A bunch fo people I know were hired back by the firm that laid them off +6 months ago. Of course, most of them took paycuts, but has anyone else heard of anything like this?
this has been a strange year and a half for me. i've had several jobs, and been laid off three times. i've come to realize nowadays that a better description for a 'job' is really a 'gig.' i get a job, i work for a few months until the office runs out of work, and then i just hang out for a few weeks until i find something else. right now i have a side gig designing residential homes in chicago, and another side gig doing graphic design for a firm in chicago, although i live in montana, and my other gig is that i'm a caretaker for a vacation house so i live rent/utilities free. it's almost like i own my own business in that i'm responsible for knocking on doors and soliciting myself. it's a little aggrevating though, because i tend to make somewhere between 10 and 20 bucks an hour for these gigs, and thus it comes out to about 15-20k/yr and it's tough to pay off credit card bills from when i was really unemployed last year.
i just landed two interviews this week. i'm in the DC area- one job at a firm in DC and the other at a firm in Richmond. neither for the government- both private firms. both interviews are for actual positions- not 'informational interviews' (the firm advertises as if there is a position but in actuality there isn't and they just want to meet people with resumes they like so when things get better they can replace or add to people they already have).
the first interview was yesterday and it went very very well. the second is tomorrow. i'm pretty excited.
oh yeah, and just in case none of this works out, i have started a maternity/baby photography side business. ironically that pays more than any architecture gig.
I know of one person in ATL who was recently re-hired by the firm that laid her off last year, so it does happen, and hopefully will continue to happen. I have no idea if she had to take pay cut.
+i You mentioned working for the government. When I was unemployed I applied for all of the government positions advertised in the architecture field in the DC Metro area. I ended up getting e-maisl for all of them stating one fo two things. Either the search was cancelled or that I was unqualified for a position I know I was qualified for. I can only assume I was unqualified because I do not have military service.
Does anyone know anyone who has gotten a federal job from all this?
s.selophane, although i have not gotten a federal job, the one i had applied for got me two letters. the first stating yes, i was qualified for the position and the second telling me the names of who they awarded the job to. i have no military background at all.
i have a friend (not in arch) who once got an interview for a government position. she also has no military background.
i do like that this thread is getting some posts. though i guess it will be a while before it catches up with layoffs...
I served in the US Navy (submarine service), i started applying for a federal job, but 5 minutes into the application process, i started getting flashbacks, almost forgot what Navy stands for Never Again Volunteer Yourself.
If you think Architecture firms use you and toss you out to the curve, Well Uncle sam, will use you and keep using you and you cant go home. No matter what kind of government job its all the same.
Does anyone have experience writing a cover letter in another language?
How are you judged on the quality of your cover letter? I'm pretty sure I parts of this are going to be wrong!
"Cher Monsieur *****;
J'ai lu votre annonce d'employ par le site Web ****** (numéro de référence: *********.) Je suis interesse par cette opportunite que vous presente. Je voudrais vous parler de la possibilité de l'emploi dans votre entreprise. Je suis certain que je possède l'expérience, les compétences et les connaissances pour effectuer prodigieusement et effectivement."
I'm running out of things to say. Maybe I shouldn't be applying for a french speaking job!
its been a while since this thread has been updated.
well i got an interview, i pretty much have the job, but i got a bad feeling about this office, because I heard they decimated their office. I could be walking into anything from a pegeon hole situation to a situation where i have to train people on the abc's of CD's and computer programs. An ("oh shit we fired everyone what are you going to do now! situation)
As i was walking into the office it felt like i walked into a Museum Exhibition of an architecture office, because there were so few people, only saw about 4 people, and an army of empty desks.
what do you guys think i should do? take there offer or run away?
only thing is if i quit i get no unemployment benefits.
I think if i take the job i will just take it with a grain of salt, the way i figure its just a temporary gig while i save up to open my own shop, But ive been through these kind of situations before where people are all disgruntled and pissed off because of firings, and the project managers are stretching the truth when they tell the client that the CD's are at 95%. I just dont want to end up working until the early hours of the next morning every other day.
