So I just graduated with a degree in architecture and am unemployed - bored - and beginning to get frustrated with two solid months of "We've reviewed your resume but are unable to hire you at this time" or no just response what so ever. Anyone else sitting on the couch this summer feeling over-educated and apparently under qualified?
where are you applying? Took me 3 months, after graduating two years ago. You just have to keep applying, without limiting your options. And try improving any skills you may feel you're weak on, and can improve on your own. That may help with the boredom. Chin up!
I'm so happy i'm employed, oop, gotta get back to work!
BTW, you may want to consider a change of scenery, the industry is pretty dead outside a few key markets. You could probably get work in the New York City area, or try going overseas to China, India, or the UAE, where all the construction is going on.
Yeah there just isn't any reason to not have a job. Sure the economy is shitty but firms generally have a lot of projects that should keep things afloat for quite a while. After this whole thing goes away (which it will), things will get better.
target large offices with work outside the States....
Im not suggesting you trek all the way to NYC, but most offices around here are swamped with work! I don’t know where you’re located, but there has to be a local city in your area ie: Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas etc. where things are happening? Im sure other archinecters from different areas could point you in the right direction.
That's a big 10-4 here lmnop15, you are not alone.
As Sean mentioned, try applying to firms that have work outside of the US. I think that is pretty sound advice, since the only firms I have managed to interview with have been firms with a lot of international work. Shoot me an e-mail if you want, I would love to compare notes on job hunting strategies.
i would call every single firm you didnt get a response from and follow up
suggest working part time or something, so at least you can be working some
you should be on the phone with at least 10 firms a day talking to someone
how i got my first job while in school during a mildly lean time was that i talked to someone who couldnt offer a job, but knew of someone who usually had steady work
you never know what will happen when on the phone with someone
You could post your resume on here to get some critiques (with all personal identifying info removed of course). This has been helpful to some in the past, especially new grads without many previous architecture firm jobs to fill a resume.
How are you finding and targeting the firms to which you're applying? Don't be afraid to send your resume to firms that aren't advertising. Lots of smaller firms never advertise and fill all positions by word of mouth. If you find them and can tell them why you think you'd be a good fit that can favorably impress some firms.
Sometimes the issue for new grads is that they are very finicky in selecting the firms they're applying to. It's ok to have an idea of the type of firm you'd most enjoy or get the kind of experience you want or feel best suited for. But don't worry that you'll pigeon-hole yourself out of a future job with the type of firm you'd most like to join by taking a job with a not-so-perfect one now.
Getting a year of solid full time experience in practically any firm will make you infinitely more hire-able in most any firm. Employers just want to know that you have some experience - any experience - so that they're not the ones having to spend the billable hours teaching you drawing symbol conventions and CSI divisions and the difference between ADAAG and ANSI and all of those other office basics.
So if you're targeting only a particular size firm, or type of projects, or level of perceived design acumen consider casting a wider net.
i would find out what city or area i wanted to work in, and literally send my resume to every single firm there, regardless of any postings of jobs, they are usually not that up to date anyway, especially with entry level positions.
keep track of when everything is sent out, and if you dont hear something in a week or 2, follow up with a phone call.
you dont necessarily need to know everything about the firm when you talk to them on the phone, but before any interviews, you of course want to check on them a little bit
i wasnt particular about any style or size of firm or anything like that when i graduated, knowing that i didnt have enough experience at that point to have that really matter all that much. you can always change jobs if you find something there you dont like, but its always better to just be working, especially when times arent the best, economically
when you graduate, you just want to be working first of all. the longer it takes, the further behind you can get, and things tend to snowball after that
how many firms have you sent your resume to, Imnop15?
Take your time, be persistent, and keep an open mind. There's a lot of stuff going on out there, and that dream job you're picturing in your head might be blinding you to something incredible that's right in front of you.
Wow - i take a day off from the computer and look at what i get
Anyways - first thanks for all the advice and second i'll answer a few of the questions I guess
Currently I'm located in Minneapolis/St Paul area - so that's where I'm looking I guess, though I'm not opposed to moving, the lease ends at the end of August so moving is not entirely out of the question. I have some friends who have moved out to Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and D.C. after graduation so those cities are kind of on my radar as well.
