I have a question for some entry level architects that have been out of school and in a firm for 3 years or less.
I am graduating in May and have had several interviews with firms that I am interested in "I think." My concern is when I get out of school, I will not enjoy being in an office sitting at a cubicle 95% of the time. I know that most firms say that they are an open colaborative environment and its alot of interacting but we all know that the majority of the time is sitting behind the desk working on the project by yourself. I have mixed feelings about the direction of my career that I want to go in.
I just want to hear how people somewhat fresh out of school and working at a firm feel about this topic. Are you honestly enjoying what your doing? Do you enjoy being at work everyday? Enlighten me on your situation at your office.
I think the first thing is to be glad you have interviews for graduating in may, if you've had no previous expereince consider yourself lucky. I know alot of firms that will throw out any resumes that dont show any previous experience. I think you should focus less on the amount of time you'll be in the cubicle and focus more on where you have the most opportunity for advancement. If you decide to take a job with a corporate firm you'll be the cad monkey for years and won't even see the light of day. My advice is to go to a smaller firm that has a good reptutation, and ask in the interviews what your possibility for growth is. Show them in your first year your initiative and all your capabilities in any programs you know and ask your company to give you more responsibility as days progress, dont take on too much that you will sink, one step at a time and you'll gain confidence and become valuable. Learn as much as you can and keep asking for more. I think the biggest problem with recent graduates is the entitlement they feel with having a degree. at the end of the day your degree doesnt mean crap, your the same as everyone other graduate and a minion to people who have been working because your experience is minimal to zero. Work smart and get as much experience as you can in the first couple of years, then you'll be golden - firms will want you and you'll be able to chose which direction you want to go from there.
Be humble. If you show yourself capable and responsible you will be given plenty of meaningful work to do. And if that doesn't happen just look for a new job. Also, office=sitting at a desk. If you get bored take a five minute walk outside.
Where you end up working is a big factor. I sit behind a desk 95% of the time and I don't mind. A lot of this is because I don't feel isolated at all. I work on larger projects very closely with several other people most of the time, and the way the office is set up and the atmosphere make it very social and truly collaborative. I think some people might find it a bit distracting, but given my academic experience I find it very comfortable.
Soon enough, you'll be needed away from your desk for site visits, construction meetings, etc. I'm coming up on 4 years out-of-school and right now I easily spend 50% of my time out of the office. Architecture is a team sport.
If you don't want to work at a cubicle, don't take a job at a place that has cubicles. When a firm claims to be collaborative, ask to take a tour of the office. If you see cubicles and offices, you know it's a lie. Easy.
honestly no, just do a quick search in this forum to see that most people agree. Now since you have the degree and you do need to start somewhere take the boring job but focus on how you can find a niche in the construction world where there is value. Everyone follows the same path of working in a firm and earning IDP so as you can imagine you are extremely expendable in that situation and really all you are even at 10 years in is a master BIM/CAD tech or a master CD coordinator. What I wish I did was since the majority of tasks you will do are soooo boring, I wish I found a part time job in a firm, lived at home and took classes to focus on shifting out of a firm into a different niche in the field. My route of immediately moving out and being a stressed poor intern sucks especially when friends in other fields who put in a fraction of the effort in school and work get ahead of you in just a few years.
^^ "most people agree" -- I think what you actually mean to say is that a "lot of people on Archinect" agree.
Archinect does not necessarily represent the profession as a whole. In fact, the Archinect forums seems to attract an unusually high percentage of the disgruntled.
It would be a mistake, I think, to draw overly broad conclusions about the profession from the rather small sample of architects who choose to post on Archinect.
Archinect does not necessarily represent the profession as a whole. In fact, the Archinect forums seems to attract an unusually high percentage of the disgruntled.
Either that or a high percentage of architects are disgruntled. Archinect largely seems to reflect the attitudes of people I've known in the business, which is typically a love/hate relationship. We love the opportunity to do interesting / difficult work but hate a lot of the circumstances surrounding it.
To the OP, look for a small firm where you can be involved in every phase of the work.
OP make a list of why you did architecture and what you would find interesting as tasks to do every day. Research figure out the career path that launches u in that direction. There's this idea that working in a firm is the only way, this isn't true
Dont get me wrong.... I am grateful for the opportunities that have presented themselves through the interviews Ive been in. Obviously I have walked around the office and looked at how it is layed out and what the people look like and act like that work there. My concern is I could take my career in two different directions. I can go on the sales and marketing side of other businesses and companies or I could go into architecture which is what I am getting my degree in. I just dont want to do something that I wont enjoy everyday. Doesnt mean I dont love architecture but I cant just sit at a cubicle all day everyday.
Enjoying Architecture?....
