Before you skip the rest of my post and start flinging words around in the comments, hear me out. I think Revit is a valuable tool and that soon (if not already) it and other BIM programs will become just part of the game and you'll have to learn it. It's either that or you can become an employer and just be out of touch with reality.
Right now the majority of the employers who are looking for and hiring interns with experience in Revit are only looking to hire people to work in Revit. You may get lucky and be tasked with teaching the old curmudgeons in the office about the fancy new software, but you don't want to do that anyway. You know better, and you don't want to be pigeonholed as a Revit monkey anymore than your forefathers and foremothers wanted to be pigeonholed as draftsmen and draftswomen. You understand that it takes more than a computer and a copy of Revit to create a building and you want to find a job that will guide and encourage you to learn about what happens outside your user interface.
Let's play around in the Job Board for a little bit. Search for jobs containing the keyword "Revit" and (at the time of this writing) you come up with no less than 157 matches. But wait, you're not an architect yet, you want to become one. Search instead for jobs with the keyword "intern" and you get 46 matches. Not too bad if you don't need to narrow your job search for a specific region. Of those 46 matches, add the keyword "Revit" once more and you'll see that now there are only 20 jobs that want you to be both an intern and know Revit. I can't say how many of those are in your region or even if they'll look at a candidate from out of the area.
20 jobs. Out of the 46 positions for interns, less than half want you to know Revit. Okay, you'll stand out if you learn Revit and the employer will want to hire you over the next candidate. But you're not really standing out with just knowing Revit. Pretend you're an employer looking in the talent finder for someone who knows Revit. There are 1312 talented job seekers vying for your future employer's attention. It gets better if you add "intern" to the search terms, now there is only 187 competing for 20 jobs. But remember, these are just the people that have created a profile with Archinect. There are plenty more who have made accounts and look at the job boards and even more than that who lurk around there without logging in.
The point is that Revit will not get you onto the short list. And if it did, rest assured that you would only be working in Revit, especially if you tout yourself as an expert in order to stand out. Why would an employer want to pay you, the Revit guru, to waste time working on obscure IDP hours when they need you cranking out drawings?
Revit may guarantee you a job, but it won't guarantee you a license. And you paid way to much for that fancy education to get stuck modeling and printing CD sets competing with people who can do the same after spending some time with a pirated version of the software and google.
(I'll let you search for the pirated software on your own)
An ellipsis [...] is used to signal an omission, an unfinished thought, aposiopesis, or brief awkward silence. Architectural ellipses are those aspects of the profession we (perhaps intentionally) omit, gloss over, or let dwindle in silence. Generally applied this blog should encompass many aspects of the profession. Yet, as an intern architect (now architect) I'll focus primarily on the architectural ellipses that occur in the internship process (and beyond).
80 Comments
what a great set of knowledge for some1 like me, a student of architecture graduating in next 2 years. as far the post goes recently for about last 6 months i m extremely into REVIT just because i think what i lacked was a way to put forward the idea in my mind the right way, i m very weak on the manual side and was desperate to have a tool to represent the idea in best possible way as always my teachers would appreciate the idea but not what was on paper. i hope i am moving in right direction and would extremely appreciate ur precious advices if any still comes by....
regards....
TBH I recently graduated, worked in a consultancy firm specializing on consulting every firm in the world in BIM then moved onto BIM for the surveying industry, every job I've had in the last several months have only been BIM Coordinator or BIM manager. People are finding it hard to even offer me entry level architecture jobs because of my specialization and what I'm already paid....
Not that I want to go back to architecture but if you don't want to be in my predicament don't specialize.
archiwutm8
It took me 5 years to evolve from a BIM Chimp(Revit Specialist) to a project designer - once you get pigeon holed, it is real hard to get out - In order to get past the Revit Specialist slot, it was necessary to find good offices(that are not well known) that were willing to "trade" my Revit skills for their architecture assignments - that has worked for me - you can't get away with that at a big name firm - there is just too much competition from those who have the architecture design experience and Revit experience as well - try picking a small not as well known firm that needs your Revit experience and would be willing to "trade"
"And to be honest, I would MUCH rather have a new hire that knows how to put a building together than run Revit - even for production. A lack of the former cannot be overcome by any degree of the latter. IMHO, Revit makes this more grossly apparent than in firms producing CD's in 2D formats"
Good luck with that. I've seen Revit jockeys and non-Revit jockeys alike, and the one thing that people couldn't care less about was whether the new hires knew how to put the building together.
But since they were hired as DESIGNERS, I guess that's OK.
But let's blame the software.