I've sent resumes out to a lot of firms of all different sizes and types (i.e. i haven't been picky in the least bit) over the past few months, i guess the general source of my frustration isn't coming so much from the people who have responded with a 'no' than the ones who don't respond at all.
I guess my biggest question is how do I really sell myself effectively to firms that
A. aren't advertising for positions
B. i don't know anyone at directly
Places that don't even bother to acknowledge that they got some stuff from you are the worst. It's one of the most frustrating things about the job search.
To any potential employers out there: the simple, professional thing to do when somebody inquires about a position or sends material is to at least acknowledge the contact with even a simple form email. Period. I don't care who you are, there's no excuse for doing any less.
765 - well, actually there are any number of reasons you might not receive a reply, based on my own personal experience: a. the candidate doesn't provide any, or correct, contact info; b. the firm is innundated with unsolicited resumes; c. the principals and other senior staff are busy chasing work to keep their current staff busy; d. the candidate sends in a complex, difficult to manage submittal that's put aside for later; e. etc.
I've said it here before - you sending us your resume does not make you the center of our universe!
I receive between 20-40 resumes each week - especially this time of year. Although I'm not hiring right now, I still look at them and try to respond as quickly as I can. Think for a moment about how much time that takes - for no benefit to me whatsoever. And this does not even take into consideration the number of unsolicitated calls I get from breathless recent grads who sent in a 40-page package yesterday, wondering if I've looked at it yet and asking when can we set up an interview.
Look - I understand the angst (been there myself) and I work really hard to be respectful and responsive. But, you've got to understand finding you a job is not my main aim in life right now.
Be smart in your approach, offer something firms need, be patient and flexible - something good will turn up. But don't harrangue against firms as though your frustration is their fault. It just ain't so!
Send me your resume - I'll look at it soon and send you a reply. Good luck.
quizz - why do I feel like we've had this conversation before? All I'm talking about is a two sentence email that you keep on file saying 'thanks, but we're not looking'. You copy/paste in the 'breathless recent grad's email address and let it fly, how hard is that?
Of course, if the person doesn't give you a working email address, dump their stuff in the recycle bin and forget about it forever.
Respectful and responsive is par for the course. Consider it the price you pay for visibilty and exposure, these people must be interested in your office's work, or they wouldn't bother.
Well, actually - I do as you suggest most of the time already. I've built some positive relationships and beneficial p.r. in the process.
My comments were aimed primarily at helping candidates view the world as it is - not as we might hope it would be. Railing against the wind is pointless.
Honestly, it's sort of luck whether you get an interview at any given firm... but you can increase your odds if you do two things: firstly, increase the odds that if somebody sees your resume, they will give you an interview, and secondly, increase your odds by increasing the *quantity of applications* that you mail...
#1. Make sure that whatever you send out to offices is great: professional looking cover letter, resume, and work sample sheets... it needs to look sharp, communicate clearly and leave an immediate impression to anybody who might flip through it... think from the employers perspective, if you were hiring, what would make your interested?... have the system in place to be able to pump those applications out quickly so anytime you find a new interesting firm, you can spontaneously send out an application to them... also, customize your cover letter for each firm (and build this into your application operation), you can have a couple templates for letters with alot of the same essential information, but don't send out the same generic letter. put in enough thought in how you are selling yourself, and make sure the application and letter (which is your first chance to leave an impression), gets that message accross, simply and professionally...
#2. once you are happy with your application producing operation, it's a numbers game... make a list of all of the firms you are interested in, start from the top of your list, and move down it sending by snail mail... send out a couple a day, and keep a log of what you've mailed, including contact person and info, in case you get a call back you can look at your list right away... Also, you should have a cell phone (the phone number on your application)... You never know when you might get a call...
I'm just concerning that potential talents are being neglected these days and the definition of a GOOD architect has altered to practitioners since the day they were out of school.
2008 (Unemployed) Graduates Commiserate Here
So I just graduated with a degree in architecture and am unemployed - bored - and beginning to get frustrated with two solid months of "We've reviewed your resume but are unable to hire you at this time" or no just response what so ever. Anyone else sitting on the couch this summer feeling over-educated and apparently under qualified?
where are you applying? Took me 3 months, after graduating two years ago. You just have to keep applying, without limiting your options. And try improving any skills you may feel you're weak on, and can improve on your own. That may help with the boredom. Chin up!
