It seems like an easy question, right? Not so in architecture...
I graduated with an M.Arch I from a top-tier school last year. I am currently working for an architect who used to employ 6 people and have several projects going on (they've since been built) and for various reasons (personal, recession, etc.) had to shrink the practice down to a part-time designer and me. When I came here 6 months ago there were a couple large projects in the works (small city masterplan, a resort overseas) which were promising but we didn't end up getting the commissions. There's a couple things on the horizon but nothing currently, so I am mostly just working on the website, and doing more personal assistant - type stuff - i.e. not practicing architecture.
BUT I've started getting some of my own design jobs ( where I actually have a budget and get to make something) since graduating and my current boss lets me take time off to do them since we don't have a lot going on in the office. When I am here I only work about 7 hours a day, and basically come and go as I please.
My classmates at larger firms may or may not be doing satisfying work but are expected to put in the 50-60 hours a week regardless, leaving no time or energy for themselves, let alone other projects.
So should I keep the opportunity to be financially supported by a low-stress job while I try to build my own brand, or is the time spent at an unproductive office just wasted when I could be getting the experience in how an active firm is run?
What are people's opinions and experiences starting out?
My personal opinion is to work in a small firm, get close to your boss. Ask him tons of questions, and (try) to understand the true intricacies of how our profession really works. I'd personally take that over any large firm. You get a lot more hands on with so much more that goes into a project, and your boss really takes your opinions more seriously. Atleast that's been my experience at my small firm I am working at now.
I worked at 2 large firms before, and I always felt like I was getting just plain lost in crowd. I was super young though and would probably find a better way to approach a large firm now, but I still love the small firm. I feel I'll learn a lot more, a lot quicker.
I may also be holding a grudge for being laid off from one of the larger firms the day I received my MArch, but oh well... Ha
Have you embraced your new identity as a freelancer? Are you being properly compensated as self-employed? Does this situation effect your idp progress? Are you financially prepared for when archi-boss's firm dries up a little more and has to shed some more weight? Are you 'sorta employed' or 'sorta running your own business'? Do you love uncertainty? Should you find another couple of small architects to call who need similar sporadic work? Are you independently minded? If so, ok, cool. Otherwise get busy helping to produce a bunch of skyscrapers you don't really care about.
How do you know that a job with a larger, more active firm is better and will get you to learn more? Go with your instincts. We're f***** in this profession either way. :D
i started out doing part-time hours. when the firm got more projects, it became full time. i'd say keep your eye open for a real job, but you're doing just fine if it doesn't come.
small firm you will learn a ton and be responsible for stuff. i've found it super stressful when i don't actually know what i'm doing.
Regardless of whether you are consciously or subconsciously comparing yourself to others....it's your life. I will start by saying that possibly one of the best way to get that well rounded background is exactly where you are. Get up to your kneecaps and elbows in the stuff and develop that connection with the principal now. When things pick up, you will be that much more the better for it because whether you stay or move on what you do now will reflect on where you want to be. In this profession, a small to big part of you is always going to look at what others are doing, how they might be doing things and all that. If you can't bring yourself to keep that in check, you are always going to be chasing some detail, some aspect, some skillset.
If you are worried about networking all some of those so called bigger office resources, plug into your AIA chapter or other practitioners. It takes time but it's not going to hurt you in the long run.
Thank you all for your comments and advice, it's all really helpful. And surprisingly insightful, like the comments regarding me comparing myself to my peers, which may be the real issue. Those damn cocktail parties where everyone's talking about the skyscrapers they're working on...
The truth is yeah, I'm really not the corporate type, I've worked for a couple large television corporations and I find the anonymous cubicle/ two paid days off every three months/ fridge gets cleaned out every Friday/ Human resources must approve / 10% off baseball tickets thing to be poisonous once the novelty wears off. I guess I was wondering if it was just me, if I was being lazy by trying to avoid that. It might just be that the school I went to doesn't breed independent types, but rather worker bees.
