I will be graduating with my Bach. of Arch. this December and am finding very very few job posts around the midwest for intern architect positions...but plenty ofcourse in cities like NYC and LA.
I realize not all firms post jobs, and I do have "firm visits" lined up but am becoming more nervous each day with where my job status will be in the coming weeks.
How is the current market? - and any generalizations with the job market in the winter and graduating students during this time? -
Most of the hiring activity is taking place in California, New York, Texas and Georgia -- see AIA Career Center for a good overview of the distribution of job ads around the country.
Pretty sure the best wages are in Texas and Georgia !
mdler makes a good point -- however, I also will add that one of the smartest architects I ever met told me as a young intern that an architect needs to work in, or around, a robust construction market in order to develop a robust career.
much of the professional complaining that takes place here seems to have its roots in local markets with poor economics and an oversupply of design professionals.
Are you referring to the Archinect.com job postings? I've also noticed that a majority of postings are located in a few costal cities. Don't worry about it.
Rather than searching for a "want ad" find the firms on your own. Most jobs available out there are not advertised. I haven't heard anything about a slow job market in the mid-west, if that's where you intend to stay. Like mdler said, find the place you want to live & work.
ya the best jobs i have had are the ones i go to the firms i want to work for rather than replying to ads or going through head hunters (though those are the most stable jobs)
to be honest, head out west, but not all the way to the coast. it isn't as exciting, but you will be more likely to find a good job in a growing town somewhere in the rockies or in phoenix than you will in ny etc. and you will make more money, have more responsibility, and work on more interesting design projects.
If you are interested in DC, I can personally guarantee you will get a job.
Right now, you are graduating at a very good time where there is work everywhere. And I'll hazzard a guess that the starting rates are probably the best they've ever been. The higher ups at my firm have all been saying that there is a huge shortage of architects and young people who have knowledge in many new design techniques and have good knowledge in various computer programs are desperately needed. Our firm has seen a new employee every week.
fastest growing city, most opportunity, lowest obesity, busiest airport, largest university, longest running art walk 30 years...
drive while talking on a cell phone, wear no seatbelt or helmet, public breast feed, get a architecture license w/o education through experience, change lanes in intersections, voted + on weed and alternative fuels,
in a failing economy it all seems so sad that these are the facts when it is not THAT nice.
phoenix can be an awful place. but it does have a high quality of life in some regards. you can't fault that it is cheap, and i think they are just about done with their light rail system. seriously, for an architect right out of school, a 2-3 year stint in phx for your first job is the ticket, if you want to work on published projects, make decent wages, enjoy sunshine and not work 70 hours a week. i don't think it is the place to put down roots. eke out a relatively urban lifestyle in scottsdale/tempe while hiking camelback after work. then, when your idp is finished, go to LA.
it all depends. i have friends who've gone to work in central america, and i don't know how south america differs from the situation there. but the problem for some people going to a country like this is, if you are steeply in debt in a more expensive nation, it can be difficult to feed both yourself and the man at the same time. if you can afford to, going abroad is a great option of course.
I think Seattle and Portland are great cities for young architects right now. There is a ton of work being done right now and consequently firms are busy and always looking to hire. Also, the quality of life for what you will be paid as an entry level employee will surprise you.
I second Archmed's post. The DC architectural market is on fire right now. We're seeing a lot of new employees, too, and even higher, less stringent recruitment bonuses.
i've also heard btw that san fransisco is a phenomenal place to go for min-management peoples. apparently a lot of the people there are pretty old, or somewhat green.
The NYC job market is very cutthroat (especially for entry-level) people and you need to be willing to work for whatever table-scraps they throw at you. And don't even get me started to the NYC housing market.
The AIA Career Center might be a little out of date. Stay away from Georgia. In case you hadn't heard, they got some serious water issues. Atlanta isn't going to be growing at all unless a tropical storm parks itself over downtown for a good month.
Texas is very robust. Say what you will, Houston and Dallas are two big heavyweights in large American cities. With energy prices going the way they are I think it makes good strategic sense to be at the center of it. Good place to make $$$ right now.
Long term I still think the old rust belt will have a heck of a renaissance. Call me crazy but I think places like Phoenix, Las Vegas, even LA, have serious issues in their future concerning water. I'm betting within our lifetimes there is a reverse migration back to the great lakes region. States like Ohio and Michigan sure ain't making the news these days, but I'm betting that will change in due time.
