I would say that you dont need a masters degree to get hired in an office. Im sure that some office hire based on the amount of 'education' one has recieved, but if you know your stuff and do good work, then a piece of paper shouldnt matter too much

Sure. If you can weld and know CAD (Vectorworks preferred) and have sweet design skills email me as we are hiring. You don't need a masters. And its not hard to get a job in Holland, except if you want to get paid well and be official (as an American that is.) I worked for a firm there and after I left they decided to only hire EU as the paperwork was pretty intense for all of the permits needed to make me official.

if you've got a B.Arch, it's easy. If you've got a B.A. or B.S., then sure, as long as you don't have a real high expectation as far as pay goes.

on the OMA job post it is required to have a masters, apparently some offices require this others look at your work regardless of the tittles

I'm not familiar with holland, but a portfolio always helps.

rationalist is right,
if you have a B.Arch get a Masters if you want to teach.
you could get a job with just a Four year degree, but it would definitely help.
it obviously depends where you are trying to go.

yes, but it can be difficult. back when i was a fresh college graduat with only a bachelor of science (architecture) degree to my name, i had some difficulty in my first job search. with few responses to my resume, i ended up taking a job as an office assistant as my first paying gig ($9/hr in boston), this did eventually lead to better things, but i have to admit that i was disappointed at the time.

even so, there is much that can be learned in such a job. architecture offices have a culture all there own and as an assistant, i was privy to much more than i would have been if i were only doing drawings and field measurements. i got to know everybody in the office very well from the priniciples down to the receptionist. this allowed insight in seeing how everything ran, and from multiple perspectives. running errands allowed me to meet people all over town (and since i had moved to a new town this allowed me to quickly learn it), every day was different since i was always at the call of the principles. sometimes i literally got paid to shop (including fancy stuff that i would not be able to afford). even the mundane stuff like covering for the receptionist provided quite a bit of insight such as seeing first hand the different calls that came into the office. i was surprised at just how much skill is required in answer the telephone, and how much control you could exert by how you did this.

i'm probably rambling a bit now, but my point is that even the things that you might think you are too good for can be positive experiences and will help you get to where you want to go, if you maintain a good attitude. unfortunately, this profession can be very hierarchical and laden with notions of seniority, so the best thing to do is just get started...wherever you can and as soon as you can.

puddles, you rock. Good attitude and always helpful.

puddles. you're hired.

hmm, okay thanks you guys. heres another question though. from your personal experiences, do you think its better to work for a few years after you graduate, or go straight to graduate school? I feel like if i go straight to grad school i will just burn out....

Got 'only' a B.S. 15yrs ago. Been busy ever since & usually made more than many of my MArch classmates. Nonetheless, I'd like to have an MArch. Maybe once my wife figures out who needs to bring home the bacon, I can take a break & go back just to have some fun.

As for taking a break from school, do it if you can give yourself a real plan to return to school. Don't get 'worldly' & get into the trap of making new bills for yourself. It's too easy to do that & will always be in your way to re-enter grad school. Also, find work at a place that allows you to take chances & have fun. Keep away from the sweat-shops & corporate anti-tecture firms. They'll kill the architecture in you. I'd say, give the non-academic world 3 yrs, then get back in.

If you don't have an MArch, then you can usually compensae by having
that 'killer skill'. back when I started, it was by being a CAD-head. Today, it's probably more important to actually know how architecture is assembled, & specialize in something. However, many of ya'll will contend that the killer-skill is 3D. Maybe, but I think things like that eventually become 'commoditized.'

Now that I no longer get excited w/ computer gizmos, I have had to stay ahead of the curve & ty to find niches for myself, which thankfully, I have.
You just have to follow a path in this 'business' that doesn't cause you to just give in & turn into a studio slave. Again, I ramble....blah,blah,blah

Although we have hired people sans MArch degrees, I will say that we are always weary of potential employees without graduate degrees. We are a small firm and I am always afraid that a BA, BS or BArch degree will work for us for a year or two and then leave to get their graduate degree.

Not that I blame them. . .I think it is important to go to graduate school, but the first year or two of work with an intern is an unprofitable experience for us. I realize that this is not a popular statement in this forum, but it is true. While I want my office to be a "teaching office" and try to structure it that way, I want to have the experience that we give a young employee to eventually benifit my firm, not some other firm after graduate school.

I think its really shotty how you can have a "masters" without:

-ever working in an office
-ever lifting a hammer or a screw driver
-not knowing how to hand draw

Since when can you be a "master" if you have no work experience.

Because I mean discourse really benefits your cause in the real world.

JohnPr..
I agree. But there are plenty of opportunities in many MArch programs, and outside, or alongside of MArch programs. While I totally subscribe to a more hands-on corps of Archts, Architecture is generally regarded as 'white-collar'. That's ashame, because it's one more way that our profession shoots itself in the foot.

If I am hiring, I generally look for a degreed person, but it's not totally necessary if that person can demonstrate a real undrstanding
of Architecture & Construction. The real 'gems', I've found, are the people that should've gone to Arch school, but ended up in a trade, or a craft, like furniture, or metal working. They're often easier to work with, enjoy constructing, and find it a pleasure to plug into design.

The only degrees I'd be wary of would be B.A. degrees that don't have any relation to Architecture, Enginerering, or anything Technical in nature. I'm not looking for tech-geeks per se. I just want a B.A. in English Lit to have had a lot of construction experience before I'll hire.

So we'll continue to see plenty of MArchs(alonf w/ BArchs, BS, BAs) w/ no real understanding of how things work & go together. But...we'll keep seeing more & more pretty 3D renderings.