Some states’ energy code requires you to meet passive house standards (or similar) for projects over a certain SF - but the energy model is typically done by consultants.

That's what I assumed but wanted to make sure. I know this is tough. It's not a reflection on you as a person or professional. It happens to all of us.

That happened to me a couple years ago, definitely keep at the job hunt, but don't push too hard. It can be taxing to search 100% in this job climate .

It’s alarming if you feel the need to upskill after 14 yrs of experience/ why is your accumulated experience not enough ?

Insufficient AHJ experience, insufficient client interface, no DSA(California dept of state architecture- required for K-12 education projects) - So I’m focusing more on computational design, BIM and Rhino - stuff in good at - going for intermediate and senior designer roles - take ARE exams

I'm not familiar with the DSA. Are you able to obtain it on your own? 

Designer roles require experience with AHJ's and extensive client interface.  Maybe you could look at smaller firms that would be willing to mentor you in those areas.  Just and idea.  

Chad, DSA is not a certification or credential one earns or obtains. The "Division of the State Architect" in California is the AHJ for public K-12 schools and community colleges.

It may seem sort of strange to see a firm requiring certain experience with a certain AHJ for a job posting, but they're particular enough that prior experience with them is desirable compared to hiring someone without it if the role will be managing or captaining projects covered by DSA.

My resume is stacked but it doesn't help. It's the climate out there. The systems are broken. I had a firm tell me they couldn't hire me because it would make their employees feel bad. Maybe I need a head injury.

How would it make their team feel bad? 

Why did they even interview you if they're not hiring?

I am so confused.  Well, beyond my normal level of bewilderment.  

How would it make their team feel bad? They had a high number of low-performing employees. Why did they even interview you if they're not hiring? They were hiring. Still are.

Wilma - that's even more confusing!

What's confusing?

That a firm wouldn't hire someone that has experience because it make their other underperforming staff feel bad. It makes no sense.

It was something I accomplished that the employees say is not possible to accomplish.

Hmmm it must be something fairly well known? Otherwise, how would the other employees know? It's not like you're introduced to the office with your cv...

omg do you have a Pritzker?

Wilma - that's even more confusing. Most firms would be happy to hire someone that can what others say is impossible. 

The owners wouldn't care if the other team members though it made them look bad. Owners would (should) look at this as an opportunity for the rest of the staff to learn from you and for you be a positive example. 

This seems too odd to be true.  

I passed all the AREs on the first try. It wasn't a good workplace.

Wilma

How would anyone outside the interviews know?  Why would anyone care? It's done all the time.  Most importantly - why do you seem to care about not being hired if it wasn't a good workplace?  

It feels like you're not telling us something important.

I don't understand your questions. I brought it up in my interview and they said I'd have to keep that to myself. They have several employees who refuse to take the AREs for fear of failure. I offered to help get their employees licensed but they weren't interested. My story is an example of a broken system. What am I not telling you?

And by not a good workplace, I won't go into it here. Of course there are things I'm not telling you, because you know, the internet.

You didn't explain that. 

 It's odd that the firm wouldn't be interested in someone assisting with providing more experience and mentoring to their staff. I've never encountered that in 20 years in architecture.  That's the part that confuses me.  

I have encountered architects that with big egos who think they know everything and everyone else is wrong. I've seen plenty of those types of people not be hired regardless of their experience or if they passed the ARE on the first try. ;)

I wasn't asking for more details mind you, just the entire story.  I suspect there was something else that caused you not to be hired.  You still seem upset about it.  Not that it matters.  Some firms are just 'weird' and not worth worrying about.  Still, it's very strange how the firm acted.  

If the firm is so focused on who passes AREs in how much time, then it is probably not a good fit. I would venture to say that its not your excellence in cracking the AREs is the issue. Likely something else.

Wow. People pass them first try all the time. Fail them all the time. So insignificant. Baffling the knots that people get twisted into. Sounds like a bad workplace indeed. On the owner front, they probably are happy to keep their workers uncompetitive... less likely to get better jobs, less likely to demand more.

If I need to know something, someone can kindly message me and fill me in. I won't bring it up in interviews anymore.

