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eastcoast

Im a student intern this summer in the Atlanta area and I was just curious as to how most professionals view people like myself in the office. I came into this job  knowing absolutely nothing  in terms of architecture. (i just completed my first year of school) not even auto cad. I just started and i feel out of my comfort zone sometimes and am naturally a more quiet person with new people although I wouldn't consider myself shy. (being quiet is something that is quite frowned upon and is always considered a negative thing). But I get better with time and am already picking up the things that I am asked to do more efficiently. I also prefer to google something like a CAD command rather than ask as it usually is quicker and i don't have to disturb someone elses work. While i don't feel that they have any real expectations from me, they've mentioned that I don't interact enough or i am too shy yet everyone around me (the firm has about 80 people) does the same thing: sit in a cubicle and work on CAD. Very little interaction with anyone.  They are always saying if you have a problem just ask but yet when i do have a problem I ask and they say "I don't know" very annoyed so I go and ask someone else to get the same response until I've asked several people and i never get the problem solved. For example, I was asked to answer the phone calls one day and then upon realizing that the phone at my desk did not work i mentioned it to my boss and they did nothing to fix the phone but continued to ask me to answer the calls and become annoyed when they couldn't hear me speaking. I repeatedly mentioned that my phone did not work and their only solution was to get up and run to another desk when it rings, of which makes it ring nearly three times before i can answer and they tell me that i am not fast enough at answering the phone when it rings this many times. Its very frustrating because it makes me look bad but there isn't really anything for to do to solve this issue on my own. 

Just asking for your opinion on how you view interns in the office. 

*Obviously being bold is something that architects have to be, I get that already, it is just odd to me how they act like they are so willing to help but always seem annoyed when i ask for it. 

 
Jun 23, 17 10:55 am
thisisnotmyname

It sounds like you work in a poorly-run firm.  Since you are only there for the summer, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

You might consider swapping your phone handset when nobody is looking.  Pick the person in the place who has been the meanest to you and secretly switch your broken phone with theirs.

Jun 23, 17 11:11 am  · 
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s=r*(theta)

& then get canned when they discover it was you

Jun 28, 17 4:28 pm  · 
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thisisnotmyname

"Secretly" is key here. Also, losing a summer job working in a crummy firm for a-holes is no big loss in my book.

Jun 28, 17 4:58 pm  · 
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s=r*(theta)

there are alot of big egos, big mouths, and big knives to back stab in this profession

Jun 29, 17 11:41 am  · 
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thisisnotmyname

Yes, there are!

Jun 29, 17 11:47 am  · 
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chigurh

If they are too dumb/lazy to fix a technology problem that has been presented to them that interferes with the ability to secure or discuss work in progress, they should go out of business.  

In terms of the CAD questions and how to get involved, just ask who you need to talk to for answers, if you are just going to the intern in the next cubicle for an answer to a design question of course they won't know, you need to be going to the PM or design architect.  

Jun 23, 17 11:24 am  · 
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Who has an office of 80 people but doesn't have a full-time receptionist?

If their only complaint with you is that you are too quiet or shy, I say you're doing fine. Don't sweat it.

Jun 23, 17 12:17 pm  · 
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Wilma Buttfit

An architecture office does. I bet that thing rings every three minutes too. :(

Jun 23, 17 12:21 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

My office receptionist is there to sign for my ebay and amazon deliveries.

Jun 23, 17 1:38 pm  · 
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I get not having a receptionist at a small office, but for 80 people?! What happens when they don't have an intern to answer the phones? Does it ring at everyone's desk (every three minutes) and its anybody's guess who will answer it? 

Why make the new kid (who doesn't know anyone by name yet) answer the phone anyway? "Oh, you'd like to talk to Amanda Hugginkiss? Let me see if they work here ..."

Jun 23, 17 2:06 pm  · 
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Bloopox

If the firm has 80 people, the maintenance of the phones must be somebody's responsibility - probably the responsibility of an office manager, facilities manager, or maybe an IT person.  Start with the office manager - ask who you should talk to about it. 

