ok so im going to start going to ARCH school next fall and i REALY want to get me some experience NOW but i have no clue. how to do so and th eadvisors at school are like zero help. i want some very specific info like if i should write a letter or somthing and if i should what should it say. things like this. any kind of infor mation is welcome but i wuold like some. ALSO i am hopeless when it comes to writing letters so help with that would be cool. (the reason i keep mentioning letters is because i was told it would be a good idea to write a letter to firms explaining my situation and explaining what i want to do)
this is exactly what I did in high school... it helped that I had been taking drafting classes and could actually help them produce something, but all it took was a letter...
I wrote a letter and I included a list of activities and previous work experience. I could dig 'em up if you wanted.
But basically the letter said that I was looking for an internship at an arch. firm. I will be attending arch school at "X" in the fall. I have these "X" qualities, etc.
the school i was attending turned out to be pretty important, as both the principals had graduated from IIT. they liked to tell old stories about school and talk about profs. I'm pretty sure that was 90% of why I got the job. (Other than just looking like a decent kid on paper) So, look for firms with alumns of the school you're going to attend.
Mind you, I wrote this letter after my mom nagged me for a month. I didn't think I had a shot. But, lo' and behold, i had myself an internship day 1 after hs graduation.
when writing a letter, be honest about your situation. Tell them that you are in high school, going to be studying architecture soon, and would like to work in an office before you start college.
If you or you parents or friends know any architects, try to have them help you out with trying to get the connections
My first job was a similar situation. I didn't get an Architecture job, but I got some great experience working as a product development intern for an industrial design firm. I think you should try both avenues that postal and mdler have suggested. If your parents don't know any architects, then start looking for alumns. Good luck.
Do not lie. That will only bite you in the ass. Just be honest. Someone will cut you a break. If not, then the worst that could happen would be having to go to school with out any experience. I think 95% of my class was in that boat.
you really should not have a problem landing a position. often times, offices are more than happy to take on a future architect so that you are fully-integrated into the mesh of the office by the time you are ready to do some real work.
the beginning of your internship career will most likely be filled with office-related tasks but patience and a positive attitude will help you land more architecture-specific work in less time.
Not if you want to get hired. There's not just a form you fill out and turn in to get a job. You've gotta find the right firm, and then you have to let them know why they are the right firm for you.
Is it me or is this starting to sound like a sick joke?
rfuller ok ok yes i guess this IS starting to SOUND like a joke but it REALLY isn't i just SUCK like hardcore at writing anything. especially somthing like this since i really feel like i have nothing to offer an arch firm.
Well, you gotta sell yourself. Here are some things to consider:
1. Do you have any computer experience? This could be CAD, Photoshop (more than just using filters), Illustrator, any 3D modeling programs?
2. Are you good at learning new skills, especially on the computer?
3. What kind of architecture do you want to do? Houses, Offices, Skyscrapers, Strip Malls?
4. Where are you going to school?
5. What are you willing to do to EARN this job? You are not owed one just because you want one. You have to be willing to do something to prove to the firm that you're worth hiring/keeping around.
6. What are your strong skills? Are you good with numbers, a good artist? Obviously you don't think of yourself as proficient in the literary arts, so there's got to be something else you can do well.
7. WHY do you want to be an architect? Is it for the money or the girls, 'cause let me tell you, there's not much of either in this field. Or is it because you love houses/offices/restaurants/etc. and you want to be a part of making beautiful spaces and creating interesting experiences for people?
And I want you to be very aware of the fact that mdler's last post isn't a joke. Everyone's gotta start somewhere. Don't be hurt, angry, or anything but enthusiastic about starting out at the bottom.