Na, the position i'm getting i was told is a permanent position. I only used the word gig to describe it because im very focused on eventually having my own office, I don't want to work for other people forever.
just to update on those two interviews back in late april/early may... one of them i received an offer. however, I was told- before i even interviewed- the position was located in their DC office. when i received the offer it was for their Maryland office. the offer was a good offer- exactly the salary i wanted- the problem was that the MD office is NOT metro accessible and was a 1.5+ hr drive ONE WAY for me. i tried to negotiate with them, but they were set that the position was now in their MD office- not in DC where they originally stated. i was pretty pissed, and had to turn down the offer. i am in no position to have a 3+ hour commute everyday and had i known it was at that MD location I wouldn't have applied.
the good news is... i have two interviews this week at two very different firms. i'll keep you posted.
wow +1,
They pulled a hat trick on you, i knew some people at my first firm, who drove from another state to get to work, and other people here who live way south of chicago but work way up north of chicago, dont even get me started on the impacts of city and regional planning that this creates, just because some people don't want to, how shall i say this... live next door to certain people. Its ridicules, Chicago has an interesting story of certain people fleeing the city to the suburbs, then further south of the suburbs, now back to the city. its very interesting. But anyways my first job i had to take 2 diesel trains to get to the office it was a 1hr 45min commute. I think they were hoping that you were so desperate that you would take it.
Congrats on the 2 interviews! maybe you should rename yourself to +2more kidding.
yeah, they definitely tried to pull a fast one. i'm locked into a lease, and i pay a lot of money to live close to the city. plus i have a family. i can't be commuting three hours everyday. and on top of all that- i don't exactly have a car that can handle any sort of commute like that (over 200,000miles on it). that is the whole purpose of living in the city- so i don't have to drive. it took a long time for me to make that decision, but i'm convinced that i made the right one.
the good news is, the "new" two interviews are both metro accessible locations and they don't have other offices where they could pull a fast one. i'm printing out a new portfolio as we speak. i'm determined dammit!
I've been following some of the layoff threads and this one for quite some time. I just found employment at an engineering office on contract that'll be full-time by August. I'm a glorified draftsman and don't have a problem at all. It's very technical work that's kind of the opposite what I was looking for a few years ago, but they want me full-time [benefits, profit sharing, full reimbursement for exams, etc] but are giving me the option to "try out" the office and make sure I like it, which I do. It's a unique situation as a result of networking and I'm thankful.
I graduated May 08 with an MArch and wasn't able to land a job in architecture for two years. When I got out I had 5 summers of intern work and dreams/ambitions of being a designer having interviewed for some great offices right out of school [Himmelblau, Gehry, Morphosis, etc], but those dreams went away over the past two years of scraping the ground for money. I survived with many odd jobs and it's been a great trip to say the least...I learned a lot.
I don't see myself going back to design, it doesn't make sense financially. [Call me a sell-out, I don't care] But I'm making hourly what I was asking for before the recession, plus OT.
Best of luck to all! Keep knocking on doors and keep all your contacts close, all of mine responded when I'd drop them a line every other month or so.
congrats punch...
sounds like you are making a mature choice. There's nothing wrong with earning a living and don't think of it as selling out.
At this engineering firm you will gain technical knowledge and an understanding of the construction biz. Most likely to greater degree than a design firm.
Ultimately it will make you more valuble and a better designer when you return.
congrats punch- you made a very responsible decision. there's so many people who feel it their duty to snub or look down on someone because they're not the "designer" architect... and it's ridiculous. unless you're working for yourself, at this age, you not be "THE" designer on projects. you are getting some good experience- and it will benefit you in the end. i hate working with people who *think* they can design yet have no idea how to put anything together or tie their own shoes. sadly i've worked with VP's like this too. on the other hand i've worked with those who have had experience AND can design- and it makes the quality of work and experience SO much better.
