Im 3 weeks away from going back for an MFA in furniture design. I have been freelancing for a little while now and last week one of my clients asked me to postpone school and come work for him (a developer). Money wise it would be more than double anything I have ever made before.
What I WANT to do is go back to school. What I THINK may be smarter is to take the money for a year and then go back to school with a cushion.
Depends upon what you want to do 10 years from now. Your experience with a developer, no matter how much money you will make, will not do much for your resume in most "design" oriented firms. I know that, for me, it is not only completely overlooked, but thought of as a negative.
if you got the chops won't matter who you worked with. Gehry doesn't seem to have sufferred overly for having worked as a parking lot designer for victor gruen for a couple a years...
anyway a cushion is cool to have. I finished MArch loan free cuz i worked afore returning but my fellow graduates are saddled with loans big enough to buy a (nice) house with. sucks big time.
tyvek, are you saying you would look at having worked for a developer as a negative or that you used to work as a developer and now encounter arch firms looking at it as a negative?
There are definitly things to be learned from a developer, even if they aren't design.
Jump, the prospect of doing school loan free is the only reason Im really considering this job.
I have interviewed potential employees that have worked with developers in varying percentages of their total work experience. For the work that we do, I think that the higher the percentage, the less they are qualified to do the type of work we do.
But, I don't doubt that the experience would be benificial to other types of firms. Just not mine.
i was in the same situation about 10 years ago and was lucky to get a job as an architect even with a BED (left North America for a place where the hierarchy ain't so rigid) so not as hard a choice as for you maybe. After three and a half years I had saved enough to pay for school and luckily got some scholarships as well.
When I finished I didn't have to worry about getting a job right away and could shop around. My friends were much more confined by their financial situation, especially the ones with kids. I think that was/is more of a setback than a year doing work for a developer...
if it really is close to double, considering it is certainly valid. you can always use the extra year to step up your portfolio layout, personal statement, etc to a higher level, and getting through grad school with less debt means more freedom in choosing your career path/jobs after you get your masters. you can also simply leave out your year of working for a developer on your resume in the future. the only question is whether you'll be happy dealing with that job for a year, and whether you have the gusto to make certain to move on per your plan after a year. a lot of people get stuck in "well-paying" jobs out of comfort level and never end up going to grad school. keep that in mind.
otherwise, do like stevey miller said, and take the money and run.
work with the developer. they have a completely different perspective on architecture (=capitalistic reality) than architects do, and it will be very helpful later in you career if you ever deal with developers on projects.(=how to get around them and still keep them happy).
you'll learn more about the reality of architecture/realestate/market forces in the one year or so with the developer then you will in 10 years in architecture.(assuming you're not doing tract homes, if you're to do tract homes, run, you will learn nothing)
no track homes...its mainly an (very large) industrial rehab project.
MFA at U.Mass ~ Dartmouth
Taboho, Ill keep you posted....
o+, thanks for the perspective. Im thinking the same thing. But like I said in my opening, what I WANT to be doing is school. But it may be SMARTER to work with the developer.
1. Depends on what 'twice what I made before' is. If it's $35k, forget it, if it's 70k, then I'd jump at it.
2. You'll learn how business works, something they never teach you in school. Developer's know how to keep a balance sheet and how to be profitable, skills that will come in handy in any direction you choose.
I'd take the job, do some design on the side to keep you hungry, and save, save, save. School will always be there, this opportunity will not.
oh, and it is true that you make a TON more at a developer. 20-40% more than a comparable job at a regular firm. So make sure he's not low balling you, too, because of your inexperience (depends on how many skills you have, too).
Trace - have you worked as a developer before? Your points #1 & #2 both lead to taking the job, but Im curious as to how the day to day aspect of it might wear one down after a while.
work for the developer, take furniture classes at night. Take all the $$$ you are going to make working for the devloper and buy some tools of your own and open your own shop
If you will actually go back to school within a couple of years, take the job. However, if you feel that you may get sucked into the making of monies, then do the school thing while you still can.
no, I haven't worked as a developer...yet. I am working towards that and have a very large project waiting. I've worked with several, though, on various projects.
how old are you? that's important, too. If you really think you might never go back to school (family, house payments, etc.), then it's something to consider.
