I know I should be thankful for having a job, but I could not be more frustrated than I have been the last year. I've watched my firm crumble to half it's size, and have gone from working on a huge project to a tiny renovation. I've gone from having a good salary and stability to living precariously and making under what I made as an intern out of school.
To make matters worse, all the people under me have been let go, so I'm back to being at the bottom of the pile...I'm a project architect but now have been treated and relegated to CAD monkey the past year. I work with people who treat me like this and it boils my blood, literally. I know I'm not alone with this - what strategies are you all employing to deal with this shit?
Yes ... I expect you should be thankful. I know any number of people who would trade places with you in a heartbeat. If you can't thank your lucky stars, extricate yourself from the situation by resigning and see how happy you are then when you can't find a new position.
"I've gone from having a good salary and stability to living precariously .... to make matters worse, all the people under me have been let go, so I'm back to being at the bottom of the pile...I'm a project architect but now have been .... relegated to CAD monkey the past year."
I know any number of Firm Principals who can make these same statements.
You may be doing piss ant renovations....but keep in mind the company is also getting paid for piss ant renovations. They are most likely carrying about half of your wages out of their own pockets. So ya your hanging with a bunch of frustrated people who had it better and want it better, but it is the times my friend. That is unless your married to someone with alot of money or you personally have alot of money. All of us living in reality are watching our pocket books and seeking out what work is out there.
If you feel like crap for working there then work on your portfolio and resume ..then start applying ....you may not get any call backs ..but at least it will make you feel better
be pro-active ....you WILL be less frustrated ..ive been there
comb, i think your post in its utter lack of sympathy perfectly illustrates why many employees are frustrated. there is a huge chasm right now between firm principals and their employees. we've all gone through years of closed door meetings, some on the inside and some on the out, and the lack of communication is really killing employee morale for those that have managed to stay employed. my recommendation for everyone from the lowest intern to the chairman of the board is to keep talking to each other, keep venting, and be transparent. it's not good for anyone to sit quietly at your desk stewing in your own dissatisfaction or for an employer to believe that simply providing employment is sufficient to maintain employee loyalty and morale.
: and I think Jefferson's post is about as sensitive as a guy rushing into a VA hospital with a sprained wrist, demanding immediate medical attention, all the while surrounded by single, double, triple and quadruple amputees.
I think the firm I work at is full of zombies who lost their will to work there long time ago, but are stuck because of the economy. The work they produce is very poor and often clients hate it so much that they just switch to another firm, or have them redo everything from scratch again. They don't seem to care about work anymore, its too bad, I think all those lay offs in many firms were done so quickly to save the companies from bankruptcies that they actually overlooked who really enjoyed working at their and who did not, and just fired a sh*t load of people without any review or anything, now the company is stuck with braindead zombies who just want to go home and blame their clients for all the misfortunes in the world.
Do something about it if you hate it that much. Don't take shit from nobody. Some people roll over and die when pushed, some make a stand for themselves. Which one are you?
“He, who has health, has hope, and he who has hope has everything.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Its bad times all around. I was in a similar situation in the early 90's with a firm I had been with for about 4-5 yrs. the whole office ( 6 people ) got a layoff notice but we decided to all take a cut so that no one would lose their job. ( took one for the team ) but It was also the first day I took control of my life. Walking home was a wake up call, I was newly married and walking home mid day to my wife ( who was pregnant ) very depressing 20 minute walk home, admitting that I was cut back on hours ( 40 hrs down to 20 ). I went for 2 hr bike ride to relieve the stress level and came back with a better plan.
I vowed to work for me and not for anybody else again. It didn't happen over night it realistically took about 2-3 years. I got licensed, worked my ass off with small moonlighting projects and eventually started my own firm, and then worked harder. Its not easy but in the end I don't care because its mine and I don't answer to anybody... ( except my wife and kids ) I'd like to think these times become a wake up call for a nation, who knows. But from extreme situations come extreme solutions out of necessity. I can easily say that I wouldn't have changed a thing because there is no way I'd be as happy today without having been thrown into that situation, especially not of my own making.
Don't get caught in someone else's free-fall, its a comfortable safe enironment but ultimately its a situation that you need to rely on someone else " to make it rain" and put food on your table. Start with small steps, to at least figure if its for you or not. It might not be but you don't know if you don't try.