...and don't ever use the phrase I just SUCK like hardcore at writing anything ever again. You've got to learn that you can improve yourself. You've got a weakness. Don't accept it. Improve on it. I'd rather lick a brick wall than read or write, but I do both, constantly, so that I can get better. I would suggest doing the same.
el jeffe------- well it would be my first job at an arch firm (if i got one) but i used to be a bank teller an di used to be in sales in that same bank. and to answer your second question. the reason i want to be an arch is becausei have always been into drawing and painting but i dotn want to be one of those "starving artist" so i figured a degree in arch would allow me to use my artistic abilities AND it would be easy(er) to stay employed.
and to mdler and rfuller i would care at all if i had to make coffe and take out the trash. i would actually love this as long as i could get my foot in the door. and thanks you again rfuller i know i sound helpless but all of this info is very helpfull
i would just add to fuller's comment about his list of considerations for "selling" yourself... at this point you may not have answers to the above questions...(i'm a couple years out of school and i still don't know what type of arch i would like to do)... i think because you're inexperienced, you don't want to take any strong stance on anything... just be the wide eyed kid who is eager to learn. other than that, your skills may not mean a whole lot. like i wouldn't say, "post-modernism sucks" or "frank gehry is my hero"... (unless frank pulled you from a burning building or somethin)...
and i have a problem with question #5, willing to do? like sleep with someone? like work all night for no overtime? I think sticking with why you would be a good candidate is more appropriate. you don't know what they will ask you to do, so how can you inform them of what you're willing to do? do you specify a line? "I will make coffee from 9-12, but the afternoon peeps gotta grind and filter themselves"
be honest, stick to what you know. and don't suck up. sound a bit enthusiastic about working at an arch firm...
perhaps i'll look at what i wrote in high school and it will be entirely different than the advice i'm giving...eh well, good luck
have you considered commercial art, graphic design or industrial design?
it isn't "easier" to stay employed as an architcet - nothing about architecture is easy. it takes a long and demanding education with documented internship culminating in a series of exams and then mandatory continuing education for the remainder of your career.
liking art is helpful but not really a sufficient reason to want to be an architect; i don't see how it will give you the drive to stay with it.
work your network to find some firms.
i'd start with large and mid-sized firms first - they can typically afford the overhead/risk of an intern w/o experience.
Postal right on ok so sounding all proffesional and like i know what i m doign isn't necessary. one more thing and i swear i wont bother you again (unless you say its ok) should i just walk in and give them a letter or hsoudl i email them or mail a letter in or what?
my first internship was with a lady who worked out of her house. My dad was a contractor and had worked with her in the past. it was a little strange working on house additions in someones living room while they watched soaps and cnn but then again, for your first architecture exposure the one on one cant be beat. Plus we drafted with #2 pencils, which I thought was cool. But alas, summer ended and it was onto a real firm.
oh its easy...just say that you will work as long as they want you to, but for no money at all...oh wait people already do that...its called unpaid internships
well sameold doctor i am down for that too. i dont care if i get paid zero i just want to be there. with architects all day hahaaha. but seriosly i would take an unpaid intership today if i could. do you have an available positition that you know of?
you may want to take the opportunity to drop it off, and just see what it's like inside... occasionally, you may get lucky and someone may offer to show you around. an owner at a smaller office will probably get a kick out of showing you "his/her empire"
but, the follow-up is key. good point to make el jeffe.
having hired someone a couple of years ago in your exact position (they were a recent high-school graduate, heading off to school), here's what sold us:
be really energetic and unafraid to tackle anything.
have some kind of art or other classes you can reference. we won't expect you to do renderings, etc. but we may ask you to help out with some of the models or photoshop stuff if need be. having some kind of semi-developed 'eye' always helps.
be willing to go in hourly and at a reasonable rate (we paid this kid 10/hr - more than eisenman). part time is much easier for smaller firms.
try to set an end-point to the internship. it was easier for us to do knowing he had to go back at a certain time.
have a good attitude (did i mention that before?).
other than that, be upfront, explain your situation, and be prepared to be rejected by a few firms until you find the right fit.