Of course it's not either/or. I mean, I wouldn't mind working at a 10, 20, or 30 person office. I am mostly worried about losing my skills - the ones I paid $120,000 for.
But yeah, coming out of the recession I shouldn't complain about having a pretty well-paying job doing any sort of work for an architect.
I think you have to strike a balance that matches your personal stress and risk tolerance. I've spent time in low-pressure jobs and they tend to make me crazy with inactivity and lack of challenge. On the other hand, I also spent a year as a futures and options trader, a job with a stress profile so far above even the highest-pressure architectural position that it's difficult to compare them. I learned my limits as part of that. So now I'm in an architectural job that is relatively high-pressure but well-suited to my personality.
I've also wandered back and forth between small/medium firms with more of a family atmosphere and big corporate firms. Again, find a firm with a culture that suits you. Not all smaller firms are alike, nor are all corporate firms. Every firm is unique. I started out corporate and left because I hated the toxic culture and office politics. Worked for smaller firms for many years, and mostly liked the folks and focus on small projects, but wanted more challenging work. Now I'm back at a giant global corporate...with a different kind of organizational culture than where I started, world-class projects to work on, and truly mind-boggling resources at my disposal...and happy because it suits me (it also doesn't hurt that I'm more senior now, either).
You'll do more and learn faster at a smaller firm, but it will limit the scope of what you can work on and who you work with, maybe by a lot. That may not be an issue for you. It turned out that it was for me.
I have taken the opportunity to start a business and start getting sporadic design and consulting jobs. The key is to be OK with uncertainty and be excited about doing your own thing and working for yourself. I have many projects going, meeting tons of people, and following through on the 5-10% that work out. Add in some architecture writing and criticism, a 35 hour a week stable job, and some artistic endeavors and I really feel like I am on my way to being where/ who I want to be. It sounds like you are contemplating taking the same route, but maybe are unsure if it is what you really want, or how you will compare to your peers.
We a great job comes along I'm in it for the Ride! Otherwise I'm putting food on the table and paying the Bills. I have had a few rides in my day.....and hope for many more.
May 30, 14 7:44 pm ·
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Which is Better? The Low Stress or High Stress Job?
It seems like an easy question, right? Not so in architecture...
I graduated with an M.Arch I from a top-tier school last year. I am currently working for an architect who used to employ 6 people and have several projects going on (they've since been built) and for various reasons (personal, recession, etc.) had to shrink the practice down to a part-time designer and me. When I came here 6 months ago there were a couple large projects in the works (small city masterplan, a resort overseas) which were promising but we didn't end up getting the commissions. There's a couple things on the horizon but nothing currently, so I am mostly just working on the website, and doing more personal assistant - type stuff - i.e. not practicing architecture.
BUT I've started getting some of my own design jobs ( where I actually have a budget and get to make something) since graduating and my current boss lets me take time off to do them since we don't have a lot going on in the office. When I am here I only work about 7 hours a day, and basically come and go as I please.
My classmates at larger firms may or may not be doing satisfying work but are expected to put in the 50-60 hours a week regardless, leaving no time or energy for themselves, let alone other projects.
So should I keep the opportunity to be financially supported by a low-stress job while I try to build my own brand, or is the time spent at an unproductive office just wasted when I could be getting the experience in how an active firm is run?
What are people's opinions and experiences starting out?
I worked at 2 large firms before, and I always felt like I was getting just plain lost in crowd. I was super young though and would probably find a better way to approach a large firm now, but I still love the small firm. I feel I'll learn a lot more, a lot quicker.
I may also be holding a grudge for being laid off from one of the larger firms the day I received my MArch, but oh well... Ha
what the hell, I'll bite.
Have you embraced your new identity as a freelancer? Are you being properly compensated as self-employed? Does this situation effect your idp progress? Are you financially prepared for when archi-boss's firm dries up a little more and has to shed some more weight? Are you 'sorta employed' or 'sorta running your own business'? Do you love uncertainty? Should you find another couple of small architects to call who need similar sporadic work? Are you independently minded? If so, ok, cool. Otherwise get busy helping to produce a bunch of skyscrapers you don't really care about.
