I’ve been at my current firm, a small 5 person mostly residential work, since November 2017,I feel like i’ve learned a tremendous amount since i’ve been here but lately i have been feeling a little discouraged. I feel like they only view me as a drafter and that theres no room gor growth. I dont get any time out in the field, no client interaction, and dont get to participate in project meetings even though im working on the project. I do get to do a decent amount of design though. I also have not recieve any raise in salary which is also discouraging. Hopefully w do i bring up a raise when i don’t have any increased responsibilities? I spoke to a coworker and he was telling me that in the 10 years hes been there hes only recieved 3-4 raises and he also doesnt have any additional responsibilities. He told me that when he mentions to the bosses that he wants more responsibility and wants to attend meetings etc they tell him they need him producing drawings and they are concerned with the bottomline. I can’t see myself there for 9 years and just seen as a drafter. At my previous job i had all these opportunities but now that ive been at my new position for sometime, its starting to get at me. Yes im learning a lot about drawing and detailing but i feel like im not growing anywhere else. Am i silly to feel like im getting nowhere with this firm? Im also one exam away from completing the ARE so that is where my main focus has been.
It's time to move on. Your employer views you and your coworker as production staff and not as any integral part of the firm's future (or probably present). That's how a lot of residential firms stay profitable.
Finish your last test and jump ship. It's not at all uncommon for newly licensed architects to change jobs to shed the "intern" status. The economy is doing well and firms are struggling to fill positions. Get out while you can.
Nope, you've done a good job identifying your first set of red flags:
- other coworkers pointing out they receive minimal raises/promotions for 10 years (seriously, what is that guy thinking/expecting at this point?)
- theyve clearly told you that you're a drafter to help them hit their bottom line; meaning you're production-only.
Not necessarily time to get out immediately, but now is the time to plan + define your exit strategy. Take the ARE's, polish the resume/portfolio, start poking the contact network. There is better out there. You may want to consider a larger firm, i've always found more opportunity to move up in a supportive work environment with about 20+ people.
Do all you can to escape residential. From my experience what you describe is what most small residential offices are like.
Mar 28, 19 4:16 pm ·
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Witty Banter
I had a very different (and positive) experience when I briefly worked in residential but it is also my understanding this model is extremely common. Inexpensive production staff keep residential architects profitable. Often times it doesn't do them any good to have more competent (and expensive) staff working under them.
I have been weeding ourselves off of single family residential work for a few years except for a few "high design" projects for a select number of clients and it has been the most positive move I have ever made. The clients are way less emotional, demanding and flakey. It has also been much more profitable to the office bottom line. The occasional house project is enjoyable but several of them in the office is just not going to happen again.
Mar 29, 19 7:59 pm ·
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Career growth
Hello everyone,
I’ve been at my current firm, a small 5 person mostly residential work, since November 2017,I feel like i’ve learned a tremendous amount since i’ve been here but lately i have been feeling a little discouraged. I feel like they only view me as a drafter and that theres no room gor growth. I dont get any time out in the field, no client interaction, and dont get to participate in project meetings even though im working on the project. I do get to do a decent amount of design though. I also have not recieve any raise in salary which is also discouraging. Hopefully w do i bring up a raise when i don’t have any increased responsibilities? I spoke to a coworker and he was telling me that in the 10 years hes been there hes only recieved 3-4 raises and he also doesnt have any additional responsibilities. He told me that when he mentions to the bosses that he wants more responsibility and wants to attend meetings etc they tell him they need him producing drawings and they are concerned with the bottomline. I can’t see myself there for 9 years and just seen as a drafter. At my previous job i had all these opportunities but now that ive been at my new position for sometime, its starting to get at me. Yes im learning a lot about drawing and detailing but i feel like im not growing anywhere else. Am i silly to feel like im getting nowhere with this firm? Im also one exam away from completing the ARE so that is where my main focus has been.
Complete your AREs and leave. Learn as much about documentation as you can from this place and then find somewhere that suits your interests more.
It's time to move on. Your employer views you and your coworker as production staff and not as any integral part of the firm's future (or probably present). That's how a lot of residential firms stay profitable.
Finish your last test and jump ship. It's not at all uncommon for newly licensed architects to change jobs to shed the "intern" status. The economy is doing well and firms are struggling to fill positions. Get out while you can.
Nope, you've done a good job identifying your first set of red flags:
- other coworkers pointing out they receive minimal raises/promotions for 10 years (seriously, what is that guy thinking/expecting at this point?)
- theyve clearly told you that you're a drafter to help them hit their bottom line; meaning you're production-only.
Not necessarily time to get out immediately, but now is the time to plan + define your exit strategy. Take the ARE's, polish the resume/portfolio, start poking the contact network. There is better out there. You may want to consider a larger firm, i've always found more opportunity to move up in a supportive work environment with about 20+ people.
Once you get pigeon holed, you'e done - the only way up is out
Do all you can to escape residential. From my experience what you describe is what most small residential offices are like.
I had a very different (and positive) experience when I briefly worked in residential but it is also my understanding this model is extremely common. Inexpensive production staff keep residential architects profitable. Often times it doesn't do them any good to have more competent (and expensive) staff working under them.
I have been weeding ourselves off of single family residential work for a few years except for a few "high design" projects for a select number of clients and it has been the most positive move I have ever made. The clients are way less emotional, demanding and flakey. It has also been much more profitable to the office bottom line. The occasional house project is enjoyable but several of them in the office is just not going to happen again.
Block this user
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