I am a 2018 graduate with a B Arch. I was late 20s when I graduated, so past the traditional college age student. I didn't love architecture school, I felt like I struggled and never really got the big picture of what I was supposed to be doing. I am artistic and creative, and I always passed studio, but I never seemed to succeed in conveying my ideas well. I think ultimately what I enjoyed most in school was architectural history, and appreciating the beauty of architecture, and I struggled with the technical stuff (and still do). Like I told a coworker at a previous job once, when I am inside a beautiful building, I am not curious about how it is standing, I merely appreciate the beauty of what it makes me feel...she advised I not tell prospective employers this in a job interview, lol. I also never mastered great time management, and even as a senior was pulling all nighters, much to my embarrassment, as I felt this was something I should have figured out after year one/two. Ultimately what motivated me to finish was that partly I didn't want to give up, I wasn't getting any younger and didn't have much to show for my age, and the motivation that once I had the piece of paper, I could do whatever I wanted.
But upon graduation I still applied to architecture positions, because I thought I should give it a shot. There is a big difference between academia and practice, or so I was told, so I thought perhaps I might enjoy professional practice more than school, however, 4 years in, this does not appear to be the case.
My first job was at a small residential firm. I was the only drafter for an architect. It was overwhelming to say the least, as her previous employees had all been licensed architects with several years' experience. She was out of the office a lot, while I was trying to learn Revit and deliver the drawings she wanted. It was not a compatible fit, and I was let go 3 months in.
My second job was with a large 200+ firm working on new schools. I started logging my AXP hours here. While it was a great experience and I learned a lot, I would say I felt rather lost in such a big environment, and did not love the work, even though it was really ideal in theory, working on new construction schools from SD to CD. I didn't connect with any mentors while there and I felt anxious with such a large office, and I felt I was floundering. Ultimately, I was laid off 2+ years in along with over 20 other people. I think it was partly pandemic related, partly the large corporate mentality of the firm to conduct regular mass layoffs to get new blood.
My third and current job is with a mid-size ~30 people firm working on primarily healthcare projects. I really like the people I work with, I feel like I am learning a lot and getting more mentorship, but the work still doesn't seem to click with me. I feel like I have hit a wall. I am tired, burned out, unmotivated, and honestly a little hopeless about the future as I feel like this endless cycle of staring at a computer screen, sitting at a desk, drawing details, heavy workload, and coordinating with consultants is sucking the life out of me. I apologize if that is dramatic.
When I talk to my family about it, they tell me to stick with it, get licensed, that it's just a job, I take it too seriously, I need to chill, that maybe I'll grow to like it, so on so forth. Even my dental hygienist told me a childhood friend of hers was an architect, and that he loves what he does, but that he hated it the first 8 years he worked in the field...reason to stick it out? Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
Part of my reluctance to continue with this work is looking at the office I am currently in. While I really enjoy my coworker's company, and they are really nice, hardworking people whom I admire, and they are always willing to answer my questions, there are some serious workaholics there. Honestly, it makes me angry to see how hard they work sometimes. One of my older coworkers who is reluctant to retire, talks about how when he started working for a firm when he was 17, the first week one of the older drafters dropped dead of a heart attack on his drafting table, and they warned him not to end up like him. He told me stories too about how his doctor told him he needed to work less and stress less because of his high blood pressure, and this coworker told his doctor that he was addicted to the stress, that he couldn't stop...he shares stories of working till 7PM on Christmas Eve, weekends, getting work calls while on vacation, etc...I also overhear some of the principals' asking employees to work weekends, which really makes my blood boil. This hasn't happened to me yet, fortunately.
Due to my own poor time management skills, I feel like I am not the most efficient worker (still) so I struggle to maintain work/life balance and find myself working longer hours in an attempt to catch up, but I am not sure if I am really catching up, or just being even more inefficient. It feels like studio again, punishing myself, but when I was in school, I thought, 'oh, this is just college, real life won't be like this...' But here I am...I recognize that I need to change this flaw in me but am really at a loss as to how to fix it. Talking to my coworkers, when they talk about their work, it almost seems like a disease, something that gets in your blood and they can't quit, almost like an addiction that is slowly killing them. They hate it, but they love it, they couldn't do anything else. I find myself worrying that I will end up the same way, giving up my other hobbies and passions just to work more and more, until I no longer have the energy or desire to pursue my other interests, and I too will be reluctant to retire because I have made my entire life about work. But then again, I am a millennial, so maybe that's my problem, lol.
