About 6 months ago, I began my first official architecture job at a smaller (12 people) firm. I graduated from a 4 year architecture program, one of the top of my class, have internship experience, and used to manage a small interior design business.
I have had a job since I was 15, so I have done every office task and gofer job there is, but since attending school and obtaining a Bachelor's in Architecture, I thought it would be different. I was told I would be a "Junior Architect". I spend most of my days cleaning the kitchen, ordering office supplies, stocking the bathrooms, going to the bank, post office, picking up lunches, water the plants etc. If I do end up working on some architectural related work (CAD, RFQs, Presentation Boards) , I am usually asked to drop what I'm doing (not always on the kindest manner) and perform the office task at hand.
I know that I am technically an Intern, so it's not going to be all design and glitz and glam, but my previous experience as an "Intern", allowed me to do more architecture related work than this job it seems, so I thought I was past this kind of phase. There's not always a lot of professional respect in some comments and often a lot of tone and blame in my work place.
For all of the fresh graduates out there, I was wondering what it is Junior Architects do on their day to day basis? What SHOULD an intern be doing? Is it normal to start in these tasks? Is this a- for lack of better term- "good" internship environment to be in? I want to see if this is just how it is and work my way up or if I should be valuing myself a little higher.
Are you a student intern or recent grad? You typically don't get the professional degree in4.
Either way the answer is no this isn't typical. You should be doing beginning drafting like rcp plans and the like and learning about the more important things like wall sections and roof details. They also end up doing a lot of the presentation graphics since they are they are the most up to date and cheapest. Move on if it doesn't change nothing good can come from this type of environment.
what do you mean by managing a small interior design business? like this is something you did as an actual profession as an adult, or what you did when you were 15, and you're a 20 year old recent graduate? i would think that should have some effect on the tasks you're working on. also, what did you agree on doing when you were hired? were they clear you would be doing office chores like this, or did you tell them that's something you want to do?
if you don't water the plants, they'll die. that would be sad. sometimes junior staff will have to do things that just have to get done. having said that, if you feel like your career isn't going the direction you want, stop doing those things until you get to spend at least part of your day getting the experience you need, and the experience that would be realistic for someone with your background. there's risk to that of course, but if you're not where you want to be, you're going to be looking for a new job anyway.
for what it's worth, i've been at this a fairly long time, and i still water the little bamboo plant next to my desk. there was a time, in my many years of experience, where i watered a bromeliad next to my desk, but it died.
you should be working on architectural tasks - maybe they are just too lazy to take the time to train you and its just easier to have you be their errand runner. Fuck that noise. Get out and go somewhere where you can start to develop your career.
Quit and find something else, no one should be cleaning kitchens or ordering shit, they should have hired a receptionist or a office assistant instead. Take control of your own future and tell them to eat rancid dick.
Reasonable responsibilities depend a lot on the size of the firm. With 12 people, who would be doing these tasks if you weren't there? It would probably be the next lowest ranking person on the totem pole. Basically it's going to be whoever costs the least Firms don't want to put people who bill higher rates on non-billable tasks. Sometimes in a very small firm everybody at all levels take turns - but the trash doesn't take itself out.
If it were a larger firm then there would likely be a number of support staff to whom to assign those tasks on a permanent basis, so more of your time could be spent on project tasks - though I'd expect those would still be a mix of things you'd like to do, with other things like cutting presentation boards to size, proofreading specs, organizing the product library, etc.
I'm sure you realize there's no such thing as a "junior architect" - you're either a licensed architect or something else (designer, intern, drafter, production assistant, whatever). When you say you're an "intern", do you mean an unpaid one? If so, the firm isn't supposed to be using you for any purposes that help the firm - your experience is supposed to be purely educational. In that case you shouldn't be taking out the trash. But if you're a paid intern then you're an employee and can be assigned any tasks, menial or not. The remedy if you're not getting the kind of experience you want it to move on. Sometimes though, even if you're spending a lot of time cleaning and organizing, there is much to be learned just by being around to see and hear how a small firm operates. I'd stick it out for whatever the expected term of the internship was, and then put the experience on your resume and go get a better job.