In a boutique office i worked at, at first i thought gee I'm walking into a little SOM, I might learn something" then a few weeks later it revealed itself for what it really was a boutique shop with a fancy website. I was labeled a technical guy for a lot of reasons one being that I knew how to read, two i knew how to draft details, three i wore glasses.
Anyways what I'm trying to say is get your own experience for your own self development forget if others label you a "technical guy"
I dont know about you but i plan on opening my own architecture shop, after all the inexperienced VP's, PM's, and PA's ive seen if they can do it why can't we all.
Pretty much. I've never understood the career drive of the 20th century. It's really hard to assume that you can do something for 35 years, like it and still get paid for it.
Even a sloth knows that eventually it will have to find a new tree.
holz - I'd look at it as an opportunity to learn something. IMO, any job is worthwhile if I get to improve upon or pick up new skills - even if it's something that doesn't end up in the portfolio.
interview went very well - i really loved the firm. it's a firm i would love regardless of the state of the economy. i hope it turns out in my favor and i can report i'm employed soon!
tomorrow is interview #2
I thought I had something landed a few weeks ago... 2nd interview went well, loved the office, overall had a good feeling and was looking forward to moving cross-country and trying out something new... found out that after reevaluating the workload they weren't in a position to add staff like they had hoped. The good news is that they might call when work comes in but for now it's back to the hunt.
i like how the i've found employment! thread has turned into i got an interview! thread.
i recently had two second interviews, one that i didn't get (just found out) and one where i'm still waiting to hear back. the interview went well and the interviewer weirdly kept my portfolio. i hope that's a good sign, though it's still an inconvenience. i'm trying to not get my hopes up and am still going back and fixing some little things for the next printing.
another interview friday for an architecture related non-profit (thankfully they don't expect to see a portfolio!). hope hope hope
Since we're on the topic of interviews, has anyone noticed how unprofessional some offices are? First I found it absurd that people don't respond when you contact them for employment. All it takes is a 3 sentence paragraph "Dear ____, Thank you for your interest in our office. While your experience and work is impressive, we are unable to offer you a position at the moment. Best of luck in your career search." That took 10 seconds and I made it up. Now copy and paste, can't take more than 5-10 min out of the day. Consider it side work before shutting down the computer.
Secondly, I had a pair of interviews one at the end of April, the other beginning of May. Both said they'd get back to me, they're still interviewing candidates, etc. [I knew before that line I didn't get the position]. The point being that neither got back to me...I send thank you notes w/in 24 hrs of both. And followed up with the first one TWICE...no response. The one in May I contacted recently to let them know I found employment only to hear "sorry for not getting back sooner. I was looking for someone with a little more experience." Just say it! I don't need to drag it out of you! Maybe it's because they're both small offices [< 5 people], but I still find it very rude and can only imagine what a fruitful experience it'd be working there.
DisplacedArchitect: Keep pounding. I'm in Chicago as well and it's brutal, all the principals I speak to tell me how competitive it's become for work, but it's slowly coming in. It's time consuming, but if you haven't sent your stuff everywhere, do it. You'll get a few responses and contacts that you can email directly. I had the President of BSA Lifestructures respond immediately with a nice note that they weren't hiring. And because of that little gesture, I'd love to work for them!
the last interview i had, the people who interviewed me sounded like they were not too sure what they were looking for, but even scarier they sounded like they didn't know how to do anything, because they probably have become more business people than architects. They were definitely caught off guard when i asked specific questions it was fairly obvious that they wanted a Revit Monkey, and not someone who was a threat to their position of leadership. The whole thing sounded to me like a situation where they fired everyone and are now pulling their hair because of it.
I know i should be grateful but i'm hoping they don't call me if they don't call me tomorrow i think i'll be out of danger of joining a sinking ship.
i guess knowing that people are getting interviews- which might lead to offers- gives everyone on the layoffs thread some hope? maybe that's why this turned into an interview thread?