I am unsure what else I could do for work, which is another part of my dilemma. Even though I feel strongly about finding a new career/work path I am really at a loss as to what else I could try. I worry that maybe I will throw away 4+ years of hard work by ditching the field now, when it may be better to just to stick it out. Also, is the grass really greener? Will I be just as unhappy in another position/field? Work is work, and we must grin and bear it. I was thinking maybe I'd like city planning, but honestly it is probably just another branch of the same tree. I have also considered focusing on interiors, but it just seems like more of the ad infinitum details that need to be figured out...it's all just a lot. If I were to leave the field, I would want to try something entirely different, I think. Any thoughts on that? All in all, my time in the architecture field has felt like a hazing ceremony that just won't end, lol.
I am sorry to drag this out so long, but I wanted to give a bit of my history/context. Does it get easier? Should I stick it out? Or should I get out before the heart attack takes me out? Lol. I love the idea of a job that I can leave at work at the end of the day. Honestly would love a four-day work week (it's the millennial in me, I know!) I love people and like to help others. I would love to help improve my community, but not from behind a computer screen. I would enjoy something more physically active and engaging. Ultimately, I think I have strong imposter syndrome where this work is concerned and carry residual emotional baggage from college of never feeling good enough or like I can even do this. I am not confident at all, even with almost 4 years' experience, but perhaps this is normal. I am high anxiety and do not handle stress well, another detractor. I know I do not want to be a Revit monkey my whole life, but neither do I have my eye on a PM or partnership position...I don't envy my superiors their added stress and responsibility, even if they do get to call the shots with design. My gut is telling me to run fast and don't look back.
also, look into psilocybin therapy. What you are experiencing is not related to architecture or office work, it's an existential dread. And it's normal. What's abnormal is to keep pushing on while the world is literally crumbling.
I don’t know too much about working in firms, because I’ve been mostly independent throughout my career. Financially it takes several years to feel like you are getting paid fairly for the work you do. Emotionally, the small things become more satisfying as you age. Also, I’ve found that after about 10 years of doing this I’ve hit a point where I know enough and I’m fast enough at things to manage time better…but always something new to keep things interesting. My 2 cents
It's not just a grass-is-greener thing. The traditional career path is low-paying, high-stress, long hours. If you don't get some sort of intrinsic pleasure from buildings (and there is zero shame in this), I recommend leaving. Of my friends who went to arch school, about half don't traditionally practice and they're much happier now. They run fabrication shops, they teach, they're in set design, project management, government, etc...
No, this isn't how people work into a satisfying career. After this long you haven't found the thing you love in the work because it isn't there.
I didn't enjoy school much, but within my first year working I knew it was definitely what I wanted to do. Now 15 years later I've done many of the things I needed to do to get a position I'm very happy with. But it wasn't a slog, and I've mostly enjoyed it. Honestly it gets a bit more challenging at every step.
For most architects the question is how to live with mediocre pay so we can do the work we enjoy; if you don't enjoy the work, there isn't something else for you here.
I think you should look for a career counselor and spend some time discussing how to move forward in your life while getting a job that suits your real motivations. I've occasionally done so and that probably helped me make some changes leading to my current satisfaction with my career. For you a larger change may better suit you so having some professional guidance will help you feel more confident.
Look into working at a university or a construction firm in project management. PM skills are transferable if you enjoy that kind of work. I started my career at a university working for a wonderful engineer and learned a lot. Only left after five years to become registered, as there were no registered architects there at the time, and to get my MBA in another state. University work is satisfying, fun and rewarded well without some of the downsides and long hours of private practice. I made more money and had more benefits (vacation time, pension, etc.) than with private practice for the age that I was at the time.
Once I had my MBA and got registered, I transitioned to a predominately marketing and business development career focus for design firms where I found a very satisfying alternative approach to an architecture career. Most architects did not enjoy what I did in this new realm, so it made my position a bit more secure compared to theirs. I still got to do creative things in terms of building aspects of the business in new directions, and I became an stockholder/owner at two firms. I was also much better compensated than my regular architecture peers due to my new expertise and treated like a valuable firm member as I could help bring in work.