I worked at another job for many years before off to university. Then during university and a year after, I continued to manage the small business (tasks such as client outreach, marketing, branding, scheduling, website development, nothing too overwhelming, I was, and still am, pretty young) I graduated my program early also because of summer work.
When I began work I was told I would do presentations, CAD, attend planning meetings, client meetings, preform schematic design, and have a type of mentor ship. I get the plants, I know they'll die and be sad, but I guess with 11 other people, I was hoping that it would be tasks that would be spread out. It kind of takes over my day. Just ends up being my day sometimes.
I think you're right though, you seem like you have a lot of experience and always need advice from a seasoned party. I know things need to get done, but right now, those things are always a priority and my job that I thought I was hired for comes second. Probably would be easier to progress where the title "Junior Designer" comes before Office Secretary.
Thanks again!
----
curtkram
what do you mean by managing a small interior design business? like this is something you did as an actual profession as an adult, or what you did when you were 15, and you're a 20 year old recent graduate? i would think that should have some effect on the tasks you're working on. also, what did you agree on doing when you were hired? were they clear you would be doing office chores like this, or did you tell them that's something you want to do?
if you don't water the plants, they'll die. that would be sad. sometimes junior staff will have to do things that just have to get done. having said that, if you feel like your career isn't going the direction you want, stop doing those things until you get to spend at least part of your day getting the experience you need, and the experience that would be realistic for someone with your background. there's risk to that of course, but if you're not where you want to be, you're going to be looking for a new job anyway.
for what it's worth, i've been at this a fairly long time, and i still water the little bamboo plant next to my desk. there was a time, in my many years of experience, where i watered a bromeliad next to my desk, but it died.
I would get out of there. I have been working at a small 8 person firm as a part time architectural assistant (intern) for about three months now, hired as a recent grad, and I have been involved in some aspect of just about every current project that we have. I have worked on drawing up plans for feasibility studies, preparing various drawings for DD sets, misc. marketing material, some closeout phase things. There is rarely a day that I am not in Revit, AutoCAD, or Sketchup. I have never been asked to make a coffee run or take out the trash or water the plants. If you are not able to receive IDP credit for the majority of your work, I would say its best to start looking elsewhere for work.
if you and your employer had a conversation that clearly defined what role you would be in, and now they are not standing behind the promises they made, then you are in a toxic relationship. be mad. let them know your mad. tear shit down. fuck shit up. all that.
of course, temper that with the fact that things don't always work as planned, and some variance from what everyone originally intended is to be expected. just make sure you're not mistaken in how you view the situation. the way you're presenting though, there is a very big difference between what is and what was promised, and nobody is trying to make it right. that makes them bad people, and they should feel bad.
Have some respect for yourself, if you keep letting people kick you around you'll always get kicked around. I've become extremely aggressive because people think they could pick on me when I was starting out working.
1) you aren't getting the type of experience you need. Have a talk w your boss and explain/ask.
2) you are being asked to do menial tasks. Someone needs to do these. You are low man - so it comes to you. They aren't going to hire someone else to do this stuff unless you show them you can do higher level work. See issue #1
3) others are jerky to you. This you might not be able to resolve without leaving.
Either way-don't burn the bridge. Leave on good terms.
gtfo of there.. Seems like a slow firm that can't even hire right.. Why would any firm hire an architecture grad to do a janitor/caretaker's job like water plants, clean kitchen, restock office and toilet supplies? I'd have walked out in a week if that was all they got me to do. I can understand if that was in addition to real architectural work.
Thank y'all for all of the help! I am feeling very empowered. I am currently looking (more scampering) for a summer internship right now. I desperately hope something comes up so I can get out of dodge, because it's not getting any better.
Apr 27, 16 8:00 pm ·
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Internship Tasks: What is a respectful internship experience?
Hello all!