Most of the firms that I know of in DC are still hiring but not as much as about 13 months ago.
I'm so happy i'm employed, oop, gotta get back to work!
BTW, you may want to consider a change of scenery, the industry is pretty dead outside a few key markets. You could probably get work in the New York City area, or try going overseas to China, India, or the UAE, where all the construction is going on.
try harder...hired 38 full time employees last week...about half in the states and half overseas...
That was my point... you shouldn't be bored. At least not constantly. I tried about 50+, mostly in NYC, and got a few interviews.
Yeah there just isn't any reason to not have a job. Sure the economy is shitty but firms generally have a lot of projects that should keep things afloat for quite a while. After this whole thing goes away (which it will), things will get better.
target large offices with work outside the States....
Im not suggesting you trek all the way to NYC, but most offices around here are swamped with work! I don’t know where you’re located, but there has to be a local city in your area ie: Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas etc. where things are happening? Im sure other archinecters from different areas could point you in the right direction.
That's a big 10-4 here lmnop15, you are not alone.
As Sean mentioned, try applying to firms that have work outside of the US. I think that is pretty sound advice, since the only firms I have managed to interview with have been firms with a lot of international work. Shoot me an e-mail if you want, I would love to compare notes on job hunting strategies.
i would call every single firm you didnt get a response from and follow up
suggest working part time or something, so at least you can be working some
you should be on the phone with at least 10 firms a day talking to someone
how i got my first job while in school during a mildly lean time was that i talked to someone who couldnt offer a job, but knew of someone who usually had steady work
you never know what will happen when on the phone with someone
get into an REIT or work for a developer.
My firm does not do overseas work at all and we can barely hire fast enough to meet our backlog right now.
whore yourself to a recruiter or temp agency
that is the name of the game right after you graduate
whore yourself as much as you can
You could post your resume on here to get some critiques (with all personal identifying info removed of course). This has been helpful to some in the past, especially new grads without many previous architecture firm jobs to fill a resume.
How are you finding and targeting the firms to which you're applying? Don't be afraid to send your resume to firms that aren't advertising. Lots of smaller firms never advertise and fill all positions by word of mouth. If you find them and can tell them why you think you'd be a good fit that can favorably impress some firms.
Sometimes the issue for new grads is that they are very finicky in selecting the firms they're applying to. It's ok to have an idea of the type of firm you'd most enjoy or get the kind of experience you want or feel best suited for. But don't worry that you'll pigeon-hole yourself out of a future job with the type of firm you'd most like to join by taking a job with a not-so-perfect one now.
Getting a year of solid full time experience in practically any firm will make you infinitely more hire-able in most any firm. Employers just want to know that you have some experience - any experience - so that they're not the ones having to spend the billable hours teaching you drawing symbol conventions and CSI divisions and the difference between ADAAG and ANSI and all of those other office basics.
So if you're targeting only a particular size firm, or type of projects, or level of perceived design acumen consider casting a wider net.
i would find out what city or area i wanted to work in, and literally send my resume to every single firm there, regardless of any postings of jobs, they are usually not that up to date anyway, especially with entry level positions.
keep track of when everything is sent out, and if you dont hear something in a week or 2, follow up with a phone call.
you dont necessarily need to know everything about the firm when you talk to them on the phone, but before any interviews, you of course want to check on them a little bit
i wasnt particular about any style or size of firm or anything like that when i graduated, knowing that i didnt have enough experience at that point to have that really matter all that much. you can always change jobs if you find something there you dont like, but its always better to just be working, especially when times arent the best, economically
when you graduate, you just want to be working first of all. the longer it takes, the further behind you can get, and things tend to snowball after that
how many firms have you sent your resume to, Imnop15?
Take your time, be persistent, and keep an open mind. There's a lot of stuff going on out there, and that dream job you're picturing in your head might be blinding you to something incredible that's right in front of you.
Wow - i take a day off from the computer and look at what i get
Anyways - first thanks for all the advice and second i'll answer a few of the questions I guess
Currently I'm located in Minneapolis/St Paul area - so that's where I'm looking I guess, though I'm not opposed to moving, the lease ends at the end of August so moving is not entirely out of the question. I have some friends who have moved out to Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and D.C. after graduation so those cities are kind of on my radar as well.