LARU. look at you giving all the good info. thank you very much to al the peopl ewho have replied LARU, POSTAL,superduct,rfuller and everyones else excluding a few rude folks you know who you are
rfuller, apparently he does not handle sarcasm well...
anyways, rbaez, for the most part you seem to have your head in the right place... just check the attitude at the door... as you yourself have admitted, and mdler and i have picked up on, writing is not one of your strong points... and although writing well isn't necessarily a requirement for architects (in fact most are pretty bad at it) it does speak to your ability to communicate on a professional level with others... and that is incredibly important in this field... when you get around to writing the letter be sure to proofread it multiple times and have other people do it for you as well... in fact, you could even post it here (as several other people have done for similar correspondence)
as said above by others, be willing to do anything (including coffee, typing, anwering phones, taking out the trash, cleaning the bathroom, etc.) just being around the office will be a learning experience in itself... i learned a ton earlier in my career just from listening to my boss while he was on the phone with clients or contractors and i was cadding away on my computer...
most larger firms used to have positions that were perfect for people in your situation, but now that blueprinting is a thing of the past it can be more difficult to find the type of job that you're looking for...
i think that someone may have already mentioned this, but if you've already been accepted to arch. school somewhere try finding a firm that is run by an alumni... if nothing else, offer to take an architect out to lunch some day to pick their brains about the profession, school, etc...
sure thing architphil...kids today, you know? what are you gonna' do.
and i'll stick up for anyone who's against pedroia getting the ROTY!
-ml
rbaez - i second everything architphil said, including removing the word 'like' from your vocabulary until you've developed enough literary etymological savvy to know how to use it ironically. capeesh?
till then, like, don't even start.
it will only do you a disservice. you want to distance yourself from your peers, that's why you came to archinect.
don't be another valley girl who's not even, like, from the valley.
it's already been said here before...you're head's in the right place, and you seem to be on the right track towards accomplishing your goals.
the number one thing that someone can do in the design field is to learn to present themselves well. this is a skill you will take with you through school and on into the professional world...be it graphics, landscapes, furniture, product design, architecture, or your personal combination of them all. it will help you get jobs and keep them. it will help you get into good schools and excel there.
practice your writing along with your drawing and sketching...a weakness in one can be overshadowed by a strength in another, but writing well is INVALUABLE IN ANY FIELD.
and...
it has EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THIS DISCUSSION my young friend, if you open your eyes to the reality.
nobody on this thread can GIVE you a job...you need to make that happen on your own, and using the word LIKE every three sentences will drastically limit your employability.
why?
because it makes you sound like every other 17y.o. out there...and architects are bratty enough on their own to know not to bring in a kid who has no demonstrable skillz and can't stop saying the word LIKE. even if you've got a go-getter mentality, which it appears that you do, you need to be both well-liked and enjoyable to work with if this is going to work out for you.
arch firms and design firms in general require people to sit next to each other for LONG STRETCHES OF TIME and talk to ach other all day long sometimes. you want to like, miss out on a job because, like, they don't like the way you talk?
you've got a nice head start on this process...don't fuck it up because you want to keep your cool slang.
but wtf am i doing giving advice to a 17y.o. when i have work to do?
sheesh.
and don't bring your PSP to the interview, either.
AGAIN another thank you is in order. two actually. thank you for explaining yourself and thnak you for the advice mighty little.i would like to take this time to explain MYself. i dont normally use the word as much i did in this thread. but i have to admit that i use the word like too much when trying to explain things. maybe has somthing to do with my limited vocabulary (enlglish is my second lanuage)
how do i get an internship without any education or experience
ok so im going to start going to ARCH school next fall and i REALY want to get me some experience NOW but i have no clue. how to do so and th eadvisors at school are like zero help. i want some very specific info like if i should write a letter or somthing and if i should what should it say. things like this. any kind of infor mation is welcome but i wuold like some. ALSO i am hopeless when it comes to writing letters so help with that would be cool. (the reason i keep mentioning letters is because i was told it would be a good idea to write a letter to firms explaining my situation and explaining what i want to do)
this is exactly what I did in high school... it helped that I had been taking drafting classes and could actually help them produce something, but all it took was a letter...
I wrote a letter and I included a list of activities and previous work experience. I could dig 'em up if you wanted.
But basically the letter said that I was looking for an internship at an arch. firm. I will be attending arch school at "X" in the fall. I have these "X" qualities, etc.
the school i was attending turned out to be pretty important, as both the principals had graduated from IIT. they liked to tell old stories about school and talk about profs. I'm pretty sure that was 90% of why I got the job. (Other than just looking like a decent kid on paper) So, look for firms with alumns of the school you're going to attend.
