappy, trying out something new and different isn't going to hurt.
BulgarBlogger
Dec 2, 16 12:05 pm
Go into retail... I hear the Phillips Group (TPG) is hiring. One of the worst places for any creative, but you could go there- do your thing and go home...
StarchitectAlpha
Dec 2, 16 5:00 pm
...
s=r*(theta)
Dec 2, 16 5:53 pm
I use to work for a company were we did that sort of thing u mentioned "a way". all we did were franchised & corporate restaurants with an occasional commercial building. so basically all you did was modify standard drawings to fit new city, state, county and site. wasnt the most creative work but every two weeks you got a check, and every so often coupons for free food or tickets to sporting events the corporate restaurant sponsored
shellarchitect
Dec 3, 16 10:35 pm
Maybe look into firms that do a lot of schools?
gruen
Dec 4, 16 1:24 pm
We have "a way". It's not creative but we get the job done efficiently & I do have an opening for someone who "gets it", is smart and efficient. No ego allowed at my place.
SneakyPete
Dec 4, 16 7:27 pm
Efficient processes and the desire for them should not be dismissed so easily. Corporate firms and retail firms have them, sure, but so should all firms. If your firm doesn't have in place processes that make the minutiae and the mundane less painful then interpersonal conflict and frustration (as well as high levels of dissatisfaction and turnover) are bound to be more prevalent. The key is to always bring your a game. Have a process. Have a set of reasons and precedents. That way, when you come up against an issue that you've seen before, you can take the initiative to suggest your system. You may run into friction, but if you have thought about it, tested it, and it works, then you can feel confident in being an advocate for it.
ivorykeyboard
Dec 5, 16 2:29 pm
I work for a large corporate firm. I've been here for around four years. I rarely work more than 45 hours a week. My first couple of years, I worked more overtime, but now less. Do I work on the most brand spanking cool projects all the times? no, but i'm not doing roll outs. Our company bills hourly so our project managers want us to go home.
we also strive for highly efficient processes because of billing hourly. that's from early concept through CA.
All - I have been working in architecture for the last 7 years, went through 7 years of school prior to that.
I have managed to almost always work at small/boutique offices (for better or worse), and have been able to work on some seriously cool projects. But I have found serious issues with continuous vile-conflict with certain coworkers and inconsistency in work. Although conflict is inevitable, I have found it particularly frustrating surrounding a work environment that does not template or create a consistent workflow -- that does not have a "way."
Additionally, those interactions have burned down any desire for design. Although I still have a significant interest in art and music. I have no burning desire...
...to be on the front lines, to be honest, I just want to work, make money and go home, and have a quality work-life balance. I have almost always been told "that's not possible" by colleagues, a-la-internet-or-in-person.
My real questions are...
Is there an area of architecture/planning/construction, that truly offers a consistent workflow with tamer personalities?
Where do I look?
What other profession could I find a way into with this background and experience?
I am an ENFP (should that mean anything to you)..pleading for help here...
Yeah, there totally is.... quite literally everywhere else. Just look around other office, ask for their turn-over rate and average employee length of employment.
These are indicators that that office has good life-balance and steady work. Not sure why you assume conflict is inevitable, perhaps that is part of the problem since you expect to bump heads where it should not be the case.
Alternatively, you can just get licensed and start your own thing. After 7y exp, you should already be anyways.
"...ask for their turn-over rate and average employee length of employment"
This.
Try building code enforcement work for a city become a technocrat. But you have to be consistent fair and curious.
Over and OUT
Peter N
With your comments about being frustrated that there is not a template or consistent workflow, and your desire to just work, make money, and go home ... it sounds like you'd fit in pretty well picking up redlines at a large corporate firm where things are structured from the top down. Nothing wrong with that either. It may not fulfill everyone else's creative desire, but it sounds like you don't really care about that. My only advice about looking at large firms is find one where your coworkers are personable and you can get a long with them. At any rate, if you're currently unhappy, trying out something new and different isn't going to hurt.
Go into retail... I hear the Phillips Group (TPG) is hiring. One of the worst places for any creative, but you could go there- do your thing and go home...
...
I use to work for a company were we did that sort of thing u mentioned "a way". all we did were franchised & corporate restaurants with an occasional commercial building. so basically all you did was modify standard drawings to fit new city, state, county and site. wasnt the most creative work but every two weeks you got a check, and every so often coupons for free food or tickets to sporting events the corporate restaurant sponsored
Maybe look into firms that do a lot of schools?
We have "a way". It's not creative but we get the job done efficiently & I do have an opening for someone who "gets it", is smart and efficient. No ego allowed at my place.
Efficient processes and the desire for them should not be dismissed so easily. Corporate firms and retail firms have them, sure, but so should all firms. If your firm doesn't have in place processes that make the minutiae and the mundane less painful then interpersonal conflict and frustration (as well as high levels of dissatisfaction and turnover) are bound to be more prevalent. The key is to always bring your a game. Have a process. Have a set of reasons and precedents. That way, when you come up against an issue that you've seen before, you can take the initiative to suggest your system. You may run into friction, but if you have thought about it, tested it, and it works, then you can feel confident in being an advocate for it.
I work for a large corporate firm. I've been here for around four years. I rarely work more than 45 hours a week. My first couple of years, I worked more overtime, but now less. Do I work on the most brand spanking cool projects all the times? no, but i'm not doing roll outs. Our company bills hourly so our project managers want us to go home.
we also strive for highly efficient processes because of billing hourly. that's from early concept through CA.