I've sent resumes out to a lot of firms of all different sizes and types (i.e. i haven't been picky in the least bit) over the past few months, i guess the general source of my frustration isn't coming so much from the people who have responded with a 'no' than the ones who don't respond at all.
I guess my biggest question is how do I really sell myself effectively to firms that
A. aren't advertising for positions
B. i don't know anyone at directly
Places that don't even bother to acknowledge that they got some stuff from you are the worst. It's one of the most frustrating things about the job search.
To any potential employers out there: the simple, professional thing to do when somebody inquires about a position or sends material is to at least acknowledge the contact with even a simple form email. Period. I don't care who you are, there's no excuse for doing any less.
765 - well, actually there are any number of reasons you might not receive a reply, based on my own personal experience: a. the candidate doesn't provide any, or correct, contact info; b. the firm is innundated with unsolicited resumes; c. the principals and other senior staff are busy chasing work to keep their current staff busy; d. the candidate sends in a complex, difficult to manage submittal that's put aside for later; e. etc.
I've said it here before - you sending us your resume does not make you the center of our universe!
I receive between 20-40 resumes each week - especially this time of year. Although I'm not hiring right now, I still look at them and try to respond as quickly as I can. Think for a moment about how much time that takes - for no benefit to me whatsoever. And this does not even take into consideration the number of unsolicitated calls I get from breathless recent grads who sent in a 40-page package yesterday, wondering if I've looked at it yet and asking when can we set up an interview.
Look - I understand the angst (been there myself) and I work really hard to be respectful and responsive. But, you've got to understand finding you a job is not my main aim in life right now.
Be smart in your approach, offer something firms need, be patient and flexible - something good will turn up. But don't harrangue against firms as though your frustration is their fault. It just ain't so!
Send me your resume - I'll look at it soon and send you a reply. Good luck.
quizz - why do I feel like we've had this conversation before? All I'm talking about is a two sentence email that you keep on file saying 'thanks, but we're not looking'. You copy/paste in the 'breathless recent grad's email address and let it fly, how hard is that?
Of course, if the person doesn't give you a working email address, dump their stuff in the recycle bin and forget about it forever.
Respectful and responsive is par for the course. Consider it the price you pay for visibilty and exposure, these people must be interested in your office's work, or they wouldn't bother.
Well, actually - I do as you suggest most of the time already. I've built some positive relationships and beneficial p.r. in the process.
My comments were aimed primarily at helping candidates view the world as it is - not as we might hope it would be. Railing against the wind is pointless.
Sorry if I seemed disrespectful.
Sorry, no, you didn't sound disrespectful, I think we're both just grinding axes here. ;D
Honestly, it's sort of luck whether you get an interview at any given firm... but you can increase your odds if you do two things: firstly, increase the odds that if somebody sees your resume, they will give you an interview, and secondly, increase your odds by increasing the *quantity of applications* that you mail...
#1. Make sure that whatever you send out to offices is great: professional looking cover letter, resume, and work sample sheets... it needs to look sharp, communicate clearly and leave an immediate impression to anybody who might flip through it... think from the employers perspective, if you were hiring, what would make your interested?... have the system in place to be able to pump those applications out quickly so anytime you find a new interesting firm, you can spontaneously send out an application to them... also, customize your cover letter for each firm (and build this into your application operation), you can have a couple templates for letters with alot of the same essential information, but don't send out the same generic letter. put in enough thought in how you are selling yourself, and make sure the application and letter (which is your first chance to leave an impression), gets that message accross, simply and professionally...
#2. once you are happy with your application producing operation, it's a numbers game... make a list of all of the firms you are interested in, start from the top of your list, and move down it sending by snail mail... send out a couple a day, and keep a log of what you've mailed, including contact person and info, in case you get a call back you can look at your list right away... Also, you should have a cell phone (the phone number on your application)... You never know when you might get a call...
good luck!
I'm just concerning that potential talents are being neglected these days and the definition of a GOOD architect has altered to practitioners since the day they were out of school.
practitioners how? you mean like being stuck rendering or modeling all day long vs doing a balanced amount of work on a project?
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