Mind you, I wrote this letter after my mom nagged me for a month. I didn't think I had a shot. But, lo' and behold, i had myself an internship day 1 after hs graduation.
when writing a letter, be honest about your situation. Tell them that you are in high school, going to be studying architecture soon, and would like to work in an office before you start college.
If you or you parents or friends know any architects, try to have them help you out with trying to get the connections
My first job was a similar situation. I didn't get an Architecture job, but I got some great experience working as a product development intern for an industrial design firm. I think you should try both avenues that postal and mdler have suggested. If your parents don't know any architects, then start looking for alumns. Good luck.
MUCHAS GRACIAS POSTAL! i have question would it be ok to lie a little bit? an dif so what things should i lie about or embellish
THANKS mdler and rfuller
Do not lie. That will only bite you in the ass. Just be honest. Someone will cut you a break. If not, then the worst that could happen would be having to go to school with out any experience. I think 95% of my class was in that boat.
and learn to fuckin' spell....
you really should not have a problem landing a position. often times, offices are more than happy to take on a future architect so that you are fully-integrated into the mesh of the office by the time you are ready to do some real work.
the beginning of your internship career will most likely be filled with office-related tasks but patience and a positive attitude will help you land more architecture-specific work in less time.
best of luck, keep us updated.
hahaha hey mdler what did i mispell?
could i like somehow get a letter where all i would have to do is fill in the blanks?
Not if you want to get hired. There's not just a form you fill out and turn in to get a job. You've gotta find the right firm, and then you have to let them know why they are the right firm for you.
Is it me or is this starting to sound like a sick joke?
rfuller ok ok yes i guess this IS starting to SOUND like a joke but it REALLY isn't i just SUCK like hardcore at writing anything. especially somthing like this since i really feel like i have nothing to offer an arch firm.
can you make coffee and take out the trash?
Well, you gotta sell yourself. Here are some things to consider:
1. Do you have any computer experience? This could be CAD, Photoshop (more than just using filters), Illustrator, any 3D modeling programs?
2. Are you good at learning new skills, especially on the computer?
3. What kind of architecture do you want to do? Houses, Offices, Skyscrapers, Strip Malls?
4. Where are you going to school?
5. What are you willing to do to EARN this job? You are not owed one just because you want one. You have to be willing to do something to prove to the firm that you're worth hiring/keeping around.
6. What are your strong skills? Are you good with numbers, a good artist? Obviously you don't think of yourself as proficient in the literary arts, so there's got to be something else you can do well.
7. WHY do you want to be an architect? Is it for the money or the girls, 'cause let me tell you, there's not much of either in this field. Or is it because you love houses/offices/restaurants/etc. and you want to be a part of making beautiful spaces and creating interesting experiences for people?
And I want you to be very aware of the fact that mdler's last post isn't a joke. Everyone's gotta start somewhere. Don't be hurt, angry, or anything but enthusiastic about starting out at the bottom.
is this your first job?
why exactly do you want to be an architect?
sorry for the overpost on rfuller's #7.
...and don't ever use the phrase I just SUCK like hardcore at writing anything ever again. You've got to learn that you can improve yourself. You've got a weakness. Don't accept it. Improve on it. I'd rather lick a brick wall than read or write, but I do both, constantly, so that I can get better. I would suggest doing the same.
el jeffe------- well it would be my first job at an arch firm (if i got one) but i used to be a bank teller an di used to be in sales in that same bank. and to answer your second question. the reason i want to be an arch is becausei have always been into drawing and painting but i dotn want to be one of those "starving artist" so i figured a degree in arch would allow me to use my artistic abilities AND it would be easy(er) to stay employed.
and to mdler and rfuller i would care at all if i had to make coffe and take out the trash. i would actually love this as long as i could get my foot in the door. and thanks you again rfuller i know i sound helpless but all of this info is very helpfull
' into drawing and painting but i dotn want to be one of those "starving artist"'....