Now retired after a 35 year career, I am glad I gave up the traditional path as the alternatives were much more satisfying and yet kept me in the profession. Like you with Revit, I didn't care for drafting so much and couldn't see doing that for years before being allowed to do more satisfying work. The MBA helped accelerate this transition and helped to differentiate me from my peers. By the way, I'm a 67-year-old woman and so I was swimming upstream in a male-dominated profession my whole career. Luckily I entered the marketing/BD side when few architects did so. I also found the best mentors in like-minded professionals at other firms and through membership in the Society for Marketing Professional Services (www.smps.org).
Over the years, I have made friends with many architects who have left traditional practice and now have careers in movie set making, software design, corporate architecture, communications/marketing, state and city govt., school district facilities management and higher ed. They still enjoy the beauty of architecture, just chose to take their careers in a different, and for them, more satisfying direction. I'm confident you can do the same. It took courage to leave the traditional path behind, but there are many alternatives out there so that you can have a more fulfilling career and be happy.
It comes down to attitude and self discipline - Read Brian Tracy's "no excuses" and get yourself squared away. Do you exercise? If not, then do that first thing in the morning. When I studied architecture, it was in San Diego. I took my cues from the Marines and SEALS, one of my classmates was a naval commander and she was our team lead for a reason. I learned a lot from her about priorities and time management.
When I was 8 and I fell out of my treehouse....(I needed walls and a roof and a better ladder), nursing my sprained elbow with a popsicle and flipped on the TV to see Mike Brady bounding up those kick ass open tread stairs in his split level rancher, I was hooked.
That and the fact i grew up in a area littered with iconic west coast modern homes by Ron Thom and Arthur Erickson.
The only thing that keeps me going is that ever since I was little I always just thought BUILDINGS ARE BAD@SS!
Dude it's all about the buildings!
MoMa to McMansions! Taste the f**king rainbow of Sherman WIlliams colors! Spec that paper towel holder like it owes you money(it does)! Bust out a space from A Pattern Language under everyone's nose!
The crappy things you don't like about work don't "get better". When you like buildings as much as a lot of us do, you just stop caring about that sh*t. Are we allowed to cuss on here because I got so excited about buildings my tongue slipped....
Architects - How long did it take you to know this was what you wanted to be doing with your life?
I am a 2018 graduate with a B Arch. I was late 20s when I graduated, so past the traditional college age student. I didn't love architecture school, I felt like I struggled and never really got the big picture of what I was supposed to be doing. I am artistic and creative, and I always passed studio, but I never seemed to succeed in conveying my ideas well. I think ultimately what I enjoyed most in school was architectural history, and appreciating the beauty of architecture, and I struggled with the technical stuff (and still do). Like I told a coworker at a previous job once, when I am inside a beautiful building, I am not curious about how it is standing, I merely appreciate the beauty of what it makes me feel...she advised I not tell prospective employers this in a job interview, lol. I also never mastered great time management, and even as a senior was pulling all nighters, much to my embarrassment, as I felt this was something I should have figured out after year one/two. Ultimately what motivated me to finish was that partly I didn't want to give up, I wasn't getting any younger and didn't have much to show for my age, and the motivation that once I had the piece of paper, I could do whatever I wanted.
But upon graduation I still applied to architecture positions, because I thought I should give it a shot. There is a big difference between academia and practice, or so I was told, so I thought perhaps I might enjoy professional practice more than school, however, 4 years in, this does not appear to be the case.
My first job was at a small residential firm. I was the only drafter for an architect. It was overwhelming to say the least, as her previous employees had all been licensed architects with several years' experience. She was out of the office a lot, while I was trying to learn Revit and deliver the drawings she wanted. It was not a compatible fit, and I was let go 3 months in.
My second job was with a large 200+ firm working on new schools. I started logging my AXP hours here. While it was a great experience and I learned a lot, I would say I felt rather lost in such a big environment, and did not love the work, even though it was really ideal in theory, working on new construction schools from SD to CD. I didn't connect with any mentors while there and I felt anxious with such a large office, and I felt I was floundering. Ultimately, I was laid off 2+ years in along with over 20 other people. I think it was partly pandemic related, partly the large corporate mentality of the firm to conduct regular mass layoffs to get new blood.
My third and current job is with a mid-size ~30 people firm working on primarily healthcare projects. I really like the people I work with, I feel like I am learning a lot and getting more mentorship, but the work still doesn't seem to click with me. I feel like I have hit a wall. I am tired, burned out, unmotivated, and honestly a little hopeless about the future as I feel like this endless cycle of staring at a computer screen, sitting at a desk, drawing details, heavy workload, and coordinating with consultants is sucking the life out of me. I apologize if that is dramatic.
