I am curious.
What do you seek from your jobs?
I dont care too much for the money as we dont make enough anyway as architects.But I do care for the satisfaction you get from a sense of contribution towards something good.
Recently with my move to a large corporate firm from a small fun firm(which paid me shit) I feel I am constantly at tenterhooks.
I dont quite have the resposibilities I used to have.There is too much politics, which I try my best to ignore.I try to focus on my work and stay away.The problem is the more I try to stay away from the politics the more I dont have a say in anything within my team.I know most of you would say " thats what you get in a corporate firm".But I would like to think that every workplace could offer you something if you focus on the right things.The problem is I dont know the attitude I should adopt to survive and thrive in here.
What should I try to get from my large corporate firm experience, if anything?
Admittedly I am illsuited for the environment. I have scattered work experience which does not help either.
that's why i moved from uber large crap-orate firm to a smaller firm.
was given 10 times the responsibility on my first day, and there weren't a billion forms to sign or videos/corporate cheerleading bs to go through.
i'm seeking:
an outlet for my creativity - the office wants me to design and bring things to the table.
reponsibility - i see it as the fastest way to learn
challenging work - if i wanted to do lame ass corporate account t.i.'s, i could have stayed at said crap-orate office. instead we've got institutional, educational, residential... makes the day go by a lot faster.
this is what i took away from my crap-orate experience:
BIM experience
library (digital)
ARE/LEED study guides
co-worker
I want a job where I have control over the quality of the final product. Went to my jobsite today and saw how the contractor COMPLETELY fucked up part of the concrete floor slab; to the point that the initial concept of the house in completely fucked up. Even though I spent a great deal of time designing and detailing the project, the contractor's ineptitude, in conjunction with a client who refuses to pay for an on-site project manager, leads to a shitty final project.
I want a job where my opinion is appreciated. Nothing better than working on a project (doing a brilliant design) only to have your client take their real estate agent / personal assistant / interior decorators opinion over yours. When you then make the changes that they request based on these opinions, they bitch that things are taking too long and costing too much (even though they are worth $100's of millions). When the interior decorator suggests something that will cost plenty of $$$, however, they dont batt an eye.
I want a job where I dont have to deal with design review boards made up of people who dont know the 1st thing about architecture telling me what good and bad architecture is and isnt. I am tired of designing a modern building (it is 2007, afterall) and being told by lawyers, doctors and businessmen that 'we dont really like modern'...they much rather have 'piece of shit revivial' with columns and decorative iron...
Anyways, I have found myself taking an apathetic attitude towards my job and the profession these days. I am there to get my paycheck until something better comes along.
I've learned that I don't care about money nearly as much as the small stuff. Like a bit of flexibility with scheduling, a boss who doesn't take things personally, and the ability to do my work without somebody peering over my shoulder. That's about it.
What do you seek from your jobs?
I am curious.
What do you seek from your jobs?
I dont care too much for the money as we dont make enough anyway as architects.But I do care for the satisfaction you get from a sense of contribution towards something good.
Recently with my move to a large corporate firm from a small fun firm(which paid me shit) I feel I am constantly at tenterhooks.
I dont quite have the resposibilities I used to have.There is too much politics, which I try my best to ignore.I try to focus on my work and stay away.The problem is the more I try to stay away from the politics the more I dont have a say in anything within my team.I know most of you would say " thats what you get in a corporate firm".But I would like to think that every workplace could offer you something if you focus on the right things.The problem is I dont know the attitude I should adopt to survive and thrive in here.
What should I try to get from my large corporate firm experience, if anything?
Admittedly I am illsuited for the environment. I have scattered work experience which does not help either.
bleu,
that's why i moved from uber large crap-orate firm to a smaller firm.
was given 10 times the responsibility on my first day, and there weren't a billion forms to sign or videos/corporate cheerleading bs to go through.
i'm seeking:
an outlet for my creativity - the office wants me to design and bring things to the table.
reponsibility - i see it as the fastest way to learn
challenging work - if i wanted to do lame ass corporate account t.i.'s, i could have stayed at said crap-orate office. instead we've got institutional, educational, residential... makes the day go by a lot faster.
this is what i took away from my crap-orate experience:
BIM experience
library (digital)
ARE/LEED study guides
co-worker
it pays the bills (barely)
I need...
*enough money that it's not a daily worry, even if it gets tight occasionally
*respect for my opinions and time
*the opportunity to contribute to projects that I can point out to friends without shame if we happen to be in the area
*the ability to work on different bits of things, not just the same piece of the project (i.e. detailing or CA) over and over again
*coworkers that don't make me want to kill someone
I want...
*excitement
*advancement opportunity
I want a job where I have control over the quality of the final product. Went to my jobsite today and saw how the contractor COMPLETELY fucked up part of the concrete floor slab; to the point that the initial concept of the house in completely fucked up. Even though I spent a great deal of time designing and detailing the project, the contractor's ineptitude, in conjunction with a client who refuses to pay for an on-site project manager, leads to a shitty final project.
I want a job where my opinion is appreciated. Nothing better than working on a project (doing a brilliant design) only to have your client take their real estate agent / personal assistant / interior decorators opinion over yours. When you then make the changes that they request based on these opinions, they bitch that things are taking too long and costing too much (even though they are worth $100's of millions). When the interior decorator suggests something that will cost plenty of $$$, however, they dont batt an eye.
I want a job where I dont have to deal with design review boards made up of people who dont know the 1st thing about architecture telling me what good and bad architecture is and isnt. I am tired of designing a modern building (it is 2007, afterall) and being told by lawyers, doctors and businessmen that 'we dont really like modern'...they much rather have 'piece of shit revivial' with columns and decorative iron...
Anyways, I have found myself taking an apathetic attitude towards my job and the profession these days. I am there to get my paycheck until something better comes along.
I want to convert myself into pure energy and become supreme ruler of the universe.
amongst other things
I really just want the soda fountain repaired. The rest is just a consistent letdown that I've grown indifferent to.
a decent chair and a good flat-screen monitor
I've learned that I don't care about money nearly as much as the small stuff. Like a bit of flexibility with scheduling, a boss who doesn't take things personally, and the ability to do my work without somebody peering over my shoulder. That's about it.
i want to work for a Rich Blonde!
If we got a little higher quality projects, I'd have the perfect job. Our projects have gone downhill since I've been here.
Not because of me (I hope)! Other reasons I won't go into...
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