there seems to be a lot of ranting and complaining on this forum concerning crappy jobs, long hours, etc. it's been pretty discouraging.
rarely is there ever a 'perfect' job especially for architects who usually have to work long hours for little pay but is there anyone out there, who, on an overall basis, enjoys working at their job?
1. self employer. You manage your time, your the only one responsible for work overload or for low income. You can only blame yourself so you don't do it as often...
2.not exactly an architect. I'm working on renderings for others, but I choose the people I work for so that I don't get to work on projects I don't like. The pay is better (at least when you start, since an architect who gets big makes a lot of money), the responsabilities are limited to the drawings you produce in themselves (just like in school). It gives you time to work on side projects (such as the installation I mentionned in another discussion).
3. Save time for your real life. Make kids once it's time. Go out and party or do whatever you like when you can.
4. Live in a place that you love. Leave once your bored with it.
5. Be patient, hard work pays if you know what to do with it. Try to make contacts with school to teach if you like it, and go out to sometimes boring but always useful architecture openings and exhibitions to meet your peers so they know you exist and they will think about you when they need help. Work on making relations to help you go further professionally.
I enjoy my job. good learning environment, good environment overall, get to have design input (more than I expected), lots of responsibility, definitely not boring...
i love my job. they gave me more responsibility than i probably warrant and they actually consider the ideas a piss-ant like me spouts out. BA in art and i get to actually design. who'da thunk?
as architects and lovers of beautiful things (IE romantics) we have a penchant for melodrama. so we like to complain. if people DIDN'T like this job so much then everyone would be switching careers. but people stay.
I've had several jobs in architectural firms big and small, on account of my co-op experience, and even the job which I refer to as "my favorite" is not a job I would say I loved. It was a great experience and great people, in a really cool office with dream clients. But I didn't love it.
What I will say is that I decided a long time ago that if you are in a position in your life or job where you are unhappy, YOU are the only person that has the ability to change it. No one else is going to do it for you. And if you need the job for whatever reason and hate it but can't quit, then you do what you need to do to get through the day. Take up a hobby, try going to new places in your free time, put goofy pictures up at your desk, bring in donuts, take naps in your car (tee hee).....you get my drift.
Think of it this way. There are literally millions of people who go to jobs that they hate every day. Everyone does something that they don't want to do. It's your own motivation and persistance to rid yourself of such a situation that will distinguish you from a loathesome existance.
I don't know where that came from. I'm done with my motivational speech now.
I'll echo that the building departments is my #1 gripe. Basically the whole permitting process. Have you ever dealt with a city where they weren't "understaffed??"
As far as the job, I enjoy it greatly, but can't say I love it. Love is for something I want to do for the rest of my life. Right now managing projects all over the country is great for me right now. I enjoy traveling. My bonuses make up for the long hours on the road. When in town I rarely work more than 45 hours/week. I don't design as much as I'd like to, or used to, but enjoy spending that time working with consultants. And I've got enough money to survive a lifestyle I enjoy.
Down the road I might want to go more into a design architect's role, or become a full time project manager, or maybe something completely different. The trick is finding what fits for you right now and making the most of it. I've had jobs I didn't like and eventually had to move to find what I was looking for, be it responsibility or compensation. If you aren't being unrealistic of course you can find happiness in this field.
haaa, I like Anthony Robins, eventhough I only read his book when I'm lack of energy.
I love architecture, and like my job. I think job is not perfect. As long as it provides things I need to learn at certain stage of my career. I found you have to plan your career, make sure you have space to grow at your office and generally happy with it. If not then change. I'm amazed to find most architects chang their jobs every two to four years. This acturally is a good thing, give you different perspective and get a fresh start and more energy
I love my job... as much as it is possible to love any job.
I worked for a big name and loved it but hated the sexism
I have worked as a corporate peon and HATED IT... pretty much everything about it.