"You'll miss 100% of all the shots you don't take" Wayne Gretsky
When I read it back it sounds a bit cliche but its all the darn truth. Oh and by the way the only part truly planned was "to not work for someone else" everything else that occurred after that was less calculated and more reactionary.... ie all part of the journey!
look out the front and realize that there is more to get into than architecture..... i used to bitch a lot a few years back, but once i looked into other avenues, my attitude has changed and i'm enjoying life a lot more....
i used to be in that situation where i hated the b.s. arch projects i worked on about 10 years ago, so i left....started on my own, and the rest is history...... folks need to get off their asses and become self-employed and make things happen.....don't rely on other folks to cut you a check
i'm fully with whistler and binary on this one, and would never accuse you of insensitivity or wolf-crying.
get out. go out on your own, preferably, or at the very least, find a job where you are valued and where your contributions are respected. don't ever wait for others to offer you those things, especially if they've already demonstrated that they aren't going to do it.
it may not get better at work. even if the economy improves, you may never make up the missed opportunities for advancement, loss in professional stature, and lag in pay that you'll have suffered during this recession. you'll carry that deficit with you for the rest of your career, so cut it short as soon as you possibly can. even if you have some setbacks, you'll respect yourself a lot more for giving it a solid shot.
i got out and i've never regretted it. teetering back onto my feet now in independent practice with some really exciting things going on and on the horizon.....
Its a tough career in a tough market and having seem both side of the fence; employed but unmotivated or unemployed but motivated.
I would say that you can blame no one but your self. If you don't like the project you are working on, then take on additional responsibilities and ask to work on a more interesting project in addition to the boring project. If there isn't enough projects? Then get involve with the marketing effort and learn how to bring in one! Or convince the bored people in your office to form a team and work on competitions that interest you!
Jan 5, 11 3:46 pm ·
·
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.
Sorry to those who are unemployed, but this rant is for those stuck in a firm they hate....
I know I should be thankful for having a job, but I could not be more frustrated than I have been the last year. I've watched my firm crumble to half it's size, and have gone from working on a huge project to a tiny renovation. I've gone from having a good salary and stability to living precariously and making under what I made as an intern out of school.
To make matters worse, all the people under me have been let go, so I'm back to being at the bottom of the pile...I'm a project architect but now have been treated and relegated to CAD monkey the past year. I work with people who treat me like this and it boils my blood, literally. I know I'm not alone with this - what strategies are you all employing to deal with this shit?
I have found that an underappreciated aspect of success is patience. The best is yet to come, hang in there.
I agree...however I've lost my zen. How does one keep their patience in these times?
By reminding oneself that patience is a virtue and that the best is yet to come.
Yes ... I expect you should be thankful. I know any number of people who would trade places with you in a heartbeat. If you can't thank your lucky stars, extricate yourself from the situation by resigning and see how happy you are then when you can't find a new position.
"I've gone from having a good salary and stability to living precariously .... to make matters worse, all the people under me have been let go, so I'm back to being at the bottom of the pile...I'm a project architect but now have been .... relegated to CAD monkey the past year."
I know any number of Firm Principals who can make these same statements.
you're not alone
You may be doing piss ant renovations....but keep in mind the company is also getting paid for piss ant renovations. They are most likely carrying about half of your wages out of their own pockets. So ya your hanging with a bunch of frustrated people who had it better and want it better, but it is the times my friend. That is unless your married to someone with alot of money or you personally have alot of money. All of us living in reality are watching our pocket books and seeking out what work is out there.
If you feel like crap for working there then work on your portfolio and resume ..then start applying ....you may not get any call backs ..but at least it will make you feel better
be pro-active ....you WILL be less frustrated ..ive been there
Good Luck buddy....Hang in there.
Yeah, despite your preface of knowing that you should be thankful, it's really f-ing hard to read this. Signed, Unemployed-For-Three-Years-Now.
comb, i think your post in its utter lack of sympathy perfectly illustrates why many employees are frustrated. there is a huge chasm right now between firm principals and their employees. we've all gone through years of closed door meetings, some on the inside and some on the out, and the lack of communication is really killing employee morale for those that have managed to stay employed. my recommendation for everyone from the lowest intern to the chairman of the board is to keep talking to each other, keep venting, and be transparent. it's not good for anyone to sit quietly at your desk stewing in your own dissatisfaction or for an employer to believe that simply providing employment is sufficient to maintain employee loyalty and morale.
: and I think Jefferson's post is about as sensitive as a guy rushing into a VA hospital with a sprained wrist, demanding immediate medical attention, all the while surrounded by single, double, triple and quadruple amputees.