but you are fine being a starving architect???
stay in banking, my friend. Or become a developer
oh cmon mdler i had a job at the bank because.... well i dont know, but how about just helping me out with my question?
oh cmon mdler i had a job at the bank because.... well i dont know, but how about just helping me out with my question?
i would just add to fuller's comment about his list of considerations for "selling" yourself... at this point you may not have answers to the above questions...(i'm a couple years out of school and i still don't know what type of arch i would like to do)... i think because you're inexperienced, you don't want to take any strong stance on anything... just be the wide eyed kid who is eager to learn. other than that, your skills may not mean a whole lot. like i wouldn't say, "post-modernism sucks" or "frank gehry is my hero"... (unless frank pulled you from a burning building or somethin)...
and i have a problem with question #5, willing to do? like sleep with someone? like work all night for no overtime? I think sticking with why you would be a good candidate is more appropriate. you don't know what they will ask you to do, so how can you inform them of what you're willing to do? do you specify a line? "I will make coffee from 9-12, but the afternoon peeps gotta grind and filter themselves"
be honest, stick to what you know. and don't suck up. sound a bit enthusiastic about working at an arch firm...
perhaps i'll look at what i wrote in high school and it will be entirely different than the advice i'm giving...eh well, good luck
have you considered commercial art, graphic design or industrial design?
it isn't "easier" to stay employed as an architcet - nothing about architecture is easy. it takes a long and demanding education with documented internship culminating in a series of exams and then mandatory continuing education for the remainder of your career.
liking art is helpful but not really a sufficient reason to want to be an architect; i don't see how it will give you the drive to stay with it.
work your network to find some firms.
i'd start with large and mid-sized firms first - they can typically afford the overhead/risk of an intern w/o experience.
step #1: stop like using the word like...
Postal right on ok so sounding all proffesional and like i know what i m doign isn't necessary. one more thing and i swear i wont bother you again (unless you say its ok) should i just walk in and give them a letter or hsoudl i email them or mail a letter in or what?
like FUCK you architphil. you were like no help at all and you like just take up space
mail it and follow-up with a phone call a few days later.
my first internship was with a lady who worked out of her house. My dad was a contractor and had worked with her in the past. it was a little strange working on house additions in someones living room while they watched soaps and cnn but then again, for your first architecture exposure the one on one cant be beat. Plus we drafted with #2 pencils, which I thought was cool. But alas, summer ended and it was onto a real firm.
also ask yourself this question, " Do I really want to be around architects all day"?
oh its easy...just say that you will work as long as they want you to, but for no money at all...oh wait people already do that...its called unpaid internships
well sameold doctor i am down for that too. i dont care if i get paid zero i just want to be there. with architects all day hahaaha. but seriosly i would take an unpaid intership today if i could. do you have an available positition that you know of?
you may want to take the opportunity to drop it off, and just see what it's like inside... occasionally, you may get lucky and someone may offer to show you around. an owner at a smaller office will probably get a kick out of showing you "his/her empire"
but, the follow-up is key. good point to make el jeffe.
evil platypus, is being around architects all day an unpleasant thign to experience?
Not if you handle sarcasm well.
rbaez -
having hired someone a couple of years ago in your exact position (they were a recent high-school graduate, heading off to school), here's what sold us:
be really energetic and unafraid to tackle anything.
have some kind of art or other classes you can reference. we won't expect you to do renderings, etc. but we may ask you to help out with some of the models or photoshop stuff if need be. having some kind of semi-developed 'eye' always helps.
be willing to go in hourly and at a reasonable rate (we paid this kid 10/hr - more than eisenman). part time is much easier for smaller firms.
try to set an end-point to the internship. it was easier for us to do knowing he had to go back at a certain time.
have a good attitude (did i mention that before?).
other than that, be upfront, explain your situation, and be prepared to be rejected by a few firms until you find the right fit.
best -
also ... read this section of Archinect: The Architecture Job Application
LARU. look at you giving all the good info. thank you very much to al the peopl ewho have replied LARU, POSTAL,superduct,rfuller and everyones else excluding a few rude folks you know who you are
keep it coming if things go wel i might just me an internship here on this discussion. i live in houston(TX) heights area
are you calling me rude???