When I talk to my family about it, they tell me to stick with it, get licensed, that it's just a job, I take it too seriously, I need to chill, that maybe I'll grow to like it, so on so forth. Even my dental hygienist told me a childhood friend of hers was an architect, and that he loves what he does, but that he hated it the first 8 years he worked in the field...reason to stick it out? Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
Part of my reluctance to continue with this work is looking at the office I am currently in. While I really enjoy my coworker's company, and they are really nice, hardworking people whom I admire, and they are always willing to answer my questions, there are some serious workaholics there. Honestly, it makes me angry to see how hard they work sometimes. One of my older coworkers who is reluctant to retire, talks about how when he started working for a firm when he was 17, the first week one of the older drafters dropped dead of a heart attack on his drafting table, and they warned him not to end up like him. He told me stories too about how his doctor told him he needed to work less and stress less because of his high blood pressure, and this coworker told his doctor that he was addicted to the stress, that he couldn't stop...he shares stories of working till 7PM on Christmas Eve, weekends, getting work calls while on vacation, etc...I also overhear some of the principals' asking employees to work weekends, which really makes my blood boil. This hasn't happened to me yet, fortunately.
Due to my own poor time management skills, I feel like I am not the most efficient worker (still) so I struggle to maintain work/life balance and find myself working longer hours in an attempt to catch up, but I am not sure if I am really catching up, or just being even more inefficient. It feels like studio again, punishing myself, but when I was in school, I thought, 'oh, this is just college, real life won't be like this...' But here I am...I recognize that I need to change this flaw in me but am really at a loss as to how to fix it. Talking to my coworkers, when they talk about their work, it almost seems like a disease, something that gets in your blood and they can't quit, almost like an addiction that is slowly killing them. They hate it, but they love it, they couldn't do anything else. I find myself worrying that I will end up the same way, giving up my other hobbies and passions just to work more and more, until I no longer have the energy or desire to pursue my other interests, and I too will be reluctant to retire because I have made my entire life about work. But then again, I am a millennial, so maybe that's my problem, lol.
I am unsure what else I could do for work, which is another part of my dilemma. Even though I feel strongly about finding a new career/work path I am really at a loss as to what else I could try. I worry that maybe I will throw away 4+ years of hard work by ditching the field now, when it may be better to just to stick it out. Also, is the grass really greener? Will I be just as unhappy in another position/field? Work is work, and we must grin and bear it. I was thinking maybe I'd like city planning, but honestly it is probably just another branch of the same tree. I have also considered focusing on interiors, but it just seems like more of the ad infinitum details that need to be figured out...it's all just a lot. If I were to leave the field, I would want to try something entirely different, I think. Any thoughts on that? All in all, my time in the architecture field has felt like a hazing ceremony that just won't end, lol.
I am sorry to drag this out so long, but I wanted to give a bit of my history/context. Does it get easier? Should I stick it out? Or should I get out before the heart attack takes me out? Lol. I love the idea of a job that I can leave at work at the end of the day. Honestly would love a four-day work week (it's the millennial in me, I know!) I love people and like to help others. I would love to help improve my community, but not from behind a computer screen. I would enjoy something more physically active and engaging. Ultimately, I think I have strong imposter syndrome where this work is concerned and carry residual emotional baggage from college of never feeling good enough or like I can even do this. I am not confident at all, even with almost 4 years' experience, but perhaps this is normal. I am high anxiety and do not handle stress well, another detractor. I know I do not want to be a Revit monkey my whole life, but neither do I have my eye on a PM or partnership position...I don't envy my superiors their added stress and responsibility, even if they do get to call the shots with design. My gut is telling me to run fast and don't look back.
3 minutes after my dad told me to get a degree in something other than acting.
also, look into psilocybin therapy. What you are experiencing is not related to architecture or office work, it's an existential dread. And it's normal. What's abnormal is to keep pushing on while the world is literally crumbling.
I don’t know too much about working in firms, because I’ve been mostly independent throughout my career. Financially it takes several years to feel like you are getting paid fairly for the work you do. Emotionally, the small things become more satisfying as you age. Also, I’ve found that after about 10 years of doing this I’ve hit a point where I know enough and I’m fast enough at things to manage time better…but always something new to keep things interesting. My 2 cents
Point is, it does get better imo
Take a look at joining the US military while you are still young enough to be allowed in. It would give you a clean break.