About 6 months ago, I began my first official architecture job at a smaller (12 people) firm. I graduated from a 4 year architecture program, one of the top of my class, have internship experience, and used to manage a small interior design business.
I have had a job since I was 15, so I have done every office task and gofer job there is, but since attending school and obtaining a Bachelor's in Architecture, I thought it would be different. I was told I would be a "Junior Architect". I spend most of my days cleaning the kitchen, ordering office supplies, stocking the bathrooms, going to the bank, post office, picking up lunches, water the plants etc. If I do end up working on some architectural related work (CAD, RFQs, Presentation Boards) , I am usually asked to drop what I'm doing (not always on the kindest manner) and perform the office task at hand.
I know that I am technically an Intern, so it's not going to be all design and glitz and glam, but my previous experience as an "Intern", allowed me to do more architecture related work than this job it seems, so I thought I was past this kind of phase. There's not always a lot of professional respect in some comments and often a lot of tone and blame in my work place.
For all of the fresh graduates out there, I was wondering what it is Junior Architects do on their day to day basis? What SHOULD an intern be doing? Is it normal to start in these tasks? Is this a- for lack of better term- "good" internship environment to be in? I want to see if this is just how it is and work my way up or if I should be valuing myself a little higher.
Thank you in advance!
Are you a student intern or recent grad? You typically don't get the professional degree in4.
Either way the answer is no this isn't typical. You should be doing beginning drafting like rcp plans and the like and learning about the more important things like wall sections and roof details. They also end up doing a lot of the presentation graphics since they are they are the most up to date and cheapest. Move on if it doesn't change nothing good can come from this type of environment.
what do you mean by managing a small interior design business? like this is something you did as an actual profession as an adult, or what you did when you were 15, and you're a 20 year old recent graduate? i would think that should have some effect on the tasks you're working on. also, what did you agree on doing when you were hired? were they clear you would be doing office chores like this, or did you tell them that's something you want to do?
if you don't water the plants, they'll die. that would be sad. sometimes junior staff will have to do things that just have to get done. having said that, if you feel like your career isn't going the direction you want, stop doing those things until you get to spend at least part of your day getting the experience you need, and the experience that would be realistic for someone with your background. there's risk to that of course, but if you're not where you want to be, you're going to be looking for a new job anyway.
for what it's worth, i've been at this a fairly long time, and i still water the little bamboo plant next to my desk. there was a time, in my many years of experience, where i watered a bromeliad next to my desk, but it died.
you should be working on architectural tasks - maybe they are just too lazy to take the time to train you and its just easier to have you be their errand runner. Fuck that noise. Get out and go somewhere where you can start to develop your career.
Leave as soon as you can. This will not get better. When you go into interviews, interview them as well. There are good firms out there.
Quit and find something else, no one should be cleaning kitchens or ordering shit, they should have hired a receptionist or a office assistant instead. Take control of your own future and tell them to eat rancid dick.
Reasonable responsibilities depend a lot on the size of the firm. With 12 people, who would be doing these tasks if you weren't there? It would probably be the next lowest ranking person on the totem pole. Basically it's going to be whoever costs the least Firms don't want to put people who bill higher rates on non-billable tasks. Sometimes in a very small firm everybody at all levels take turns - but the trash doesn't take itself out.
If it were a larger firm then there would likely be a number of support staff to whom to assign those tasks on a permanent basis, so more of your time could be spent on project tasks - though I'd expect those would still be a mix of things you'd like to do, with other things like cutting presentation boards to size, proofreading specs, organizing the product library, etc.
I'm sure you realize there's no such thing as a "junior architect" - you're either a licensed architect or something else (designer, intern, drafter, production assistant, whatever). When you say you're an "intern", do you mean an unpaid one? If so, the firm isn't supposed to be using you for any purposes that help the firm - your experience is supposed to be purely educational. In that case you shouldn't be taking out the trash. But if you're a paid intern then you're an employee and can be assigned any tasks, menial or not. The remedy if you're not getting the kind of experience you want it to move on. Sometimes though, even if you're spending a lot of time cleaning and organizing, there is much to be learned just by being around to see and hear how a small firm operates. I'd stick it out for whatever the expected term of the internship was, and then put the experience on your resume and go get a better job.