Now I am a city planner and I love it... lots of face to face time with the citizens... lots of public speaking. Things I design actually get built. And working for the government is quite possibly the eastiest thing in the world... Here was my day yesterday
8:45 Came into work 45 min late
9-10:30 Cranked out 6 maps and sceduled meetings for later this week
10:35 Went home early for lunch
1:30 Returned from lunch/nap
1:35 Worked my ass off getting some random things finished up
4:00 Went home!
And this is essentially what is expected from you as a city employee... I used to work all day and get annoyed that I didn't have tons to do... now I still am annoyed about the wheels of the government taking a year and a half to turn... but I no longer sit in my office and surf the web until 5... I get my shit done then leave.
Its great and pays more than any architecture job I have ever had!
oh and to all of you guys bitching about city's being "understaffed"
Who did you vote for in the last election?
I know at the city that I work for there has not been pay raises in 4 years and we can rarely get any new positions... plus there is the bullshit of (in my case) being capable to help out departments that are understaffed, however my boss will not let me because it is out of my pay grade. For some stupid reason this presents a liability to pay two people different salaries for doing essentially the same thing. You know discrimination and all. The city is SLOW SLOW SLOW and you know what that is just how government in general is... when you are working with tax payers money you have to be extra carefull on how you spend it (which I think sucks) I try and shake things up here... but really all th baby boomers need to retire before we'll see any real change.
"8:45 Came into work 45 min late
9-10:30 Cranked out 6 maps and sceduled meetings for later this week
10:35 Went home early for lunch
1:30 Returned from lunch/nap
1:35 Worked my ass off getting some random things finished up
4:00 Went home!"
followed by....
"when you are working with tax payers money you have to be extra carefull on how you spend it "
"8:45 Came into work 45 min late
9-10:30 Cranked out 6 maps and sceduled meetings for later this week
10:35 Went home early for lunch
1:30 Returned from lunch/nap
1:35 Worked my ass off getting some random things finished up
4:00 Went home!"
followed by....
"when you are working with tax payers money you have to be extra carefull on how you spend it "
followed by....
"Just remember ---Democrat in 2008 ----"
i love my job. in general i work 40-50 hours a week, we have great projects, and i'm a design-build project manager so i get to be involved in every aspect of my project, from design to fabrication and construction. i have a really well rounded job and receive good pay and benefits, and my bosses are all down to earth people who treat me with respect. we also have fantastic projects. its actually just like being in studio all day, except i get to sleep at night and i'm also learning about a few other aspects of design like construction management and cost estimating and all these custom details we do in our shop. apparently i'm going to get some welding experience relatively soon.
amanning, no offense but you just opened up a nice can of worms there.
Incidentally if alcohol was at all involved in your day, you would have been the poster child for every stereotype of a planner that I have ever held.....
On a side note, if you're on salary and you're bored and you don't have anything to do, might I suggest you answer the phone for the building inspection people? I don't care where you are in the country, they are NEVER available when I need to ask them a code question.....
oh, please don't make this about politics. The republicans are in power now, and are allowing this sort of shite, so don't let one slacker's profession of love for the democratic party turn you off of it.
Apr 18, 06 3:26 pm ·
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who actually loves their job?
there seems to be a lot of ranting and complaining on this forum concerning crappy jobs, long hours, etc. it's been pretty discouraging.
rarely is there ever a 'perfect' job especially for architects who usually have to work long hours for little pay but is there anyone out there, who, on an overall basis, enjoys working at their job?
i enjoy getting 2 raises in 8 months at a job i can stand going to every day
that's the best i can give you, love would be taking it a little to far
sashimi, rarely is there a perfect job. architecture or not.
i love my job..it is the LADBS that i dislike
LADBS = (Los Angeles Deparpartment of Building and Safety)
I sorta enjoy my job; her is my recipe:
1. self employer. You manage your time, your the only one responsible for work overload or for low income. You can only blame yourself so you don't do it as often...
2.not exactly an architect. I'm working on renderings for others, but I choose the people I work for so that I don't get to work on projects I don't like. The pay is better (at least when you start, since an architect who gets big makes a lot of money), the responsabilities are limited to the drawings you produce in themselves (just like in school). It gives you time to work on side projects (such as the installation I mentionned in another discussion).
