Keep in mind competitions are purely subjective.  Being a finalist is nothing to scoff at early in your career.

Your designs may be perfectly valid, but the jury simply may have just preferred another design due to their own tastes.

If I had a competition for the design of my house and someone submitted an early modernist design, I would probably reject it- not because it was invalid, but because it simply isn't my stylistic preference. A big part of architecture is learning to interpret and respond to the wishes of your client. You may have a great design, but if it didn't meet the client's needs it really doesn't matter.

I am sure others will offer better advice than I, but study the projects that are winning. How did their submissions respond to the context of the project or the ideals of the client in ways that yours did not?

you should never join a competition with winning being your only goal, it will most likely just deflate you as the odds are so stacked against it

I dont see why potential employers would care all that much if you include a competition entry in your portfolio that didnt win.  If it shows good design skills or presentation skills, that is more what they would be looking for at your level.  Obviously, noting that it was a finalist or if you ever win one would look good in a portfolio, but i dont think employers care all that much

I have found that doing competitions should just be about having a little fun with design that you maybe wouldnt get the opportunity to do in a real job.  It shouldnt ever really get to you if you dont win, because you never really know what they are looking for, and what else goes into the judging.  Save the stress of winning things like this for when you are working

don't you know about all the famous competition finalist losers?  Corbu's palace of the soviets?  Koolhaas' entry in the parc de la villette competition?  I think the main goal of competitions is to get your work out there and get people talking about it because it can turn into more work.  and with things that get built - winning is sometimes worse than coming in second place.

What if winning means your job?

We just lost 2 competitions recently to a shitty architecture firm with low fees....partnered with a developer who offered the largest lump sum in a double-blind competition.  

If money is the bottom line, then why does any of this matter?  Why the hell are we all competing against each other?

I think winning a competition matters more when you own a firm and want to bring it recognition to get more work and contacts..

At this stage of your career, developing and refining your skills through these competitions over time would be a great help.Like others have pointed out, if you can show competency through these competitions in your portfolio, employers would surely take notice.Over time if you see refinement, then these competitions are a success for you.

yeah i think there are 2 different kinds of competitions, ideas type competitions and ones that are real jobs

I think the OP was talking about ideas type competitions that he would be doing on the side for fun and not anything that, even if he won, would get built.

Talking of ideas competitions - Where do you find all of these? I've searched the web but most of these seem to be international?

a lot of them tend to be international, at least the ones that are easily found online

I usually check www.deathbyarchitecture.com

I only do any that have digital submissions and low to no entry fee.  Mainly i have been doing it for fun and to improve my rendering skills

www.bustler.net is also a good resource for competitions

Thanks.

I like the title - 'death by architecture'!!!!