I'm fascinated that Chad doesn't think employers behave badly or awkwardly sometimes. Even though you admit you sued 2 of your previous employers. We never got the story for either of those either. I didn't ask as I figured you would tell us if you wanted us to know and you don't.

Oh I know employers can behave badly.  Everyone can.  

I've never seen a firm be so foolish to not hire someone because they passed their ARE's on the first try. I almost cannot wrap my head around it.  Upon further discussion with you Wilma,  it seems that the you may have not been hired due to a interpersonal issues - theirs not yours.  I'd count that as a win with this firm.

My dad was a state highway engineer. I learned a lot of the baloney that goes on there, but one that sticks out is that they don't consider hiring people who were "A" students because they won't fit in with the culture; they want B students, and will consider C students before looking at someone with all As.

It can be weird out there. I simply try not to be.

@woodguy - While I've heard this before, I'm not sure how much it applies to architecture. Outside of nepotism, do C students even work in this field? The market is so saturated there isn't much reason to hire anyone who looks bad on paper. haha

Is the market really saturated though?  Serious question - I have no idea.  

In addition - I think most schools won't let you graduate with less than a B average.

Grades are also different now. Growing up in the 80s and going to college in the early 90s, getting an A was harder than it is today, if I'm judging correctly from a lot of things I hear. And yes, natematt, it may not be directly relevant, I just thought it might provide insight into why a firm may prefer those who are not overly motivated.

What Wood Guy said is directly relevant. I've interviewed and unfortunately worked at several firms where the pattern was to hire mainly middling and low performing people. There's a kind of co-dependency happening where in which a firm's leadership and the staff each tolerate the other's shortcomings. Usually, it's the firm paying low wages and the staff being inefficient and/or producing subpar work.

Interesting. I must have worked at some good firms and been very lucky. The hiring process that I've been a part of has looked for high performing people with skills the firm was lacking.

Why only 8?

I also could be that firms are only willing to pay for the 3-5 year range. With 14 years experience you'd need to be paid more. If you took the lower paying job then there could be a concern that you've leave for a higher paying position in proportion with your experience.

Indeed - the "intermediate" folk - 5 to 7 years of exp are in very high demand, not so much the "seniors"

Is that in your area sameolddoctor or have you seen that elsewhere?

In Southern California, intermediate level professionals are very much in demand and are quite hard to find. On the other hand I am seeing a couple (very few) posting for director-level senior positions too. This probably implies that firms are looking to hire these senior positions to tap into their potential rolodex.

Thanks sameolddoctor!  Oddly enough, I've rarely seen adds for director / senior level positions advertised.  I think the only time I've seen those positions advertised was around 2014. 

Right Chad, I heard of some director level people resigning (or being made to resign, rather) and at the same time those kinds of positions being advertised. I sincerely think it is cuz there's a dearth of developer work (in the domestic market, at least) and they are looking for people with strong connections...

I was thinking along those lines as well someold. It seemed like most of the open director level positions were because people were retiring. 

Interestingly enough - the 5-10 year experience level that everyone is after appears to because a lot of architects left the profession around 2012 due to the recession.

Wait, do architects retire?

Well, mainly just architects in corporate offices or government. Occasionally, firm founders/partners can get out if the stars align: i.e. the firm is in good shape financially and someone is willing and able to buy them out. Or their spouse is able to support them in retirement.

If I didn't need health insurance my wife and I would retire at 55 years old.

In my town, I've got a whole cohort of competitors aged 70+ that apparently don't have the funds to retire. They will fight dirty for even the smallest jobs and work for cheap.

Yup, that sounds like most of the 70+ architects I know. The few that got out made some smart real estate investments in their younger days, nothing to do with the profession though...

Principals at my current office love this one guy because he has a positive attitude, but he’s very inexperienced and borderline incompetent. I never want him assigned to my projects because he usually says he knows how to do something but it’s clear he doesn’t. The person with the “bad attitude” that ended up quitting a few months ago was by far the most competent person here. He was a really nice guy, but was getting really tired of the bullshit and constant criticism from one of the principals and cleaning up others people’s messes.

So - the moral of the story - always have a positive attitude. But be wary of other people who always have a positive attitude because it’s very likely you’re going to be cleaning up after them.