However, if you are young without these responsibilities you are flexible. You must roll with the punches and make the best of each opportunity. The traditional path, ie school then career, can leave a large emptiness when you get out and things are as rosy as you thought they'd be (happened to me and many others on here).
It will get boring, for sure, but EVERY job gets boring. Architecture is 80% boring crap, furniture probably not nearly as bad, but then the projects are smaller.
I am building my own furniture now, and other products, and it's wonderful. You don't need school to get started, just to get better. Make some money, read lots of design books, research, visit showrooms, buy some snazzy furniture for your pad, and you'll be that much more pumped when you go to school and you can actually afford to make your own sh*t!
Getting equipment and starting your own shop is a great idea, too.
Take the money, but use it to make yourself happy later on.
sorry to go off topic but somewhat pertinent to the discussion...
if anti were to take the job for the year would he have to really to school the following year or would the school allow him to enter without going through the paperwork again?
Thank you to all who have weighed in and given me things to think about.
I have made my decision -- Im staying the course and going to school in 2 weeks.
The best advice I recieved regarding this was "NOW is always the best time to follow your dreams"
Many people told me to go for the money as school would always be there. Im choosing to go for school and assume that developers (and thier larger checkbooks) will always be there.
anti, soundls like it worked out for you. In my experience, and working with a/as a developer now, often developers have a do it now/want it now attitude. That can be quite seductive or compulsive, so having the chance to go back after your study means you have his respect.
Good luck.
Aug 15, 05 7:52 pm ·
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money vs. school please weigh in
Im 3 weeks away from going back for an MFA in furniture design. I have been freelancing for a little while now and last week one of my clients asked me to postpone school and come work for him (a developer). Money wise it would be more than double anything I have ever made before.
What I WANT to do is go back to school. What I THINK may be smarter is to take the money for a year and then go back to school with a cushion.
Thoughts, comments, suggestions?
Depends upon what you want to do 10 years from now. Your experience with a developer, no matter how much money you will make, will not do much for your resume in most "design" oriented firms. I know that, for me, it is not only completely overlooked, but thought of as a negative.
Good luck in school.
thoughts, no suggestions..
if you got the chops won't matter who you worked with. Gehry doesn't seem to have sufferred overly for having worked as a parking lot designer for victor gruen for a couple a years...
anyway a cushion is cool to have. I finished MArch loan free cuz i worked afore returning but my fellow graduates are saddled with loans big enough to buy a (nice) house with. sucks big time.
tyvek, are you saying you would look at having worked for a developer as a negative or that you used to work as a developer and now encounter arch firms looking at it as a negative?
There are definitly things to be learned from a developer, even if they aren't design.
Jump, the prospect of doing school loan free is the only reason Im really considering this job.
I have interviewed potential employees that have worked with developers in varying percentages of their total work experience. For the work that we do, I think that the higher the percentage, the less they are qualified to do the type of work we do.
But, I don't doubt that the experience would be benificial to other types of firms. Just not mine.
i was in the same situation about 10 years ago and was lucky to get a job as an architect even with a BED (left North America for a place where the hierarchy ain't so rigid) so not as hard a choice as for you maybe. After three and a half years I had saved enough to pay for school and luckily got some scholarships as well.