I am graduating in May and have had several interviews with firms that I am interested in "I think." My concern is when I get out of school, I will not enjoy being in an office sitting at a cubicle 95% of the time. I know that most firms say that they are an open colaborative environment and its alot of interacting but we all know that the majority of the time is sitting behind the desk working on the project by yourself. I have mixed feelings about the direction of my career that I want to go in.
I just want to hear how people somewhat fresh out of school and working at a firm feel about this topic. Are you honestly enjoying what your doing? Do you enjoy being at work everyday? Enlighten me on your situation at your office.
Thank you
I think the first thing is to be glad you have interviews for graduating in may, if you've had no previous expereince consider yourself lucky. I know alot of firms that will throw out any resumes that dont show any previous experience. I think you should focus less on the amount of time you'll be in the cubicle and focus more on where you have the most opportunity for advancement. If you decide to take a job with a corporate firm you'll be the cad monkey for years and won't even see the light of day. My advice is to go to a smaller firm that has a good reptutation, and ask in the interviews what your possibility for growth is. Show them in your first year your initiative and all your capabilities in any programs you know and ask your company to give you more responsibility as days progress, dont take on too much that you will sink, one step at a time and you'll gain confidence and become valuable. Learn as much as you can and keep asking for more. I think the biggest problem with recent graduates is the entitlement they feel with having a degree. at the end of the day your degree doesnt mean crap, your the same as everyone other graduate and a minion to people who have been working because your experience is minimal to zero. Work smart and get as much experience as you can in the first couple of years, then you'll be golden - firms will want you and you'll be able to chose which direction you want to go from there.
Start by reading this recent thread:
http://archinect.com/forum/thread/123136771/does-anyone-enjoy-their-job-if-so-what-do-you-do-and-how-did-you-get-there
Where you end up working is a big factor. I sit behind a desk 95% of the time and I don't mind. A lot of this is because I don't feel isolated at all. I work on larger projects very closely with several other people most of the time, and the way the office is set up and the atmosphere make it very social and truly collaborative. I think some people might find it a bit distracting, but given my academic experience I find it very comfortable.
Soon enough, you'll be needed away from your desk for site visits, construction meetings, etc. I'm coming up on 4 years out-of-school and right now I easily spend 50% of my time out of the office. Architecture is a team sport.
If you don't want to work at a cubicle, don't take a job at a place that has cubicles. When a firm claims to be collaborative, ask to take a tour of the office. If you see cubicles and offices, you know it's a lie. Easy.
honestly no, just do a quick search in this forum to see that most people agree. Now since you have the degree and you do need to start somewhere take the boring job but focus on how you can find a niche in the construction world where there is value. Everyone follows the same path of working in a firm and earning IDP so as you can imagine you are extremely expendable in that situation and really all you are even at 10 years in is a master BIM/CAD tech or a master CD coordinator. What I wish I did was since the majority of tasks you will do are soooo boring, I wish I found a part time job in a firm, lived at home and took classes to focus on shifting out of a firm into a different niche in the field. My route of immediately moving out and being a stressed poor intern sucks especially when friends in other fields who put in a fraction of the effort in school and work get ahead of you in just a few years.
^^ "most people agree" -- I think what you actually mean to say is that a "lot of people on Archinect" agree.
Archinect does not necessarily represent the profession as a whole. In fact, the Archinect forums seems to attract an unusually high percentage of the disgruntled.
It would be a mistake, I think, to draw overly broad conclusions about the profession from the rather small sample of architects who choose to post on Archinect.
Archinect does not necessarily represent the profession as a whole. In fact, the Archinect forums seems to attract an unusually high percentage of the disgruntled.
Either that or a high percentage of architects are disgruntled. Archinect largely seems to reflect the attitudes of people I've known in the business, which is typically a love/hate relationship. We love the opportunity to do interesting / difficult work but hate a lot of the circumstances surrounding it.
To the OP, look for a small firm where you can be involved in every phase of the work.
OP make a list of why you did architecture and what you would find interesting as tasks to do every day. Research figure out the career path that launches u in that direction. There's this idea that working in a firm is the only way, this isn't true
@miles
To be fair, a high percentage of the workforce is disgruntled. Many industries with much higher rates than architecture.
Architecture is a bi-polar bitch.
Olaf: "Don't Talk About My Girlfriend That Way!"
I don't have time to be disgruntled while at the office. That's what weekends are for.
the view from my cubicle
http://www.snowmassselectproperties.com/custimages/ski-in-ski-out-snowmass-village-colorado.jpg
"I just don't want to do something that I wont enjoy everyday." --- very few people, if any, enjoy every aspect of their jobs every day.
"I can't just sit at a cubicle all day everyday." --- just how is it that you think buildings get designed and documented?
Hell of a time to start thinking these thoughts !
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