i think he's calling architphil rude...which is perhaps the most absurd thing i've heard all day. there's nothing rude about that guy.
but if you want mdler...i'll call you rude.
you've been called worse.
i just said "you know who you are" so if you know you are rude well then yes
anyway lets not discuss who is rude as who is not. lets work on getting me a job.
and no im not calling you rude mdler
rfuller, apparently he does not handle sarcasm well...
anyways, rbaez, for the most part you seem to have your head in the right place... just check the attitude at the door... as you yourself have admitted, and mdler and i have picked up on, writing is not one of your strong points... and although writing well isn't necessarily a requirement for architects (in fact most are pretty bad at it) it does speak to your ability to communicate on a professional level with others... and that is incredibly important in this field... when you get around to writing the letter be sure to proofread it multiple times and have other people do it for you as well... in fact, you could even post it here (as several other people have done for similar correspondence)
as said above by others, be willing to do anything (including coffee, typing, anwering phones, taking out the trash, cleaning the bathroom, etc.) just being around the office will be a learning experience in itself... i learned a ton earlier in my career just from listening to my boss while he was on the phone with clients or contractors and i was cadding away on my computer...
most larger firms used to have positions that were perfect for people in your situation, but now that blueprinting is a thing of the past it can be more difficult to find the type of job that you're looking for...
i think that someone may have already mentioned this, but if you've already been accepted to arch. school somewhere try finding a firm that is run by an alumni... if nothing else, offer to take an architect out to lunch some day to pick their brains about the profession, school, etc...
awww... thanks mightylittle... :)
and also thanks to architphil. thanks amigo
do YOU have ajob offer for me?
sure thing architphil...kids today, you know? what are you gonna' do.
and i'll stick up for anyone who's against pedroia getting the ROTY!
-ml
rbaez - i second everything architphil said, including removing the word 'like' from your vocabulary until you've developed enough literary etymological savvy to know how to use it ironically. capeesh?
till then, like, don't even start.
it will only do you a disservice. you want to distance yourself from your peers, that's why you came to archinect.
don't be another valley girl who's not even, like, from the valley.
mightylittle, now how in the hell does that contribute at ALL to this discussion? lets keep things on track.
think about it man.
it's already been said here before...you're head's in the right place, and you seem to be on the right track towards accomplishing your goals.
the number one thing that someone can do in the design field is to learn to present themselves well. this is a skill you will take with you through school and on into the professional world...be it graphics, landscapes, furniture, product design, architecture, or your personal combination of them all. it will help you get jobs and keep them. it will help you get into good schools and excel there.
practice your writing along with your drawing and sketching...a weakness in one can be overshadowed by a strength in another, but writing well is INVALUABLE IN ANY FIELD.
and...
it has EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THIS DISCUSSION my young friend, if you open your eyes to the reality.
nobody on this thread can GIVE you a job...you need to make that happen on your own, and using the word LIKE every three sentences will drastically limit your employability.
why?
because it makes you sound like every other 17y.o. out there...and architects are bratty enough on their own to know not to bring in a kid who has no demonstrable skillz and can't stop saying the word LIKE. even if you've got a go-getter mentality, which it appears that you do, you need to be both well-liked and enjoyable to work with if this is going to work out for you.
arch firms and design firms in general require people to sit next to each other for LONG STRETCHES OF TIME and talk to ach other all day long sometimes. you want to like, miss out on a job because, like, they don't like the way you talk?
you've got a nice head start on this process...don't fuck it up because you want to keep your cool slang.
but wtf am i doing giving advice to a 17y.o. when i have work to do?
sheesh.
and don't bring your PSP to the interview, either.
-ml
AGAIN another thank you is in order. two actually. thank you for explaining yourself and thnak you for the advice mighty little.i would like to take this time to explain MYself. i dont normally use the word as much i did in this thread. but i have to admit that i use the word like too much when trying to explain things. maybe has somthing to do with my limited vocabulary (enlglish is my second lanuage)
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