I used to work in Atlanta and know the market there pretty well ... while what aquapura says about the water shortage in the southeast has some merit, it's important to remember that many of the firms in Atlanta do much of their work outside of Georgia -- especially the bigger firms. A local water shortage won't have much, if any, impact on those firms. I scanned the AIA.org opportunities for Georgia and many of those firms (LAS, POH, CMMI, Greenberg, Cooper Carry, for example) all have multi-state practices -- some do international work. I still have a buddy who works at one of the firms listed above -- he says they're still having trouble finding good people.
BlueGoose - For an entry level person I think the most can be learned by working at a local firm on local projects. Doubtful that a large national firm will fly a young intern off to another state or country to do a site op. Additionally, aside from the water problem stalling growth in Atlanta, there are 5 million + people there that need water to survive. Adding another person to the mix doesn't help things. Although, I'm guessing that there's going to be a big market in Atlanta for retrofitting buildings to get LEED water efficiency credits. Hope those firms have a good waterless urinal spec.
I can only speak for chicago but its holding steady - despite nationwide residential downturn. This is a great city to learn how to build, to manage and permit buildings. The Bull markets arent as crazy here, but the Bear markets arent as bad. Its always just even. The architecture comunity here is second to none, if a little cliquey. Awesome place for newbies. Can be much more competetive for advanced architects, as their is a well entrenched group of builders and profesionals. That said, every 4-5 years its like musical chairs and everyone rotates it seems.
New York seems to be hiring heavily, so is LA these days. International projects will provide a hedge against imploding property markets in some regions of the US.
water is not a issue we are well endowed and have been irrigating for very long. the problem is how do you clean the arsenic and other toxins from that over filled aquifer.
Nov 7, 07 6:20 pm ·
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current market: where's the jobs?
I will be graduating with my Bach. of Arch. this December and am finding very very few job posts around the midwest for intern architect positions...but plenty ofcourse in cities like NYC and LA.
I realize not all firms post jobs, and I do have "firm visits" lined up but am becoming more nervous each day with where my job status will be in the coming weeks.
How is the current market? - and any generalizations with the job market in the winter and graduating students during this time? -
Thank you.
jm
there are jobs everywhere. Take a job in a place where you want to be instead of moving to a place to take a job (especially right out of school).
Most of the hiring activity is taking place in California, New York, Texas and Georgia -- see AIA Career Center for a good overview of the distribution of job ads around the country.
Pretty sure the best wages are in Texas and Georgia !
Good luck.
mdler makes a good point -- however, I also will add that one of the smartest architects I ever met told me as a young intern that an architect needs to work in, or around, a robust construction market in order to develop a robust career.
much of the professional complaining that takes place here seems to have its roots in local markets with poor economics and an oversupply of design professionals.
plenty o' jobs in louisville. whether they're what you want or not.....?
Are you referring to the Archinect.com job postings? I've also noticed that a majority of postings are located in a few costal cities. Don't worry about it.
Rather than searching for a "want ad" find the firms on your own. Most jobs available out there are not advertised. I haven't heard anything about a slow job market in the mid-west, if that's where you intend to stay. Like mdler said, find the place you want to live & work.
how are you at peeling bananas?
ya the best jobs i have had are the ones i go to the firms i want to work for rather than replying to ads or going through head hunters (though those are the most stable jobs)
to be honest, head out west, but not all the way to the coast. it isn't as exciting, but you will be more likely to find a good job in a growing town somewhere in the rockies or in phoenix than you will in ny etc. and you will make more money, have more responsibility, and work on more interesting design projects.
'find a good job in a growing town somewhere in the rockies or in phoenix'
but you are in Phoenix
If you are interested in DC, I can personally guarantee you will get a job.
Right now, you are graduating at a very good time where there is work everywhere. And I'll hazzard a guess that the starting rates are probably the best they've ever been. The higher ups at my firm have all been saying that there is a huge shortage of architects and young people who have knowledge in many new design techniques and have good knowledge in various computer programs are desperately needed. Our firm has seen a new employee every week.
