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Remember, you're ALWAYS building your network.

curt clay

I always thought I had a pretty good network and it has just now been put to the test.

I was laid off from my job last week (firmwide financial cutbacks) with about 1/4 of the architectural staff, so I reached out to my inner circle, even dipped into the second ring a little too and already had 2 interviews the same week I was laid off with 2 more lined up for this week.

Having glowing recommendations passed along with your resume is more valuable than anything you can imagine. I hoping to have an offer or two by sometime next week.

You never know what people will remember about you. i went into an interview and the employer told me a story she heard about me from undergrad that I had completely forgotten about..

My little contribution for the day: Build a network of talented, well-respected individuals in your field because you never know when you'll have to use it. Couple that with a reputation for being highly skilled and having a strong work ethic and you'll always be highly employable.

 
Sep 25, 06 3:48 pm
vado retro

i'd ask to be in your network curt, except that i am not very talented and get very little respect. i know a lot of song lyrics though.

Sep 25, 06 4:19 pm  · 
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Gloominati

curtclay you never told us what architecty glasses you picked. Depending what you chose that could be as important in your interviews as your references....

Sep 25, 06 4:44 pm  · 
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Ms Beary

quit braggin'... (j/k)

At least tell us the story!

Sep 25, 06 4:46 pm  · 
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curtclay, that's great! I had one of those too- I had a talk with my boss about whether or not there was enough work for me to be there full time, and if there was I'd have to take a pay decrease, etc. and could I handle that? I said let me think about it, then over lunch, called up a former boss who I happened to know was looking for a temp (his only employee going on vacation), and asked if he still needed somebody. He said absolutely, come on over on Friday. Since I'd already been interviewing (yeah, I was kind of expecting this...), I had a permanent job in place by the time I started the temp, and the new job never had to know that the two weeks I'd asked for weren't for my original employer. And the place I'm working at now has connections to BOTH of those offices, who still give me sterling recommendations. It's a small, small world.

Sep 25, 06 6:00 pm  · 
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mdler

vado

I got fired from my band

Wanna start a band?

Sep 25, 06 6:23 pm  · 
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liberty bell

I'm gonna fire myself. And I have a lousy network, so I'm pretty much screwed.



Kidding. Curtclay you're right of course, and good luck. Great story, rationalist. I think about networks and potential clients everytime I cut someone off in traffic like I did last week to a BMW. Be on best behaviour all the time, everyone!

Sep 25, 06 7:58 pm  · 
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liberty bell

I'm gonna fire myself. And I have a lousy network, so I'm pretty much screwed.



Kidding. Curtclay you're right of course, and good luck. Great story, rationalist. I think about networks and potential clients everytime I cut someone off in traffic like I did last week to a BMW. Be on best behaviour all the time, everyone!

Sep 25, 06 8:04 pm  · 
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Hasselhoff

Liberty Bell is in my network. She sent me a postcard! I'm going to diagram the network, plug it into Rhino, then use "surface from network curves" and call it a day.

Sep 25, 06 11:58 pm  · 
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bUbBLe

thank you for your story, awesome advise, i wish you the best ;)

Sep 26, 06 1:26 am  · 
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garpike

I had an interview once and my soon-to-be boss pointed out that I was one of the guys on the happy hour posters at school. I was forever beerman in his eyes. Oh well.

Sep 26, 06 1:35 am  · 
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garpike

Networks are kind of passe. Open source! There's the way, son.

For example, someone told this employer about your undergrad experience with that monkey man with the hairy knuckles. Sorry, but these things get around quickly. The juicy bits course through the "network" at an exponential rate, but it is your "open source" identity that gives that proto-impression of you that others hold onto so dearly well beyond the date they actually meet you. You can sell yourself any way you want, but it is your friends, both first ring and second (even more so) that write your identity.

Ah forget it. I am bored without tv.

Sep 26, 06 1:47 am  · 
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bigness

yeah. networking. i'm in a place where the only important people i know are the band members of local punk outfits.

anyone has a job to offer in northern italy?

Sep 26, 06 4:44 am  · 
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bigness

you guys are my network, you only live on the wrong side of the atlantic

[group hug]

Sep 26, 06 4:46 am  · 
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curt clay

formerly, ha! I've been carrying that prescription in my bag for the past year... never did settle on a pair of glasses. well, I DID have a pair picked out from IC! Berlin, but never took out the loan to buy them.

vado, I have plenty of talentless people in my network!! I'm really looking for someone who can make a mean mojito to invite to my next party!! I can see it now:

"hey, I'm going outside for a bit."
me: "NO!! you must keep making mojitos."

bigness, your internet network is stronger than you think. People get jobs off Archinecters recommendations, stay for free with fellow archinecters when travelling, etc... keep you archinect network in tip-top shape, nurture it, caress it, fondle it and it will love you back..

Sep 26, 06 8:32 am  · 
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evilplatypus

I was talking to this incredible old guy in the pub by my house who had a long career in the industrial consulting space throughout the 60's in London, and 70's and 80's in Chicago. He had money, no question, however he was nearing death by boredom. He self confessed he didnt know how to use a PC but sold millions worth of cpu's in his day. He said he wasnt to good at the papers but he had "ladies" for that. When I asked him about his network to help him find a job, he replied," I have the best net work around, all swell fellows, trouble is theyre dead"

Sep 26, 06 8:38 am  · 
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bigness

curtlay: word!
only problem is i bond with young punks with intern jobs rather than big shots. maybe i should stop pissing medit off with comments on catalunians. not to self.

Sep 26, 06 9:15 am  · 
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bigness

curtlay: word!
only problem is i bond with young punks with intern jobs rather than big shots. maybe i should stop pissing medit off with comments on catalunians. note to self.

Sep 26, 06 9:15 am  · 
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evilplatypus

Curt - internet fondeling is not recomended without protection

Sep 26, 06 9:41 am  · 
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treekiller

bigness- your youthful bonding has long term promise- those young punks will eventually be running the world and you'll be up their hand-in-hand.

Curt- if you really want to network, there are some usefull .com sites like linkedin.com for professionals. their members including cameron sinclair and you're truly. so send me an email if you want an invitation (any archinector is welcome). these g'nections have been really useful in mpls.

Sep 26, 06 11:30 am  · 
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bigness

does anyone know if there is a european equivalent to archinect? a site with the same scope, the same level of contribution, a similar forum, and per correl?

Sep 26, 06 12:05 pm  · 
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why can't archinect be the european equivalent of archinect? per's not in kansas, after all.

Sep 26, 06 12:07 pm  · 
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bigness

well, in many ways it is, only there aren't THAT many european posting here. let's a make a census

Sep 26, 06 12:13 pm  · 
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curt clay

thanks treekiller...

it is funny how one incident from undergrad can make or break your reputation for the rest of your life..

I've been told flat out "NO" when I asked a friend if he knew anyone that would hire a former classmate of ours. When I asked why, he referred to a moment where this person had the choice between finishing their work or going to the club and they chose to go to the club and took an L the following day in jury. He never forgave her for that...

Sep 27, 06 12:15 pm  · 
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I'm the same way as your friend- I'm very picky about who I'll recommend. I actually wouldn't recommend most of my friends- I'd give them a 'heads up' about a job opening, but won't tell the employer about them, because I don't know how they are in an office. And there are many classmates that I'd flat out refuse to comment on if asked by an employer, because I'd rather not say what I think of them.

Sep 27, 06 1:35 pm  · 
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not_here

networking...
the reason im happy i didn't spend my undergrad years in the studio.

Sep 28, 06 12:46 pm  · 
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