@Punch- I was given that line "we just got started interviewing candidates", but was given a job offer a few days after that. so it doesn't mean you didn't get the job. i wonder if they just don't want to come off as being immediately sure of you- or they have to give the perception they are interviewing more people? i have no idea.
i have noticed how unprofessional firms are being... most of my interviews have been scheduled via email. i am shocked- because prior to 2008 (and the meltdown) i ALWAYS received phone calls to schedule interviews. it just seems unprofessional to me. maybe that's just me though. and the lack of responding when you send a resume and well-crafted cover letter and portfolio... i have gotten a few "thank you but we're not hiring" but the majority i haven't received a single response.
i've had 2 interviews since i graduated last spring that lead to nothing. and by nothing i mean, no contact with me at all whatsoever, despite me phoning/emailing to follow up.
actually, for one of those, i actually ended up getting to talk to the interviewer about two months later, and he said they still hadn't decided if they're hiring. ok. but you know how i found out that i didn't get the job? i ended up meeting the person who did. so basically, it seems like i was just fed a lie. wtf? that is so sleazy, i mean, i took the time out of my day too. one was a firm i really admired and really wanted to work at, too, but it just seems so unprofessional.
move to Canada! there is no shortage of work here. i've moved back home to Toronto from NYC last spring and i got a slew of interviews. it wasn't as easy as when i graduated from masters at the end of 2007, but it was definitely not as hard to land interviews as in NYC. working now at a great firm with my ideal work environment, type of work, salary, and boss, My boss says he didn't feel any recession.
I realize it is frustrating to apply for a job and not hear anything, but please see things from the side of the employer:
- most firms are not large enough to have HR people who do nothing but send out letters, respond to emails, set up interviews etc. The principals are doing the hiring, reviewing the resumes, etc.
- Also, we had recent ads for a position, and got about 100 resumes, about 40 of which did not meet the qualifications or were grossly overqualified ( we wanted 2 to 4 years experience, we had people apply with no experience, and those with 30 years...)
- The profession is still a big mess, and sometimes you are not sure if a large project or a bunch of projects will actually proceed. You may think that you can hire someone, then the projects you were anticipating get put on hold, so the hiring slows down. No one wants to hire someone then lay them off. So we principals are all a bit hesitant to hire.
- it also is not so weird to not be 100% sure what you are looking for. When I hire, the person, their attitude, their ability to learn, fitting in to the culture, etc all are more important than the exact degree, or their software experience. Sometimes we have ended up hiring someone different than what we originally thought we were going to hire for just those reasons.
I had a great interview, where I was one of two people hand picked to be interviewed. He pretty much said I had the job in the interview, but we hadn't resolved the salary during the interview. I was asking too much at first, but told him it was negotiable and told him to make an offer. He said he would think about it and would make his decision and call back later THAT AFTERNOON. I cancelled my plans THAT AFTERNOON just to hang out by the phone awaiting his precious call. That was a few months ago. Never heard from him. I happen to know they ended up not hiring anyone because I heard thru the grapevine. But that is pretty unprofessional in my opinion. I don't treat people like that. I sent him a follow up e-mail to thank him for the interview and gave him my references. At least he could have responded to my e-mail with a note that said he decided not to hire at this time. Professional. Polite. Respectful. I look for these qualities in an employer.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who almost never hears back from interviewers.
I dont even know how many times I've had a great interview with a firm and then just never heard from them again, but the craziest was one of the first firms I interviewed with right out of school-they called me the same day I submitted my resume, I went in that same week and had what I thought was a great interview, I was offered a job on the spot, negotiated salary and everything and was told to expect an official offer letter the next day when the HR person would be in-and then nothing. I tried calling them a couple of times and asking for the HR person or the person who interviewed me and I would just be asked to leave a message or whatever until like a month later when the HR person finally talked to me only to tell me that she had no idea who I was and had never seen my resume and that the person who had interviewed me, who was the head of arch studio or at least claimed to be, had been let go several weeks earlier and they were not hiring. And I apparently was not the only person he had interviewed with no intention of hiring right before he left.
