Okay, I’m an intern architect with seven years experience out of Graduate School and numerous years prior and during school as a landscape designer and student intern. All in all I’ve been working in design since I was 17, I’m now 33. While in school I worked on some nationally known house and have won a few design awards I spent the past 7 years with a small firm that started to meltdown when the founding partner quit. Working there was really taking a tole on my mental health, so I decided to leave. That was six months ago and I haven’t been able to find any jobs. Fortunately, I was somewhat of a rainmaker for the firm and have continued to do projects for clients, not enough to make a living but enough to survive (just barely). I have also been writing and teach at a major university to keep affloat. In the end I’m surviving because of my wife’s career and savings.
I don’t know Revit and haven’t used the big rendering program in years. I’m concerned the big firm world is closed to me. I have had several interviews that go great and they never fill a position, thus I’m not hired. I need to find work soon and I want to know if I should jump ship and do something else. Does anyone have stories about how they found positions or transformed into a new career? I’m interested in hearing from people that aren’t out of school, but have experience like me. I’m trying to decide if I make the investment to learn software and pursue registration or just start over in a career that has a little more promise.
You sound understandably a little depressed. While I can't answer if you should pursue a career that is a little more financially lucrative since I have not found one either, I can tell you that learning some 3D programs in your downtime is not a bad idea. I completely understand your insecurities, since the world of Rhino, Revit and other cutting edge programs has passed me by. I have played around with SketchUp and it's surprisingly easy to use.
You can learn these programs without a lot of expense. You could download Revit as a free educational demo and there are plenty of videos on youtube for free. Plus lynda.com and blackspectacles.com have videos on Revit, Rhino, etc. for a relatively small monthly fee. Your biggest investment would be your time in learning these programs.
Plus learning these programs would be much less expensive that taking your exams plus all the study material associated with the exams that you would need to purchase.
Whatever route you chose, remember there are a lot of people in the same boat as you.
could you use your teaching as a networking opportunity? See if either you could consult on some of your colleagues' projects or if they know someone hiring?
It's hard to tell you what to do other than define what your life goals are. Then it may become more clear. What's the point of doing any of the stuff you are questioning? To make money? To survive? To have a rewarding career? To whatever? What do you want to be when you grow up?
I think you can use the school’s computer labs to learn REVIT and the other programs, your students may be able to help you. They may actually get a kick out if it. Your colleagues who teach the software might let you sit in on their class in exchange for a pledge to cover for them when they are sick or out of town. Look into the books by Daniel john Stine his demos are good I am definitely better at Revit thanks to his books. His teaching method is project based and you learn by doing a very basic building step by step.
The thing is it is a new frontier and you have to just open up that wide white drawing window and start putting up walls and get the hang of it. I think if you are not able to pick up the software especially with some access to a computer lab that you can use for free then consider the other paths, but golden opportunity to tinker for free may be right down the hall, go get it.
You have most valuable skills- you are professional and now how to complete the project. What tool you use, pencil Cad or Revit, is just technical part of a bigger picture. Unfortunately, everyone in the industry is focused on it, and no one values talent and experience any more. We just have to learn this damn program. I did found remarkably inexpensive course in local occupational school, Six month class learning Revit and Autocad, for $ 98. Teacher was highly skilled and pleasant. I am sure there are programs like that around where you are.
a grad, almost registered, recently talked about how his firm wanted to expand but could not find qualified applicants in their thirties. they're moving to revit along with autocad.
Jul 15, 12 12:15 pm ·
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Okay, I’m an intern architect with seven years experience out of Graduate School and numerous years prior and during school as a landscape designer and student intern. All in all I’ve been working in design since I was 17, I’m now 33. While in school I worked on some nationally known house and have won a few design awards I spent the past 7 years with a small firm that started to meltdown when the founding partner quit. Working there was really taking a tole on my mental health, so I decided to leave. That was six months ago and I haven’t been able to find any jobs. Fortunately, I was somewhat of a rainmaker for the firm and have continued to do projects for clients, not enough to make a living but enough to survive (just barely). I have also been writing and teach at a major university to keep affloat. In the end I’m surviving because of my wife’s career and savings.
I don’t know Revit and haven’t used the big rendering program in years. I’m concerned the big firm world is closed to me. I have had several interviews that go great and they never fill a position, thus I’m not hired. I need to find work soon and I want to know if I should jump ship and do something else. Does anyone have stories about how they found positions or transformed into a new career? I’m interested in hearing from people that aren’t out of school, but have experience like me. I’m trying to decide if I make the investment to learn software and pursue registration or just start over in a career that has a little more promise.
You sound understandably a little depressed. While I can't answer if you should pursue a career that is a little more financially lucrative since I have not found one either, I can tell you that learning some 3D programs in your downtime is not a bad idea. I completely understand your insecurities, since the world of Rhino, Revit and other cutting edge programs has passed me by. I have played around with SketchUp and it's surprisingly easy to use.
You can learn these programs without a lot of expense. You could download Revit as a free educational demo and there are plenty of videos on youtube for free. Plus lynda.com and blackspectacles.com have videos on Revit, Rhino, etc. for a relatively small monthly fee. Your biggest investment would be your time in learning these programs.
Plus learning these programs would be much less expensive that taking your exams plus all the study material associated with the exams that you would need to purchase.
Whatever route you chose, remember there are a lot of people in the same boat as you.
could you use your teaching as a networking opportunity? See if either you could consult on some of your colleagues' projects or if they know someone hiring?
It's hard to tell you what to do other than define what your life goals are. Then it may become more clear. What's the point of doing any of the stuff you are questioning? To make money? To survive? To have a rewarding career? To whatever? What do you want to be when you grow up?
I think you can use the school’s computer labs to learn REVIT and the other programs, your students may be able to help you. They may actually get a kick out if it. Your colleagues who teach the software might let you sit in on their class in exchange for a pledge to cover for them when they are sick or out of town. Look into the books by Daniel john Stine his demos are good I am definitely better at Revit thanks to his books. His teaching method is project based and you learn by doing a very basic building step by step.
The thing is it is a new frontier and you have to just open up that wide white drawing window and start putting up walls and get the hang of it. I think if you are not able to pick up the software especially with some access to a computer lab that you can use for free then consider the other paths, but golden opportunity to tinker for free may be right down the hall, go get it.
Over and OUT
Peter N
You have most valuable skills- you are professional and now how to complete the project. What tool you use, pencil Cad or Revit, is just technical part of a bigger picture. Unfortunately, everyone in the industry is focused on it, and no one values talent and experience any more. We just have to learn this damn program. I did found remarkably inexpensive course in local occupational school, Six month class learning Revit and Autocad, for $ 98. Teacher was highly skilled and pleasant. I am sure there are programs like that around where you are.
a grad, almost registered, recently talked about how his firm wanted to expand but could not find qualified applicants in their thirties. they're moving to revit along with autocad.
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