When I finished I didn't have to worry about getting a job right away and could shop around. My friends were much more confined by their financial situation, especially the ones with kids. I think that was/is more of a setback than a year doing work for a developer...
if it really is close to double, considering it is certainly valid. you can always use the extra year to step up your portfolio layout, personal statement, etc to a higher level, and getting through grad school with less debt means more freedom in choosing your career path/jobs after you get your masters. you can also simply leave out your year of working for a developer on your resume in the future. the only question is whether you'll be happy dealing with that job for a year, and whether you have the gusto to make certain to move on per your plan after a year. a lot of people get stuck in "well-paying" jobs out of comfort level and never end up going to grad school. keep that in mind.
otherwise, do like stevey miller said, and take the money and run.
work with the developer. they have a completely different perspective on architecture (=capitalistic reality) than architects do, and it will be very helpful later in you career if you ever deal with developers on projects.(=how to get around them and still keep them happy).
you'll learn more about the reality of architecture/realestate/market forces in the one year or so with the developer then you will in 10 years in architecture.(assuming you're not doing tract homes, if you're to do tract homes, run, you will learn nothing)
anti - if you don't want the developer job, i'll take it. =)
Were are you going for your MFA?
no track homes...its mainly an (very large) industrial rehab project.
MFA at U.Mass ~ Dartmouth
Taboho, Ill keep you posted....
o+, thanks for the perspective. Im thinking the same thing. But like I said in my opening, what I WANT to be doing is school. But it may be SMARTER to work with the developer.
1. Depends on what 'twice what I made before' is. If it's $35k, forget it, if it's 70k, then I'd jump at it.
2. You'll learn how business works, something they never teach you in school. Developer's know how to keep a balance sheet and how to be profitable, skills that will come in handy in any direction you choose.
I'd take the job, do some design on the side to keep you hungry, and save, save, save. School will always be there, this opportunity will not.
oh, and it is true that you make a TON more at a developer. 20-40% more than a comparable job at a regular firm. So make sure he's not low balling you, too, because of your inexperience (depends on how many skills you have, too).
Trace - have you worked as a developer before? Your points #1 & #2 both lead to taking the job, but Im curious as to how the day to day aspect of it might wear one down after a while.
work for the developer, take furniture classes at night. Take all the $$$ you are going to make working for the devloper and buy some tools of your own and open your own shop
money vs. school. i'll take money,,,
If you will actually go back to school within a couple of years, take the job. However, if you feel that you may get sucked into the making of monies, then do the school thing while you still can.
no, I haven't worked as a developer...yet. I am working towards that and have a very large project waiting. I've worked with several, though, on various projects.
how old are you? that's important, too. If you really think you might never go back to school (family, house payments, etc.), then it's something to consider.
However, if you are young without these responsibilities you are flexible. You must roll with the punches and make the best of each opportunity. The traditional path, ie school then career, can leave a large emptiness when you get out and things are as rosy as you thought they'd be (happened to me and many others on here).
It will get boring, for sure, but EVERY job gets boring. Architecture is 80% boring crap, furniture probably not nearly as bad, but then the projects are smaller.
I am building my own furniture now, and other products, and it's wonderful. You don't need school to get started, just to get better. Make some money, read lots of design books, research, visit showrooms, buy some snazzy furniture for your pad, and you'll be that much more pumped when you go to school and you can actually afford to make your own sh*t!
Getting equipment and starting your own shop is a great idea, too.
Take the money, but use it to make yourself happy later on.
sorry to go off topic but somewhat pertinent to the discussion...
if anti were to take the job for the year would he have to really to school the following year or would the school allow him to enter without going through the paperwork again?
Ive talked to the school, and it would be possible to defer admission. I would lose the assistant ship position I have been awarded though...
Ive also talked to the developer and there is a possibility that if I went to school now, I could work for him after...
Thank you to all who have weighed in and given me things to think about.
I have made my decision -- Im staying the course and going to school in 2 weeks.
The best advice I recieved regarding this was "NOW is always the best time to follow your dreams"
Many people told me to go for the money as school would always be there. Im choosing to go for school and assume that developers (and thier larger checkbooks) will always be there.
anti, soundls like it worked out for you. In my experience, and working with a/as a developer now, often developers have a do it now/want it now attitude. That can be quite seductive or compulsive, so having the chance to go back after your study means you have his respect.
Good luck.
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