It's not just a grass-is-greener thing. The traditional career path is low-paying, high-stress, long hours. If you don't get some sort of intrinsic pleasure from buildings (and there is zero shame in this), I recommend leaving. Of my friends who went to arch school, about half don't traditionally practice and they're much happier now. They run fabrication shops, they teach, they're in set design, project management, government, etc...
No, this isn't how people work into a satisfying career. After this long you haven't found the thing you love in the work because it isn't there.
I didn't enjoy school much, but within my first year working I knew it was definitely what I wanted to do. Now 15 years later I've done many of the things I needed to do to get a position I'm very happy with. But it wasn't a slog, and I've mostly enjoyed it. Honestly it gets a bit more challenging at every step.
For most architects the question is how to live with mediocre pay so we can do the work we enjoy; if you don't enjoy the work, there isn't something else for you here.
I think you should look for a career counselor and spend some time discussing how to move forward in your life while getting a job that suits your real motivations. I've occasionally done so and that probably helped me make some changes leading to my current satisfaction with my career. For you a larger change may better suit you so having some professional guidance will help you feel more confident.
Look into working at a university or a construction firm in project management. PM skills are transferable if you enjoy that kind of work. I started my career at a university working for a wonderful engineer and learned a lot. Only left after five years to become registered, as there were no registered architects there at the time, and to get my MBA in another state. University work is satisfying, fun and rewarded well without some of the downsides and long hours of private practice. I made more money and had more benefits (vacation time, pension, etc.) than with private practice for the age that I was at the time.
Once I had my MBA and got registered, I transitioned to a predominately marketing and business development career focus for design firms where I found a very satisfying alternative approach to an architecture career. Most architects did not enjoy what I did in this new realm, so it made my position a bit more secure compared to theirs. I still got to do creative things in terms of building aspects of the business in new directions, and I became an stockholder/owner at two firms. I was also much better compensated than my regular architecture peers due to my new expertise and treated like a valuable firm member as I could help bring in work.
Now retired after a 35 year career, I am glad I gave up the traditional path as the alternatives were much more satisfying and yet kept me in the profession. Like you with Revit, I didn't care for drafting so much and couldn't see doing that for years before being allowed to do more satisfying work. The MBA helped accelerate this transition and helped to differentiate me from my peers. By the way, I'm a 67-year-old woman and so I was swimming upstream in a male-dominated profession my whole career. Luckily I entered the marketing/BD side when few architects did so. I also found the best mentors in like-minded professionals at other firms and through membership in the Society for Marketing Professional Services (www.smps.org).
Over the years, I have made friends with many architects who have left traditional practice and now have careers in movie set making, software design, corporate architecture, communications/marketing, state and city govt., school district facilities management and higher ed. They still enjoy the beauty of architecture, just chose to take their careers in a different, and for them, more satisfying direction. I'm confident you can do the same. It took courage to leave the traditional path behind, but there are many alternatives out there so that you can have a more fulfilling career and be happy.
It comes down to attitude and self discipline - Read Brian Tracy's "no excuses" and get yourself squared away. Do you exercise? If not, then do that first thing in the morning. When I studied architecture, it was in San Diego. I took my cues from the Marines and SEALS, one of my classmates was a naval commander and she was our team lead for a reason. I learned a lot from her about priorities and time management.
self discipline is the key to sucess in any field
When I was 8 and I fell out of my treehouse....(I needed walls and a roof and a better ladder), nursing my sprained elbow with a popsicle and flipped on the TV to see Mike Brady bounding up those kick ass open tread stairs in his split level rancher, I was hooked.
That and the fact i grew up in a area littered with iconic west coast modern homes by Ron Thom and Arthur Erickson.
The only thing that keeps me going is that ever since I was little I always just thought BUILDINGS ARE BAD@SS!
Dude it's all about the buildings!
MoMa to McMansions!
Taste the f**king rainbow of Sherman WIlliams colors!
Spec that paper towel holder like it owes you money(it does)!
Bust out a space from A Pattern Language under everyone's nose!
The crappy things you don't like about work don't "get better". When you like buildings as much as a lot of us do, you just stop caring about that sh*t. Are we allowed to cuss on here because I got so excited about buildings my tongue slipped....
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