Hey curtkram,
I worked at another job for many years before off to university. Then during university and a year after, I continued to manage the small business (tasks such as client outreach, marketing, branding, scheduling, website development, nothing too overwhelming, I was, and still am, pretty young) I graduated my program early also because of summer work.
When I began work I was told I would do presentations, CAD, attend planning meetings, client meetings, preform schematic design, and have a type of mentor ship. I get the plants, I know they'll die and be sad, but I guess with 11 other people, I was hoping that it would be tasks that would be spread out. It kind of takes over my day. Just ends up being my day sometimes.
I think you're right though, you seem like you have a lot of experience and always need advice from a seasoned party. I know things need to get done, but right now, those things are always a priority and my job that I thought I was hired for comes second. Probably would be easier to progress where the title "Junior Designer" comes before Office Secretary.
Thanks again!
----
curtkram
what do you mean by managing a small interior design business? like this is something you did as an actual profession as an adult, or what you did when you were 15, and you're a 20 year old recent graduate? i would think that should have some effect on the tasks you're working on. also, what did you agree on doing when you were hired? were they clear you would be doing office chores like this, or did you tell them that's something you want to do?
if you don't water the plants, they'll die. that would be sad. sometimes junior staff will have to do things that just have to get done. having said that, if you feel like your career isn't going the direction you want, stop doing those things until you get to spend at least part of your day getting the experience you need, and the experience that would be realistic for someone with your background. there's risk to that of course, but if you're not where you want to be, you're going to be looking for a new job anyway.
for what it's worth, i've been at this a fairly long time, and i still water the little bamboo plant next to my desk. there was a time, in my many years of experience, where i watered a bromeliad next to my desk, but it died.
I would get out of there. I have been working at a small 8 person firm as a part time architectural assistant (intern) for about three months now, hired as a recent grad, and I have been involved in some aspect of just about every current project that we have. I have worked on drawing up plans for feasibility studies, preparing various drawings for DD sets, misc. marketing material, some closeout phase things. There is rarely a day that I am not in Revit, AutoCAD, or Sketchup. I have never been asked to make a coffee run or take out the trash or water the plants. If you are not able to receive IDP credit for the majority of your work, I would say its best to start looking elsewhere for work.
if you and your employer had a conversation that clearly defined what role you would be in, and now they are not standing behind the promises they made, then you are in a toxic relationship. be mad. let them know your mad. tear shit down. fuck shit up. all that.
of course, temper that with the fact that things don't always work as planned, and some variance from what everyone originally intended is to be expected. just make sure you're not mistaken in how you view the situation. the way you're presenting though, there is a very big difference between what is and what was promised, and nobody is trying to make it right. that makes them bad people, and they should feel bad.
Have some respect for yourself, if you keep letting people kick you around you'll always get kicked around. I've become extremely aggressive because people think they could pick on me when I was starting out working.
1) you aren't getting the type of experience you need. Have a talk w your boss and explain/ask.
2) you are being asked to do menial tasks. Someone needs to do these. You are low man - so it comes to you. They aren't going to hire someone else to do this stuff unless you show them you can do higher level work. See issue #1
3) others are jerky to you. This you might not be able to resolve without leaving.
Either way-don't burn the bridge. Leave on good terms.
leave
gtfo of there.. Seems like a slow firm that can't even hire right.. Why would any firm hire an architecture grad to do a janitor/caretaker's job like water plants, clean kitchen, restock office and toilet supplies? I'd have walked out in a week if that was all they got me to do. I can understand if that was in addition to real architectural work.
Thank y'all for all of the help! I am feeling very empowered. I am currently looking (more scampering) for a summer internship right now. I desperately hope something comes up so I can get out of dodge, because it's not getting any better.
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