Archinect
anchor

a conundrum.

warchs

Hi,

I'm a first time poster but long time reader. I'm right now in a certain predicament and want to ask the rest of the community for advice.

I have been "volunteering for experience" at a local architect's practice right now. The thing is that the work is extremely slow and being young and hungry, I feel that I'm not growing as I should be. Even then, the architect is practicing solo and he doesn't feel it necessarily pressing to find more job.

The thing is that I have only been working at this place for about 3 months and I already feel the urge to move on to another place to work at. However, this is my first job and as I'm applying, I have listed my resume as such :

xx architect- dec 2011-present

does this way of listing my work necessarily reflect bad on me (with regards to time span and etc)? Would employers question my integrity and or loyalty? I know that interns generally work more than that (6mo to a year maybe?) and I don't want future employers to look at that and be turned off.

Thanks alot,

WARCHS

 
Feb 22, 12 5:17 pm
Stars + Stripes

If you are "volunteering for experience," does this mean you are working for free?  Do not let anyone take advantage of you.  Never work for free.

If your gut feeling tells you to move, then you are probably sensing something wrong.  Ask others with more experience to help you craft the resume and network. 

Feb 22, 12 5:55 pm  · 
 · 
med.

First of all you need to understand the definition of a "job" and what you describe does not sound like a job, it sounds like slavery.

When you find a job that pays you (decently), take it and run far far away from those losers who you are "volunteering" for.

Feb 22, 12 5:56 pm  · 
 · 
med.

Also how the fuck is this a connundrum?

YOU AREN'T GETTING PAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you really feel bad about leaving that behind, you deserve to be treated like this.

Feb 22, 12 5:59 pm  · 
 · 
byen01

Unless he's a Nigerian prince promising you al the riches in the world. If so, you should not only stay, but also agree to pay to do his laundry. Also, offer to be his foot stool.

Feb 22, 12 6:08 pm  · 
 · 
geezertect

What's disloyal about walking away from a unpaid "job"?  Are you expected to stay thirty years to collect the gold watch he would probably expect you to reimburse him for?   If you're not getting anything out of the arrangement-not even a paycheck-get out.  Any future employer who would hold that against you is probably another one who thinks he's the only one deserving of a living.  Who needs those kind of jobs?  This profession has some kind of Stockholm Syndrome!!!

Feb 22, 12 6:14 pm  · 
 · 
warchs

@med,

i wouldn't necessarily say that I feel bad about leaving my current job. As stated, I'm more afraid about what current employers are going to think.If i said i worked for about 3 months and I just hightailed out of there, I'm pretty sure they're going to question my work ethic and my integrity. Yet, like all of you said, working for free isn't necessarily a walk in the park either. 

 

Feb 22, 12 6:16 pm  · 
 · 

but if you list your position as an internship, nobody should think badly of you for it. Anytime someone who currently has an internship applies for a full-time job elsewhere, there's really no question about why they're leaving: they want a real job. It's a common situation, nothing to worry about.

Feb 22, 12 6:21 pm  · 
 · 
CrazyHouseCat

warchs,
 

This being your first job, the majority of employers will have NO problems with you leaving after 3 months, especially when it was unpaid.  I have asked a lot of principal level people regarding perceived "loyalty".  All of them answered that it's not a thing that is expected of young employees (in your first 3 years).  Reason is that you are expected to explore before you settle into any particular commitment.  As they have done so themselves, they will not hold that against you.


if you get questioned about it, you could always spin it into a positive thing: you took initiatives in seeking out new opportunities rather than staying stagnant in a place where you are not learning as you should.  Remember, there is nothing wrong with seeking gainful employment. 
 

 

Feb 22, 12 6:44 pm  · 
 · 
mantaray

What reflects badly on your is your decision to work for free.  The sooner you wise up and leave this guy, the better your case for your next employer will be.

Feb 22, 12 10:22 pm  · 
 · 

Exactly what Erin said.  Call it an internship, not a job, and the length of time won't matter; future employers will see you as a go-getter.

 

And don't work for free.

Feb 22, 12 11:14 pm  · 
 · 
med.

Dude - are you even listening??????  There is nothing here about ethics that you are doing incorrectly.  Your current boss/slave owner at your "job" is the one violating ethics.  No one is going to care about this.  If I were interviewing you, I would understand why you would want to leave - you need to get paid.

If you seriously believe you'll be hurting this douche's feelings, maybe you actually deserve to not get paid.

Feb 23, 12 11:59 am  · 
 · 
w. architect

Your not being paid.  Can I hire you?

 

I have a dozen things to do...and you will earn loads of experience and "atta boys!"

Please, if you know anyone who is young, dumb and foolish, I would love to hire them for free!

Even my maid, requires hard cash and she is not even legal!

 

May 28, 12 10:29 pm  · 
 · 

Block this user


Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?

Archinect


This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.

  • ×Search in: