This is NOT about finding individual employment, but about getting new projects for your firm.
Has anybody successfully used blogs or news alerts on Google, or any other online resource to hear about new projects? We know about finding work via conventional channels (answering RFQs, joining voluntary committees and networking, traditional marketing strategies), but what about getting a line on new projects via the internet?
My view (and experience) is mixed. Our firm's website has been VERY helpful in providing prospective clients with supplemential info about our work and qualifications. In that regard, it's rapidly taking the place of print brochures. Once in a blue moon, we'll receive a call from someone we don't already know but who found us on the web - invariably (so far) those inquiries have proven to be a poor fit.
In terms of finding new clients or new projects, we've found the web only good for long-term strategic research - i.e. who are the big players in our market sector nationwide and what are they up to. We do read a wide variety of industry e-letters each week, but typically find that by the time any architectural project makes it into the trade press there's another firm already involved.
While we're constantly sensitive to changes in this arena, we're convinced this business still is very much a 'personal relationship' affair. The web can be useful for providing basic information, but we think clients will continue to award work primarily to professionals they already know and trust, or prosessionals referred to them by others they know or trust.
Thanks, Quizzical. Your post strengthens my strong suspicion that online info is very helpful for research and other uses AFTER an architect has already been hired.
Anyone else? Further confirmation? Any refutation?
we have secured a couple of jobs after companies found/were referred to our site. i think ppl can get a good sense of a firms work prior to picking up the phone to set up an interview.
the majority of our work and our best work still comes through word of mouth and through existing relationships/networking though.
i know one of my clients secured a 100k job after we completed their site. i also had a prospective client [an architect] who did not have a website. one of their complaints was their declining pool of prospective employees. he said they used to get 10-15 resumes a month, and now years later, they are getting 10-15 a year. his thought was that kids getting out of school use the internet as their primary research tool to obtain info about a possible employer. if there was no site, they would not be as motivated to persue a possible job.
I second what e says above about recruitment - we find our website every bit as important for communicating with prospective employees as prospective clients
Hmmm... Good responses, all. My main interest is not in the firm's website for outreach, but just the opposite: sites, blogs, chats, etc OUT THERE to find the buzz on projects BEFORE they're announced.
Quizzical's point stresses this: by the time projects make it to the trade publications, there's already an architect attached. But, as we all know, projects have an early, formative life well before we become formally involved. Clients can think and talk about needs, programming, financing, and property for months or years before they finally get to the point of hiring an architect. My interest is in getting in on that process earlier... the online "grapevine" as it were. As Quiz suggests, this may not even be possible without specific foreknowledge.
It seems it is what you make it. I worked for an architect who kept an exhaustive collection of newspaper clippings on major topics of interest within his city. This was a great office resource as it showed the evolution of several economic and political issues which form the general backdrop for the work we do. This scrapbook approach I believe only becomes more valuable when it is applied to the internet with its abundance of information. A systematic understanding of the places we live and work both physically and virtually gives an architect a huge advantage when looking for prospective work.
when considering this matter, i think you have to segregate public sector work from private sector work.
in the private sector, building projects typically are created in a high-stakes, high-competition environment. for that reason, companies contemplating a new building tend to be ultra-circumspect about early releases of information to prevent their competition from swooping in and snaking the deal. consequently, i'm not much inclined to think the web ever will provide much in the way of advance intelligence about such projects.
on the other hand, public sector buildings are created with public money, which ensures a certain degree of advance disclosure and transparency. public agencies (esp. federal agencies) tend to advertise the availability of design service commisions in such publications at the Commerce Business Daily. Public buildings typically are budgeted years in advance and that information typically is in the public domain -- such info often is available on the web.
If you're willing to do some extensive research and are willing to be disciplined about follow-up, you can mount a marketing campaign to go after public projects for which you're qualified. but, it takes a lot of time and a lot of patience. yet, it can be done. however, don't fall into the trap of thinking that public sector work is necessarily awarded on a level playing field -- just because a project is advertised doesn't necessarily mean it's not already "wired".
vado --- that's clearly not a universally true statement.
our firm just completed an exhaustive market research study ... among the universe of clients that we pursue as our primary market, the web is becoming THE primary place they go to for information about design firm's they're considering for RFPs.
we learned that they won't consider us simply because of our website, but once they know of us from direct experience or through a quality referral, they then spend considerable time at our website gathering more information our our firm, our people, our process and our project experience. this is part of the homework they do prior to an interview or sending us an RFP
the website is part of the commercial packaging... probably the first thing they see about ur firm, it gives the first impression to ur potential clients.... so it gotta looks attractive!!
we've started our "universal tendering" souly on line and architects are not allowed to send physical portfolio in, instead directions to their site and/or access to online portfolios
to answer the initial question of whether an architect can find work via the web on blogs, forums, etc., the outlook is bleak.
our office did find a nice job while searching architecture related bulletin boards, etc. we've followed suit over the subsequent three years, and only had one bite. i'd say that 99% of the time, a client who is posting on the web does so only because it is their easiest option, not because they're seriously seeking an architect.
by far, the best business in architecture is from repeat clientele. the next best bet is from recommendations from those clients. i remember when i was younger and more naive, i absolutely hated the idea of networking. the sad truth is that this is indeed how the world, the business world at least, runs.
Dolo's got it figured out ... web approaches are only an adjunct to - not a replacement for - the 1-on-1, relationship-building investment of your personal time in another human being.
Could people please provide more online resources that they might use for finding projects. The FedBizOps site is very useful, but what other online sources are architects using to find work if they are finding it online?
What if you want to find work abroad or outside your local area? How can this be done and does the internet play a bigger role in finding work that you can't just drive to a meeting about?
Say I live in Florida and I want to find projects to work on in California or somewhere that is too far to just hop in a car to drive around and meet with people and find work that way. How can this be done? Maybe since the last post in this thread in 2007 this situation has flipped especially due to the economic crisis...are people using the internet more now to find projects and if so HOW?
I know a guy who created a home improvement renovation construction leads site that I actually am meeting a solicitor to review his needs - I scanned a construction post and realized this person needed interior architecture services and a permit in order to get bids. So I told the guys they need to add a feature "looking for design professionals" and they are doing it next month. The sites new but got 4 Illinois projects in the first few days.
I'm only about 6 months out of school in Landscape Arch.
I got a call a few weeks ago from a proprty own in downtown Denver which was adjacent to a proprty I did a student project for and posted on my website last spring.
He wanted to 'hire' me to do some 'sketches' for him to bring to the city.
Long story short we went round and round for a couple weeks until we sent hime our fees from the office I'm in now. Havent heard from him since.
Maybe I was stoopid, but it still amazes me how someone can be worth (at least on paper) more than 15 million dollars and blk at a 85 dollar/hr consulting fee.
$85? I charge $250/ hour. And I'm not an architect yet, just an interior designer. And people pay it and they should. I refuse to take less than my experience commands. Sure I've lost jobs, but I also end up working for people who understand my value rather than people simply looking for a CAD monkey or don't understand the value of a designer.
I don't think that our website is that valuable in terms of prospecting for new clients, but it has made a huge difference in our interviews.
Now, prospective clients have typically already seen some of our work online before meeting with us. So much less time is spent in interviews talking about ourselves and putting on a dog & pony show and therefore, more time is devoted to the client and how we can add value to their project.
Does the Web help you get work?
This is NOT about finding individual employment, but about getting new projects for your firm.
Has anybody successfully used blogs or news alerts on Google, or any other online resource to hear about new projects? We know about finding work via conventional channels (answering RFQs, joining voluntary committees and networking, traditional marketing strategies), but what about getting a line on new projects via the internet?
Does anyone have any experience with this?
This is a very interesting question.
My view (and experience) is mixed. Our firm's website has been VERY helpful in providing prospective clients with supplemential info about our work and qualifications. In that regard, it's rapidly taking the place of print brochures. Once in a blue moon, we'll receive a call from someone we don't already know but who found us on the web - invariably (so far) those inquiries have proven to be a poor fit.
In terms of finding new clients or new projects, we've found the web only good for long-term strategic research - i.e. who are the big players in our market sector nationwide and what are they up to. We do read a wide variety of industry e-letters each week, but typically find that by the time any architectural project makes it into the trade press there's another firm already involved.
While we're constantly sensitive to changes in this arena, we're convinced this business still is very much a 'personal relationship' affair. The web can be useful for providing basic information, but we think clients will continue to award work primarily to professionals they already know and trust, or prosessionals referred to them by others they know or trust.
Thanks, Quizzical. Your post strengthens my strong suspicion that online info is very helpful for research and other uses AFTER an architect has already been hired.
Anyone else? Further confirmation? Any refutation?
we have secured a couple of jobs after companies found/were referred to our site. i think ppl can get a good sense of a firms work prior to picking up the phone to set up an interview.
the majority of our work and our best work still comes through word of mouth and through existing relationships/networking though.
i know one of my clients secured a 100k job after we completed their site. i also had a prospective client [an architect] who did not have a website. one of their complaints was their declining pool of prospective employees. he said they used to get 10-15 resumes a month, and now years later, they are getting 10-15 a year. his thought was that kids getting out of school use the internet as their primary research tool to obtain info about a possible employer. if there was no site, they would not be as motivated to persue a possible job.
I second what e says above about recruitment - we find our website every bit as important for communicating with prospective employees as prospective clients
Hmmm... Good responses, all. My main interest is not in the firm's website for outreach, but just the opposite: sites, blogs, chats, etc OUT THERE to find the buzz on projects BEFORE they're announced.
Quizzical's point stresses this: by the time projects make it to the trade publications, there's already an architect attached. But, as we all know, projects have an early, formative life well before we become formally involved. Clients can think and talk about needs, programming, financing, and property for months or years before they finally get to the point of hiring an architect. My interest is in getting in on that process earlier... the online "grapevine" as it were. As Quiz suggests, this may not even be possible without specific foreknowledge.
It seems it is what you make it. I worked for an architect who kept an exhaustive collection of newspaper clippings on major topics of interest within his city. This was a great office resource as it showed the evolution of several economic and political issues which form the general backdrop for the work we do. This scrapbook approach I believe only becomes more valuable when it is applied to the internet with its abundance of information. A systematic understanding of the places we live and work both physically and virtually gives an architect a huge advantage when looking for prospective work.
when considering this matter, i think you have to segregate public sector work from private sector work.
in the private sector, building projects typically are created in a high-stakes, high-competition environment. for that reason, companies contemplating a new building tend to be ultra-circumspect about early releases of information to prevent their competition from swooping in and snaking the deal. consequently, i'm not much inclined to think the web ever will provide much in the way of advance intelligence about such projects.
on the other hand, public sector buildings are created with public money, which ensures a certain degree of advance disclosure and transparency. public agencies (esp. federal agencies) tend to advertise the availability of design service commisions in such publications at the Commerce Business Daily. Public buildings typically are budgeted years in advance and that information typically is in the public domain -- such info often is available on the web.
If you're willing to do some extensive research and are willing to be disciplined about follow-up, you can mount a marketing campaign to go after public projects for which you're qualified. but, it takes a lot of time and a lot of patience. yet, it can be done. however, don't fall into the trap of thinking that public sector work is necessarily awarded on a level playing field -- just because a project is advertised doesn't necessarily mean it's not already "wired".
the only people who look at architect websites are jobseekers and the competition.
vado --- that's clearly not a universally true statement.
our firm just completed an exhaustive market research study ... among the universe of clients that we pursue as our primary market, the web is becoming THE primary place they go to for information about design firm's they're considering for RFPs.
we learned that they won't consider us simply because of our website, but once they know of us from direct experience or through a quality referral, they then spend considerable time at our website gathering more information our our firm, our people, our process and our project experience. this is part of the homework they do prior to an interview or sending us an RFP
the website is part of the commercial packaging... probably the first thing they see about ur firm, it gives the first impression to ur potential clients.... so it gotta looks attractive!!
Your take on public versus private work sounds sound, Quiz. And thanks for the link!
we've started our "universal tendering" souly on line and architects are not allowed to send physical portfolio in, instead directions to their site and/or access to online portfolios
a small paper-free act
to answer the initial question of whether an architect can find work via the web on blogs, forums, etc., the outlook is bleak.
our office did find a nice job while searching architecture related bulletin boards, etc. we've followed suit over the subsequent three years, and only had one bite. i'd say that 99% of the time, a client who is posting on the web does so only because it is their easiest option, not because they're seriously seeking an architect.
by far, the best business in architecture is from repeat clientele. the next best bet is from recommendations from those clients. i remember when i was younger and more naive, i absolutely hated the idea of networking. the sad truth is that this is indeed how the world, the business world at least, runs.
Dolo's got it figured out ... web approaches are only an adjunct to - not a replacement for - the 1-on-1, relationship-building investment of your personal time in another human being.
The title of this post makes me laugh every time I take a break and check archinect.
No, the web helps me avoid work!
Touche', Seven!
Could people please provide more online resources that they might use for finding projects. The FedBizOps site is very useful, but what other online sources are architects using to find work if they are finding it online?
What if you want to find work abroad or outside your local area? How can this be done and does the internet play a bigger role in finding work that you can't just drive to a meeting about?
Say I live in Florida and I want to find projects to work on in California or somewhere that is too far to just hop in a car to drive around and meet with people and find work that way. How can this be done? Maybe since the last post in this thread in 2007 this situation has flipped especially due to the economic crisis...are people using the internet more now to find projects and if so HOW?
I know a guy who created a home improvement renovation construction leads site that I actually am meeting a solicitor to review his needs - I scanned a construction post and realized this person needed interior architecture services and a permit in order to get bids. So I told the guys they need to add a feature "looking for design professionals" and they are doing it next month. The sites new but got 4 Illinois projects in the first few days.
shortlister
Maybe with the bad economy architects looking for work leads will be a better market than contractors lol but sad
I'm only about 6 months out of school in Landscape Arch.
I got a call a few weeks ago from a proprty own in downtown Denver which was adjacent to a proprty I did a student project for and posted on my website last spring.
He wanted to 'hire' me to do some 'sketches' for him to bring to the city.
Long story short we went round and round for a couple weeks until we sent hime our fees from the office I'm in now. Havent heard from him since.
Maybe I was stoopid, but it still amazes me how someone can be worth (at least on paper) more than 15 million dollars and blk at a 85 dollar/hr consulting fee.
90% of my business is from our website. It's invaluable to us.
$85? I charge $250/ hour. And I'm not an architect yet, just an interior designer. And people pay it and they should. I refuse to take less than my experience commands. Sure I've lost jobs, but I also end up working for people who understand my value rather than people simply looking for a CAD monkey or don't understand the value of a designer.
I don't think that our website is that valuable in terms of prospecting for new clients, but it has made a huge difference in our interviews.
Now, prospective clients have typically already seen some of our work online before meeting with us. So much less time is spent in interviews talking about ourselves and putting on a dog & pony show and therefore, more time is devoted to the client and how we can add value to their project.
Huge difference.
Wow. It's hard to believe I started this thing more than three years ago. Time flies.
citizen - 3 years ago, you didn't need to find clients, they found you...
Touche' Zen.
Yes, it was an embarrassment of riches back then, wasn't it?
$250/hr...? Seriously?
No wonder you people dont have any work.
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