3. Save time for your real life. Make kids once it's time. Go out and party or do whatever you like when you can.
4. Live in a place that you love. Leave once your bored with it.
5. Be patient, hard work pays if you know what to do with it. Try to make contacts with school to teach if you like it, and go out to sometimes boring but always useful architecture openings and exhibitions to meet your peers so they know you exist and they will think about you when they need help. Work on making relations to help you go further professionally.
I think I may, I think I might.......
love? not quite but, this is the first job I have had that I have really enjoyed......
working for me is a ok.
enjoyed the first year, maybe two.. now, in my 5th, the place has become routinely boring so I'm dying for a change.. but still its not that bad.
I enjoy my job. good learning environment, good environment overall, get to have design input (more than I expected), lots of responsibility, definitely not boring...
Gets tedious at times, but like it for the most part, love it sometimes.
Hated my last job, like night and day. I no longer get sick to my stomach on Monday morning when I have to go in!
i love my job. they gave me more responsibility than i probably warrant and they actually consider the ideas a piss-ant like me spouts out. BA in art and i get to actually design. who'da thunk?
as architects and lovers of beautiful things (IE romantics) we have a penchant for melodrama. so we like to complain. if people DIDN'T like this job so much then everyone would be switching careers. but people stay.
I've had several jobs in architectural firms big and small, on account of my co-op experience, and even the job which I refer to as "my favorite" is not a job I would say I loved. It was a great experience and great people, in a really cool office with dream clients. But I didn't love it.
What I will say is that I decided a long time ago that if you are in a position in your life or job where you are unhappy, YOU are the only person that has the ability to change it. No one else is going to do it for you. And if you need the job for whatever reason and hate it but can't quit, then you do what you need to do to get through the day. Take up a hobby, try going to new places in your free time, put goofy pictures up at your desk, bring in donuts, take naps in your car (tee hee).....you get my drift.
Think of it this way. There are literally millions of people who go to jobs that they hate every day. Everyone does something that they don't want to do. It's your own motivation and persistance to rid yourself of such a situation that will distinguish you from a loathesome existance.
I don't know where that came from. I'm done with my motivational speech now.
dealing with the building department, not necessarily the codes, is what pisses me off with this job...like what mdler said
I love mine...immensely
I'll echo that the building departments is my #1 gripe. Basically the whole permitting process. Have you ever dealt with a city where they weren't "understaffed??"
As far as the job, I enjoy it greatly, but can't say I love it. Love is for something I want to do for the rest of my life. Right now managing projects all over the country is great for me right now. I enjoy traveling. My bonuses make up for the long hours on the road. When in town I rarely work more than 45 hours/week. I don't design as much as I'd like to, or used to, but enjoy spending that time working with consultants. And I've got enough money to survive a lifestyle I enjoy.
Down the road I might want to go more into a design architect's role, or become a full time project manager, or maybe something completely different. The trick is finding what fits for you right now and making the most of it. I've had jobs I didn't like and eventually had to move to find what I was looking for, be it responsibility or compensation. If you aren't being unrealistic of course you can find happiness in this field.
i dont like the work im doing now, its too non-serious for my taste, but the people are good and the money is great, yea i need the money now....
i like my job, but i think we always want more don't we?
Just think about all those waiters out there.
Not being flip here - I've been to restaurants where the waiters really made the experience of service into a fine art.
Seems to me mundane tasks have all sorts of room for creativity, passion and excellence.
And I love my job.
maybe because it's more about doing the work than being a hired worker - this is part outlook, and part the culture of where I'm working.
i do enjoy mine.. a lot..
thanks wonderk! you've awoken the giant within!!! and motivated me also...
haaa, I like Anthony Robins, eventhough I only read his book when I'm lack of energy.