Hope this is enouraging news for you.
i am? no i'm not mdler. i do not live in phx
fastest growing city, most opportunity, lowest obesity, busiest airport, largest university, longest running art walk 30 years...
drive while talking on a cell phone, wear no seatbelt or helmet, public breast feed, get a architecture license w/o education through experience, change lanes in intersections, voted + on weed and alternative fuels,
in a failing economy it all seems so sad that these are the facts when it is not THAT nice.
oh i forgot 1, carry firearms in public, and concealed with a 1 week class.
phoenix can be an awful place. but it does have a high quality of life in some regards. you can't fault that it is cheap, and i think they are just about done with their light rail system. seriously, for an architect right out of school, a 2-3 year stint in phx for your first job is the ticket, if you want to work on published projects, make decent wages, enjoy sunshine and not work 70 hours a week. i don't think it is the place to put down roots. eke out a relatively urban lifestyle in scottsdale/tempe while hiking camelback after work. then, when your idp is finished, go to LA.
or south america
it all depends. i have friends who've gone to work in central america, and i don't know how south america differs from the situation there. but the problem for some people going to a country like this is, if you are steeply in debt in a more expensive nation, it can be difficult to feed both yourself and the man at the same time. if you can afford to, going abroad is a great option of course.
I think Seattle and Portland are great cities for young architects right now. There is a ton of work being done right now and consequently firms are busy and always looking to hire. Also, the quality of life for what you will be paid as an entry level employee will surprise you.
I second Archmed's post. The DC architectural market is on fire right now. We're seeing a lot of new employees, too, and even higher, less stringent recruitment bonuses.
i've also heard btw that san fransisco is a phenomenal place to go for min-management peoples. apparently a lot of the people there are pretty old, or somewhat green.
things in LA are going to be interresting for a while...
The NYC job market is very cutthroat (especially for entry-level) people and you need to be willing to work for whatever table-scraps they throw at you. And don't even get me started to the NYC housing market.
The AIA Career Center might be a little out of date. Stay away from Georgia. In case you hadn't heard, they got some serious water issues. Atlanta isn't going to be growing at all unless a tropical storm parks itself over downtown for a good month.
Texas is very robust. Say what you will, Houston and Dallas are two big heavyweights in large American cities. With energy prices going the way they are I think it makes good strategic sense to be at the center of it. Good place to make $$$ right now.
Long term I still think the old rust belt will have a heck of a renaissance. Call me crazy but I think places like Phoenix, Las Vegas, even LA, have serious issues in their future concerning water. I'm betting within our lifetimes there is a reverse migration back to the great lakes region. States like Ohio and Michigan sure ain't making the news these days, but I'm betting that will change in due time.
I used to work in Atlanta and know the market there pretty well ... while what aquapura says about the water shortage in the southeast has some merit, it's important to remember that many of the firms in Atlanta do much of their work outside of Georgia -- especially the bigger firms. A local water shortage won't have much, if any, impact on those firms. I scanned the AIA.org opportunities for Georgia and many of those firms (LAS, POH, CMMI, Greenberg, Cooper Carry, for example) all have multi-state practices -- some do international work. I still have a buddy who works at one of the firms listed above -- he says they're still having trouble finding good people.
BlueGoose - For an entry level person I think the most can be learned by working at a local firm on local projects. Doubtful that a large national firm will fly a young intern off to another state or country to do a site op. Additionally, aside from the water problem stalling growth in Atlanta, there are 5 million + people there that need water to survive. Adding another person to the mix doesn't help things. Although, I'm guessing that there's going to be a big market in Atlanta for retrofitting buildings to get LEED water efficiency credits. Hope those firms have a good waterless urinal spec.
I can only speak for chicago but its holding steady - despite nationwide residential downturn. This is a great city to learn how to build, to manage and permit buildings. The Bull markets arent as crazy here, but the Bear markets arent as bad. Its always just even. The architecture comunity here is second to none, if a little cliquey. Awesome place for newbies. Can be much more competetive for advanced architects, as their is a well entrenched group of builders and profesionals. That said, every 4-5 years its like musical chairs and everyone rotates it seems.
bah seattle's tapped out. everyone's busy, but most aren't doing interesting projects.
plus, it's not urban by any definition.
New York seems to be hiring heavily, so is LA these days. International projects will provide a hedge against imploding property markets in some regions of the US.
can someone tell me this: is the work in ny mostly interiors? seems a lot of people are doing interiors in ny for very little.
pretty good market for urban designers, driven by int'l projects in NY, le bossman
huh
water is not a issue we are well endowed and have been irrigating for very long. the problem is how do you clean the arsenic and other toxins from that over filled aquifer.
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