I think the firm I work at is full of zombies who lost their will to work there long time ago, but are stuck because of the economy. The work they produce is very poor and often clients hate it so much that they just switch to another firm, or have them redo everything from scratch again. They don't seem to care about work anymore, its too bad, I think all those lay offs in many firms were done so quickly to save the companies from bankruptcies that they actually overlooked who really enjoyed working at their and who did not, and just fired a sh*t load of people without any review or anything, now the company is stuck with braindead zombies who just want to go home and blame their clients for all the misfortunes in the world.
I love the commercial that has the retired drill sargent for a mental therapist!
"WHY DON'T WE ALL JUST MARCH ON UP TO MAMBIE PAMBIE LAND AND GET SOME SELF CONFINDENCE FOR YOU, YOU JACK...!"
Life sucks, and the beer is flowing freely. So do something else and quit pissing about it.
Good luck!
Do something about it if you hate it that much. Don't take shit from nobody. Some people roll over and die when pushed, some make a stand for themselves. Which one are you?
“He, who has health, has hope, and he who has hope has everything.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
There is a support group for this. We meet every night at the bar of your choice.
Its bad times all around. I was in a similar situation in the early 90's with a firm I had been with for about 4-5 yrs. the whole office ( 6 people ) got a layoff notice but we decided to all take a cut so that no one would lose their job. ( took one for the team ) but It was also the first day I took control of my life. Walking home was a wake up call, I was newly married and walking home mid day to my wife ( who was pregnant ) very depressing 20 minute walk home, admitting that I was cut back on hours ( 40 hrs down to 20 ). I went for 2 hr bike ride to relieve the stress level and came back with a better plan.
I vowed to work for me and not for anybody else again. It didn't happen over night it realistically took about 2-3 years. I got licensed, worked my ass off with small moonlighting projects and eventually started my own firm, and then worked harder. Its not easy but in the end I don't care because its mine and I don't answer to anybody... ( except my wife and kids ) I'd like to think these times become a wake up call for a nation, who knows. But from extreme situations come extreme solutions out of necessity. I can easily say that I wouldn't have changed a thing because there is no way I'd be as happy today without having been thrown into that situation, especially not of my own making.
Don't get caught in someone else's free-fall, its a comfortable safe enironment but ultimately its a situation that you need to rely on someone else " to make it rain" and put food on your table. Start with small steps, to at least figure if its for you or not. It might not be but you don't know if you don't try.
"You'll miss 100% of all the shots you don't take" Wayne Gretsky
great stuff, whistler. i think those are the words many in jefferson's position are asking to hear.
When I read it back it sounds a bit cliche but its all the darn truth. Oh and by the way the only part truly planned was "to not work for someone else" everything else that occurred after that was less calculated and more reactionary.... ie all part of the journey!
yeh, good story, whistler. I wouldn't be self employed either if I hadn't been laid off. In that way it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
very inspirational, whistler, its sure nice to be your own boss, thats my dream goal.
become self employed then get back to me.....
look out the front and realize that there is more to get into than architecture..... i used to bitch a lot a few years back, but once i looked into other avenues, my attitude has changed and i'm enjoying life a lot more....
i used to be in that situation where i hated the b.s. arch projects i worked on about 10 years ago, so i left....started on my own, and the rest is history...... folks need to get off their asses and become self-employed and make things happen.....don't rely on other folks to cut you a check
hate it for a little longer. you'll be ok.
Jefferson - what city are you in?
i'm fully with whistler and binary on this one, and would never accuse you of insensitivity or wolf-crying.
get out. go out on your own, preferably, or at the very least, find a job where you are valued and where your contributions are respected. don't ever wait for others to offer you those things, especially if they've already demonstrated that they aren't going to do it.
it may not get better at work. even if the economy improves, you may never make up the missed opportunities for advancement, loss in professional stature, and lag in pay that you'll have suffered during this recession. you'll carry that deficit with you for the rest of your career, so cut it short as soon as you possibly can. even if you have some setbacks, you'll respect yourself a lot more for giving it a solid shot.
i got out and i've never regretted it. teetering back onto my feet now in independent practice with some really exciting things going on and on the horizon.....
Its a tough career in a tough market and having seem both side of the fence; employed but unmotivated or unemployed but motivated.
I would say that you can blame no one but your self. If you don't like the project you are working on, then take on additional responsibilities and ask to work on a more interesting project in addition to the boring project. If there isn't enough projects? Then get involve with the marketing effort and learn how to bring in one! Or convince the bored people in your office to form a team and work on competitions that interest you!
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.