I have been working in the office I am at now (my first job) for about 9 months. I am done with school, and working on IDP requirments.
The company has treated me really well, I am getting a fairly good amount of exposure to the design and production aspects of the profession. But little CA or managment. I am not complaining at all. I am not really unhappy at my job, I don't expect to have my "dream job" right now.
but...my career goals are not to be designing custom residential homes that i don't even get to see go up because they are in another town.
end prelogue
i have the opportunity to work somehwere that does projects that i would be much more interested in, and align more with my goals. at a larger (but still small) office. where i am sure i would have a different (but still positive) experience.
so my question/s is/are, it is too early to change jobs?
should i feel any sort of loyalty towards where i am at now (considering that we are very busy and one of the lead head project managers is leaving to go out on his own leaving a gaping hole at our office)?
am i just overanalyzing everything?
Seriously, if you are happy (with the environment- ok design, ok money, people, etc.) at your office right now, then definitely wait until you've been there for at least a year. After that I would recommend setting a milestone goal- doing your own set of drawings on your own, feeling like you've really become knowledgeable about the details you're producing, etc. Overseeing construction and watching your drawings turn to buildings is really really important, but try to leave where you are now with a sense that you've mastered the limited challenges they've put in front of you.
The project manager leaving may be a good opportunity for you if it puts a lot of stress on the other PMs.
9 months is not very long to get used to the way drawings are put together, much less understand their field implications. I'm not sure that you'd be savvy enough to know what to watch for if you were given responsibility for any CA on your own. (I'm not sure I'm savvy enough 12 yrs on.) Eventually they should send you along with someone else so that you get a taste of it. If they're under stress, this redundancy may not be practical right now.
Management will also come with time. Try to ask questions and get copied with pay apps, contracts, schedules of values, change orders, and any field memos and make sure you know how they all influence the project. If they see you doing this they'll either 1) tell you to quit goofing off and draw or 2) recognize your interest and willingness to take initiative. It'll come.
Custom residential may be a limited range of experience if that's all they do. And it is an issue that you never get to see it because it's out of town. Can't even go on your own time.
I hesitate to say whether it's too early to jump, not knowing the specifics. You have to judge what place will give you the best experience in terms of design quality, awareness of construction and detailing (a real problem with some firms, believe it or not), benefits, reputation, etc. Longer stays do sometimes look better on a resume, but this isn't really important unless you jump repeatedly.
From the perspective of one who hires, unless extenuating circumstances, stay at least one year in your job before making the jump.
Also, all good things professional don't just come to you. You gotta' go get them. It's good to hear that you’re interested in the construction end. The best thing you can do for your future is get a very even exposure to all aspects of what we do.
against all advice of saying to stick it out for a year i am jumping ship.
the pro's of going outweigh pro's of staying.
i don't know why i feel the need to announce it to archinect, but it feels really damn good to quit your job and move onto a seemingly more exciting/fulfilling one.
advice on changing jobs
I have been working in the office I am at now (my first job) for about 9 months. I am done with school, and working on IDP requirments.
The company has treated me really well, I am getting a fairly good amount of exposure to the design and production aspects of the profession. But little CA or managment. I am not complaining at all. I am not really unhappy at my job, I don't expect to have my "dream job" right now.
but...my career goals are not to be designing custom residential homes that i don't even get to see go up because they are in another town.
end prelogue
i have the opportunity to work somehwere that does projects that i would be much more interested in, and align more with my goals. at a larger (but still small) office. where i am sure i would have a different (but still positive) experience.
so my question/s is/are, it is too early to change jobs?
should i feel any sort of loyalty towards where i am at now (considering that we are very busy and one of the lead head project managers is leaving to go out on his own leaving a gaping hole at our office)?
am i just overanalyzing everything?
Can I have your job?
Seriously, if you are happy (with the environment- ok design, ok money, people, etc.) at your office right now, then definitely wait until you've been there for at least a year. After that I would recommend setting a milestone goal- doing your own set of drawings on your own, feeling like you've really become knowledgeable about the details you're producing, etc. Overseeing construction and watching your drawings turn to buildings is really really important, but try to leave where you are now with a sense that you've mastered the limited challenges they've put in front of you.
The project manager leaving may be a good opportunity for you if it puts a lot of stress on the other PMs.
9 months is not very long to get used to the way drawings are put together, much less understand their field implications. I'm not sure that you'd be savvy enough to know what to watch for if you were given responsibility for any CA on your own. (I'm not sure I'm savvy enough 12 yrs on.) Eventually they should send you along with someone else so that you get a taste of it. If they're under stress, this redundancy may not be practical right now.
Management will also come with time. Try to ask questions and get copied with pay apps, contracts, schedules of values, change orders, and any field memos and make sure you know how they all influence the project. If they see you doing this they'll either 1) tell you to quit goofing off and draw or 2) recognize your interest and willingness to take initiative. It'll come.
Custom residential may be a limited range of experience if that's all they do. And it is an issue that you never get to see it because it's out of town. Can't even go on your own time.
I hesitate to say whether it's too early to jump, not knowing the specifics. You have to judge what place will give you the best experience in terms of design quality, awareness of construction and detailing (a real problem with some firms, believe it or not), benefits, reputation, etc. Longer stays do sometimes look better on a resume, but this isn't really important unless you jump repeatedly.
Good luck.
From the perspective of one who hires, unless extenuating circumstances, stay at least one year in your job before making the jump.
Also, all good things professional don't just come to you. You gotta' go get them. It's good to hear that you’re interested in the construction end. The best thing you can do for your future is get a very even exposure to all aspects of what we do.
against all advice of saying to stick it out for a year i am jumping ship.
the pro's of going outweigh pro's of staying.
i don't know why i feel the need to announce it to archinect, but it feels really damn good to quit your job and move onto a seemingly more exciting/fulfilling one.
Best of luck stephanie, I want to hear how it goes.
Yes, keep us posted.
GOOD LUCK STEPHANIE
I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU TO JUMP SHIP.
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