I hope deep down you are not trying to convince / compare / compete with your classmate's on who's situation is better...
Just do your thing man. Its your life, make the best of it w/ no regrets.
How do you know that a job with a larger, more active firm is better and will get you to learn more? Go with your instincts. We're f***** in this profession either way. :D
i started out doing part-time hours. when the firm got more projects, it became full time. i'd say keep your eye open for a real job, but you're doing just fine if it doesn't come.
small firm you will learn a ton and be responsible for stuff. i've found it super stressful when i don't actually know what i'm doing.
Regardless of whether you are consciously or subconsciously comparing yourself to others....it's your life. I will start by saying that possibly one of the best way to get that well rounded background is exactly where you are. Get up to your kneecaps and elbows in the stuff and develop that connection with the principal now. When things pick up, you will be that much more the better for it because whether you stay or move on what you do now will reflect on where you want to be. In this profession, a small to big part of you is always going to look at what others are doing, how they might be doing things and all that. If you can't bring yourself to keep that in check, you are always going to be chasing some detail, some aspect, some skillset.
If you are worried about networking all some of those so called bigger office resources, plug into your AIA chapter or other practitioners. It takes time but it's not going to hurt you in the long run.
Thank you all for your comments and advice, it's all really helpful. And surprisingly insightful, like the comments regarding me comparing myself to my peers, which may be the real issue. Those damn cocktail parties where everyone's talking about the skyscrapers they're working on...
The truth is yeah, I'm really not the corporate type, I've worked for a couple large television corporations and I find the anonymous cubicle/ two paid days off every three months/ fridge gets cleaned out every Friday/ Human resources must approve / 10% off baseball tickets thing to be poisonous once the novelty wears off. I guess I was wondering if it was just me, if I was being lazy by trying to avoid that. It might just be that the school I went to doesn't breed independent types, but rather worker bees.
Of course it's not either/or. I mean, I wouldn't mind working at a 10, 20, or 30 person office. I am mostly worried about losing my skills - the ones I paid $120,000 for.
But yeah, coming out of the recession I shouldn't complain about having a pretty well-paying job doing any sort of work for an architect.
Thanks again, all
I think you have to strike a balance that matches your personal stress and risk tolerance. I've spent time in low-pressure jobs and they tend to make me crazy with inactivity and lack of challenge. On the other hand, I also spent a year as a futures and options trader, a job with a stress profile so far above even the highest-pressure architectural position that it's difficult to compare them. I learned my limits as part of that. So now I'm in an architectural job that is relatively high-pressure but well-suited to my personality.
I've also wandered back and forth between small/medium firms with more of a family atmosphere and big corporate firms. Again, find a firm with a culture that suits you. Not all smaller firms are alike, nor are all corporate firms. Every firm is unique. I started out corporate and left because I hated the toxic culture and office politics. Worked for smaller firms for many years, and mostly liked the folks and focus on small projects, but wanted more challenging work. Now I'm back at a giant global corporate...with a different kind of organizational culture than where I started, world-class projects to work on, and truly mind-boggling resources at my disposal...and happy because it suits me (it also doesn't hurt that I'm more senior now, either).
You'll do more and learn faster at a smaller firm, but it will limit the scope of what you can work on and who you work with, maybe by a lot. That may not be an issue for you. It turned out that it was for me.
I am in a similar situation.
I have taken the opportunity to start a business and start getting sporadic design and consulting jobs. The key is to be OK with uncertainty and be excited about doing your own thing and working for yourself. I have many projects going, meeting tons of people, and following through on the 5-10% that work out. Add in some architecture writing and criticism, a 35 hour a week stable job, and some artistic endeavors and I really feel like I am on my way to being where/ who I want to be. It sounds like you are contemplating taking the same route, but maybe are unsure if it is what you really want, or how you will compare to your peers.
It is worth it.
We a great job comes along I'm in it for the Ride! Otherwise I'm putting food on the table and paying the Bills. I have had a few rides in my day.....and hope for many more.
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