I love architecture, and like my job. I think job is not perfect. As long as it provides things I need to learn at certain stage of my career. I found you have to plan your career, make sure you have space to grow at your office and generally happy with it. If not then change. I'm amazed to find most architects chang their jobs every two to four years. This acturally is a good thing, give you different perspective and get a fresh start and more energy
love my job.... hate the space it is currently in
"Every man should have 9 careers during his lifetime"
- Thomas Jefferson, loosely quoted
Workload is not never equal payment.
love my job ..everyday is something different, get to do lots of design input as well (which I never thought of!)
I love my job... as much as it is possible to love any job.
I worked for a big name and loved it but hated the sexism
I have worked as a corporate peon and HATED IT... pretty much everything about it.
Now I am a city planner and I love it... lots of face to face time with the citizens... lots of public speaking. Things I design actually get built. And working for the government is quite possibly the eastiest thing in the world... Here was my day yesterday
8:45 Came into work 45 min late
9-10:30 Cranked out 6 maps and sceduled meetings for later this week
10:35 Went home early for lunch
1:30 Returned from lunch/nap
1:35 Worked my ass off getting some random things finished up
4:00 Went home!
And this is essentially what is expected from you as a city employee... I used to work all day and get annoyed that I didn't have tons to do... now I still am annoyed about the wheels of the government taking a year and a half to turn... but I no longer sit in my office and surf the web until 5... I get my shit done then leave.
Its great and pays more than any architecture job I have ever had!
oh and to all of you guys bitching about city's being "understaffed"
Who did you vote for in the last election?
I know at the city that I work for there has not been pay raises in 4 years and we can rarely get any new positions... plus there is the bullshit of (in my case) being capable to help out departments that are understaffed, however my boss will not let me because it is out of my pay grade. For some stupid reason this presents a liability to pay two people different salaries for doing essentially the same thing. You know discrimination and all. The city is SLOW SLOW SLOW and you know what that is just how government in general is... when you are working with tax payers money you have to be extra carefull on how you spend it (which I think sucks) I try and shake things up here... but really all th baby boomers need to retire before we'll see any real change.
Just remember ---Democrat in 2008 -----
I love my job, and not only because of its high salary - I'm LEAVING!! on a JET PLANE
I need a screensaver with a 'countdown' clock
"8:45 Came into work 45 min late
9-10:30 Cranked out 6 maps and sceduled meetings for later this week
10:35 Went home early for lunch
1:30 Returned from lunch/nap
1:35 Worked my ass off getting some random things finished up
4:00 Went home!"
followed by....
"when you are working with tax payers money you have to be extra carefull on how you spend it "
I think that says it all!
"8:45 Came into work 45 min late
9-10:30 Cranked out 6 maps and sceduled meetings for later this week
10:35 Went home early for lunch
1:30 Returned from lunch/nap
1:35 Worked my ass off getting some random things finished up
4:00 Went home!"
followed by....
"when you are working with tax payers money you have to be extra carefull on how you spend it "
followed by....
"Just remember ---Democrat in 2008 ----"
Typical.
Let's ROCK THE VOTE so Amanning can maintain that schedule.
i love my job. in general i work 40-50 hours a week, we have great projects, and i'm a design-build project manager so i get to be involved in every aspect of my project, from design to fabrication and construction. i have a really well rounded job and receive good pay and benefits, and my bosses are all down to earth people who treat me with respect. we also have fantastic projects. its actually just like being in studio all day, except i get to sleep at night and i'm also learning about a few other aspects of design like construction management and cost estimating and all these custom details we do in our shop. apparently i'm going to get some welding experience relatively soon.
amanning, no offense but you just opened up a nice can of worms there.
Incidentally if alcohol was at all involved in your day, you would have been the poster child for every stereotype of a planner that I have ever held.....
On a side note, if you're on salary and you're bored and you don't have anything to do, might I suggest you answer the phone for the building inspection people? I don't care where you are in the country, they are NEVER available when I need to ask them a code question.....
oh, please don't make this about politics. The republicans are in power now, and are allowing this sort of shite, so don't let one slacker's profession of love for the democratic party turn you off of it.
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