I was hired right out of school because I could put a building together and in Revit
As it should be. Most folks I meet who come out of school think cantilevers need no back span and are confused as to why there are joints on their facade.
Guys,
Let me tell you something.
I have been a revit user since early 2006.
I have love-hate relationship with it now.
Revit is just a tool. Nothing more nothing less!
Hey guys, Im an architect in a foreign country and was curious about what you meant when you talk about CD's, IDP and ARE. Would greatly appreciate an answer.
CD = Construction Documents.
IDP = Intern Development Program. Administered by NCARB (National Council of Architectural Registration Boards) it is a program to categorize and document the experience portion necessary* to be eligible to become a licensed architect in the United States. Will be renamed at the end of June to the Architectural Experience Program (AXP).
ARE = Architect Registration Examination. Also administered by NCARB, a series of examinations that upon passing fulfills the examination portion necessary* to become a licensed architect in the United States.
*There are of course alternative paths to licensure in various jurisdictions within the United States, but the pathway relying on IDP and the ARE (as well as a NAAB-accredited degree) are accepted in all US jurisdictions.
this is an interesting subject... topic.
i have been involved in the "real-A-state" apocalypse. and during this same time... it has seamed that 'revit' has became the new "thing" (autodesk has it's pull on the scheme of things - the profession)... although i believe that what others have said in this post... a 'pen' can not replace a head in getting a building built - let alone designed - because i have to think that it starts with a pen and ends with the contractor and ultimately with the client. i often joke about how i think the profession should go back to "hand drafting". because i believe the profession should be an art on all senses. but my situation is that most jobs "require" not only you know revit, but you have a few years under your belt with it. i suppose this is the modern day of a draftsmen? i'm not sure? and i suppose me getting a job at a warehouse for a few years during that transitional time did a lot of bad. but what i'm thinking is that these firms that have a pre-qual to a software are wanting a draftsmen (someone to do the grunt work of the contractual work to the contractor and client)... and that's not my goal. but it also seams that even getting into a firm these days all revolves around your experience (with software (BIM)) and not your mentality and goals / culture? so i guess my question is... i've been in the profession for several years... and i feel like i'm just getting back into it (i.e because of my lack of practice of revit i am like a graduate) because of software? or waiting for the right firm... which i guess is what the issue is and always has been...
what are others struggling with in all this....?
i cant' be alone here......
so here's a 2016 update. you WILL get passed by for entry level jobs or even jobs slightly further up, with say 5 years experience.
i've interviewed very well with employers and when the discussion about Revit comes up it's the deal breaker. i have demonstrated through examples of CD's that i have used Revit in the past. But because those were done in my m.arch program it didn't seem to count.
employers do not want to invest any time in training someone how to use the production tool despite their knowledge of how to "put a building together" or a "great design portfolio."
my next interview will require me to BS much more heavily on my Revit ability.
honesty and physical proof of using it is not enough.
that worked back in 07' - which is how I got my first job in arch - but today - you really have to have the actual experience and many firms test you -
non of this is true today....
The recent "How to get a job at CO Architects" post affirms what everyday intern suggests http://archinect.com/features/article/149976048/how-to-get-a-job-at-co-architects:
"Design sensibility, critical thinking, and effective communication are essential. We also look for computer aptitude, but not necessarily specific software, as individuals with aptitude can typically pick up any necessary software.... Each new hire immediately joins a project team and is integrated into the office through their team. If employees need Revit training, we will provide them formal instruction. They will also be oriented to our office standards and resources."
Albeit this is just one firm, I believe good firms look first for a good cultural fit, and trust that capable, intelligent, and motivated people can learn skills quickly. Wouldn't most rather work for an organization that is willing to teach its employees? Shouldn't this be part of the responsibility of any good office?
Well, it was written more than 3.5 years ago. Also the 2nd sentence in the post is this:
If it still bothers you that much, you could replace the word "Revit" with whatever is the new buzz word that young aspiring architects think will make them employable (Grasshopper, Dynamo, killer renderings, etc.).
square - i'm calling bullshit on the CO Architects post. I guarantee if you go into an interview there and say, "oh I don't know Revit, but you guys said you train people so no problem." you will not get hired.
bottom line is that the industry is cutting out anyone who does not stay on top of technology. and the bar keeps getting raised higher and higher on how much tech you know and how much experience you have with it.
eventually there will be a chasm between people who just use cad and those who use Revit. the auto cad users will be designing chicken coops and stock house plans. Revit users will get all the good jobs.
would any of you hire someone who does not know autocad? of course not is the answer.