I actually had a second weird encounter with that firm like a year and half later right after I was laid off from the job I ended up taking right out of school. I applied for a design job online and then got a call from the recruiter who had actually posted the job ad and she sent my resume to the firm, but said the firm had specifically asked them not to tell candidates who the firm was, and then I never heard anything else. The recruiter later called me and I guess the firm had asked for like 50 resumes and never interviewed anyone and just started dodging the recruiters calls. Very strange.
It is good to hear you are happily employed Strawbeary.I guess it is best not to allow what you do define who you are.
I went to an interview 3 weeks ago.At the end of the interview the architect said he had other candidates to interview so I knew it was a lost cause but still it was very unprofessional of him not to let me know about the outcome.He only had 1 drafter,dropped from 3 over the last 2 years so I wasn't expecting much.Even if I did get the job I could have let go 3 months after because the work dried up,he was only doing residential.His workplace was very...depressive.He shared it with another architect and they all looked miserable.Oh well..out of topic.
I think this unprofessional attitude exists in other fields also so it is not unique to architecture.
Employment....Employment
A bunch fo people I know were hired back by the firm that laid them off +6 months ago. Of course, most of them took paycuts, but has anyone else heard of anything like this?
this has been a strange year and a half for me. i've had several jobs, and been laid off three times. i've come to realize nowadays that a better description for a 'job' is really a 'gig.' i get a job, i work for a few months until the office runs out of work, and then i just hang out for a few weeks until i find something else. right now i have a side gig designing residential homes in chicago, and another side gig doing graphic design for a firm in chicago, although i live in montana, and my other gig is that i'm a caretaker for a vacation house so i live rent/utilities free. it's almost like i own my own business in that i'm responsible for knocking on doors and soliciting myself. it's a little aggrevating though, because i tend to make somewhere between 10 and 20 bucks an hour for these gigs, and thus it comes out to about 15-20k/yr and it's tough to pay off credit card bills from when i was really unemployed last year.
i just landed two interviews this week. i'm in the DC area- one job at a firm in DC and the other at a firm in Richmond. neither for the government- both private firms. both interviews are for actual positions- not 'informational interviews' (the firm advertises as if there is a position but in actuality there isn't and they just want to meet people with resumes they like so when things get better they can replace or add to people they already have).
the first interview was yesterday and it went very very well. the second is tomorrow. i'm pretty excited.
oh yeah, and just in case none of this works out, i have started a maternity/baby photography side business. ironically that pays more than any architecture gig.
s.selophane:
I know of one person in ATL who was recently re-hired by the firm that laid her off last year, so it does happen, and hopefully will continue to happen. I have no idea if she had to take pay cut.
+i You mentioned working for the government. When I was unemployed I applied for all of the government positions advertised in the architecture field in the DC Metro area. I ended up getting e-maisl for all of them stating one fo two things. Either the search was cancelled or that I was unqualified for a position I know I was qualified for. I can only assume I was unqualified because I do not have military service.
Does anyone know anyone who has gotten a federal job from all this?
s.selophane, although i have not gotten a federal job, the one i had applied for got me two letters. the first stating yes, i was qualified for the position and the second telling me the names of who they awarded the job to. i have no military background at all.
i have a friend (not in arch) who once got an interview for a government position. she also has no military background.
i do like that this thread is getting some posts. though i guess it will be a while before it catches up with layoffs...
I served in the US Navy (submarine service), i started applying for a federal job, but 5 minutes into the application process, i started getting flashbacks, almost forgot what Navy stands for Never Again Volunteer Yourself.
PS. im an architect
If you think Architecture firms use you and toss you out to the curve, Well Uncle sam, will use you and keep using you and you cant go home. No matter what kind of government job its all the same.
You got leads. Mitch and Murray paid good money.
Does anyone have experience writing a cover letter in another language?
How are you judged on the quality of your cover letter? I'm pretty sure I parts of this are going to be wrong!
"Cher Monsieur *****;
J'ai lu votre annonce d'employ par le site Web ****** (numéro de référence: *********.) Je suis interesse par cette opportunite que vous presente. Je voudrais vous parler de la possibilité de l'emploi dans votre entreprise. Je suis certain que je possède l'expérience, les compétences et les connaissances pour effectuer prodigieusement et effectivement."