Firs: do some troubleshooting.  What is wrong with your phone? If you swap it with the phone that they want you to run to, does it work? Does yours work if you plug it in to another jack?  It would help if you can narrow down the problem before you go to whoever is supposed to help with these things.

If nobody wants to take responsibility for the phone problem, can you switch desks?

I would not covertly switch your phone with somebody else's - it reminds me of when I was an intern many years ago and another intern kept swapping out his crappier keyboard, stapler, etc. with mine, one thing at a time when I wasn't around.  I never complained about it but eventually he switched monitors and the IT guy noticed and walked over and pulled the plugs on the other intern's and swapped them back in front of us.  If you need somebody else's phone for testing purposes just ask to borrow it.

Jun 23, 17 2:04 pm  · 
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archietechie

Sounds like you're a scapegoat for the crap your office has.

Jun 24, 17 4:55 am  · 
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thisisnotmyname

+1. The firm sounds like a sh*thole that the OP should forget about once his/her summer internship is over. If the job came through the school's placement office, it may be worth mentioning to someone there that the summer intern experience at the firm was subpar.

Jun 26, 17 5:01 pm  · 
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3tk

How your co-workers perceive you would be dependent on how your position was presented to the staff.  Some places see interns as cheap labor (and have expectations of production), some will see them as a marketing tool (that the intern goes back to their school and spread good information about it), and others may see it as an opportunity for junior staff to show their mentoring/leadership skills.

It sounds like your position was a 'favor' to someone or that whomever wanted to host an intern is not taking their responsibility.  My best internships were ones where a partner or senior associate became my 'mentor' - they made sure I was given valuable experience and met with me to discuss big picture ideas about their firm.  Looking back it was done with extremely valuable time being spent on me.  Incidentally, I stay in touch with them and help them recruit and market when I can as they seldom compete with my current firm.

With 80 people, hopefully you can find someone that is willing to sit down and chat about their work and offer career advice - maybe over lunch or morning coffee.  Answering phones can be a good way to know who may be important (as they typically will get more calls).

Hope it gets better!

Jun 28, 17 2:00 pm  · 
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s=r*(theta)

"they've mentioned that I don't interact enough or i am too shy"

my 2 cents: this is code for: you are not exactly fitting into their office culture. like someone said previously, if they have asked you to answer phones: this is were they see your value at this point, not gud

     in this career path you have to take the bull by the horns alot,  you gotta b harmless as a dove but vicious as wild lion.

here's a few suggestions for you:

1) write down all your questions daily to ask at once, stop piecemealing questions because it is annoying to get interupted, its like trying to watch a movie and someone keeps asking questions!

2). if you come across problems you may need to ask a more experienced person or senior staff, have 2-3 great solutions as well, dont say hey this phone is not working what should I do? Do say, hey! this phone is not working so I am going to a.) run it to i/t, b.) swap it with another phone, c.) work a cube today were the phone works!! we are in business becuz we get paid for solving problems efficiently and aesthetically, the more problems you can solve the more $$$$ you make, so be a problem solver from day 1.

3) you are in a status career were you are expected to take initiative, be creative, not only in designing space's but how you handle office protocol, posses and demonstrate a higher level of intelligence, and do your due diligence, not just sit back and gather answers. this is the mind set you need to bring everyday


Jun 28, 17 5:23 pm  · 
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eastcoast

thank you for your response, although I will say I fit into the office culture just fine though. There are really only a handful of people that interact with one another as most people work at their desks on CAD all day. My boss does this as well so I don't see why Im the one that needs to change this. Also, I did approach the IT guy about the phone and he was the one that played it off with no solution. I'm only a student that used Autocad for the first time three months ago and knowing that he still hired me to learn. There is already a designated office staff who were all out that day so i was the obvious next person to do this job. Not because my work is invaluable but because my efficiency and knowledge are just not even close to the same level as other people in the office that have been in the field for nearly thirty years. It makes sense. I am here to learn, I'm not here because Im good at something. 

Jun 29, 17 2:43 pm  · 
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