@makingspace
I think the point is if you know enough software, you can conceivably pick up another pretty quickly. Of course you wouldn't get hired if you offered your response; there is a much more tactful way of saying you don't have much experience with one piece of software. There are plenty of firms who embrace this attitude. Like I said, I would be weary of a firm that expected a candidate to know everything as an entry level designer.. I guarantee that is a reflection on the office culture.
If everyone is interested what Revit and BIM does to the discipline I suggest him/her to read Mario Carpo's "The Alphabet and The Algorithm"
BIM is not just a tool. Something more than a tool. Something vary dangerous to the discipline.
Learn Revit just don't be the go to guy/girl.
Learn Revit just don't be the go to guy/girl
sadly this is the road to ruin if you aspire to be an architect - you will get pidgeon holed as some kind of BIM/Cad coordinator
it and all parametric design processes are design tools - dont be a fool and become a tool of the tool
Patrik wants to use parametric modeling to leverage himself into #10 -
How about ArchiCAD and Grasshopper?
Revit is the new Autocadd, and it gives designers and architects a better idea of what they're doing. The lines and every snap to item stay on point everytime, no more disconnected lines, and no need to draw sections so BIM is here to stay.
This post is dated. The opposite is true now. Revit is the key skill set employers seek for junior and mid-level interns architects. A good design portfolio is the icing on the cake. A shame but true.
I think you read the title and missed the point of the post. I never said that Revit is not necessary (in fact, I wrote that it would probably be a requirement). I just said that it isn't going to be what sets you apart in the crowd. It also isn't going to guarantee that the job you get is going to help you progress to becoming an architect.
Wow this thread did not age well....
How so? Using the same methodology, the current resultant pool of available jobs for interns that know revit is 32. The talent finder shows 399 archinect users that would fit that criteria. Back when I wrote this article the ratio of candidates per available job worked out to 9.35. Today it is 12.47. By this logic, this post is even more relevant today than it was 5 and half years ago. Using your Revit expertise as a way to "stand out" to potential employers is not going to cut it. You need to figure out other ways to stand out in the crowd of applicants.
Do learn Revit, do learn everything that makes you more technical, your technician and the engineers you work with will thank you for it. There is nothing worth than a clueless arty farty architect who only speaks one language, that of his own ego.
Heard about Frank Gehry? You think Revit is too hard? Try adapting Dassault Systemes Catia to make the Louis Vuitton house tangible. If you are that great that you should not use Revit or live on the same ground as the people who work with you, it is most likely you should create your own firm and your talent will do the rest. Albeit you know what we say about people who have talent but no working skills... they usually don't go very far.
You want to become a great architect? You must learn to work with others. Revit is a collaboration tool, it makes your ideas real.
I don't know much Revit. I heard it doesn't work well for drawing renovations to existing buildings or for doing things outside of a narrow range of work, so what's so great about it?
How many Revit users make 6 figures? How many non-Revit users make 6-figures?
I think you should update your post.
I say don't learn Revit. It allows hiring managers to more easily weed out the weak.
Sure, i know you said,
"Revit will not get you onto the short list. And if it did, rest assured that you would only be working in Revit, especially if you tout yourself as an expert in order to stand out".
"Revit may guarantee you a job, but it won't guarantee you a license."
Not knowing Revit won't even get you on the list. BIG BIM, VDC and O+M models are required by clients more and more. Also, nothing will "guarantee you a job" and a license is the result of perseverance, practice and discipline. Interns in our office are required to have a working knowledge of Revit.
As with any tool, one can leverage it to create greatness or complain that it pigeonholes one into the role of "operator".
You have to steer your course and quit being a victim. If you want to be an architect, learn the tools.
I know this article was geared to architects and those who want to be architects. I like doing those tricky things that move Construction document forward and training architects to lessen technological disruption in business. My goal is to become a bim manager. if you have project where you need some who does not mind working in revit, look me up I am happy to help.
I love these guys that use Revit and do not know their job. They create millions upon millions of dollars in change orders. They issue revision after revision and simply make some job so they could never lose money. Please keep hiring these Revit "Aces" and filling our pockets with money!
I say learn Revit. Be the "Ace", especially if you don't want to be in debt from school loans. Look at an architecture firm or the field in general. Architects are a dime a dozen. Sorry people, it's true. How many architects are in a firm and how many BIM managers? I have no degrees and make six digits as a BIM Manager in the midwest, thanks to my knowledge in the software and its predecessors.
gp1, good for you in finding your niche. Have you been able to get licensed as an architect in your current role?
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