I'm running out of things to say. Maybe I shouldn't be applying for a french speaking job!
its been a while since this thread has been updated.
well i got an interview, i pretty much have the job, but i got a bad feeling about this office, because I heard they decimated their office. I could be walking into anything from a pegeon hole situation to a situation where i have to train people on the abc's of CD's and computer programs. An ("oh shit we fired everyone what are you going to do now! situation)
As i was walking into the office it felt like i walked into a Museum Exhibition of an architecture office, because there were so few people, only saw about 4 people, and an army of empty desks.
what do you guys think i should do? take there offer or run away?
Take it! If you don't like it leave.
only thing is if i quit i get no unemployment benefits.
I think if i take the job i will just take it with a grain of salt, the way i figure its just a temporary gig while i save up to open my own shop, But ive been through these kind of situations before where people are all disgruntled and pissed off because of firings, and the project managers are stretching the truth when they tell the client that the CD's are at 95%. I just dont want to end up working until the early hours of the next morning every other day.
So far, I have been able to get three 1 month "gigs" this year doing design+drafting with Revit.
Hospitals, Public Sector(municipal Building retrofit with stimulus funds and TI for Law firms.
I guess a finding a long term employment is like finding a unicorn these days..Better get used to the "gig" era huh?
Na, the position i'm getting i was told is a permanent position. I only used the word gig to describe it because im very focused on eventually having my own office, I don't want to work for other people forever.
just to update on those two interviews back in late april/early may... one of them i received an offer. however, I was told- before i even interviewed- the position was located in their DC office. when i received the offer it was for their Maryland office. the offer was a good offer- exactly the salary i wanted- the problem was that the MD office is NOT metro accessible and was a 1.5+ hr drive ONE WAY for me. i tried to negotiate with them, but they were set that the position was now in their MD office- not in DC where they originally stated. i was pretty pissed, and had to turn down the offer. i am in no position to have a 3+ hour commute everyday and had i known it was at that MD location I wouldn't have applied.
the good news is... i have two interviews this week at two very different firms. i'll keep you posted.
wow +1,
They pulled a hat trick on you, i knew some people at my first firm, who drove from another state to get to work, and other people here who live way south of chicago but work way up north of chicago, dont even get me started on the impacts of city and regional planning that this creates, just because some people don't want to, how shall i say this... live next door to certain people. Its ridicules, Chicago has an interesting story of certain people fleeing the city to the suburbs, then further south of the suburbs, now back to the city. its very interesting. But anyways my first job i had to take 2 diesel trains to get to the office it was a 1hr 45min commute. I think they were hoping that you were so desperate that you would take it.
Congrats on the 2 interviews! maybe you should rename yourself to +2more kidding.
+i sorry
yeah, they definitely tried to pull a fast one. i'm locked into a lease, and i pay a lot of money to live close to the city. plus i have a family. i can't be commuting three hours everyday. and on top of all that- i don't exactly have a car that can handle any sort of commute like that (over 200,000miles on it). that is the whole purpose of living in the city- so i don't have to drive. it took a long time for me to make that decision, but i'm convinced that i made the right one.
the good news is, the "new" two interviews are both metro accessible locations and they don't have other offices where they could pull a fast one. i'm printing out a new portfolio as we speak. i'm determined dammit!
I've been following some of the layoff threads and this one for quite some time. I just found employment at an engineering office on contract that'll be full-time by August. I'm a glorified draftsman and don't have a problem at all. It's very technical work that's kind of the opposite what I was looking for a few years ago, but they want me full-time [benefits, profit sharing, full reimbursement for exams, etc] but are giving me the option to "try out" the office and make sure I like it, which I do. It's a unique situation as a result of networking and I'm thankful.
I graduated May 08 with an MArch and wasn't able to land a job in architecture for two years. When I got out I had 5 summers of intern work and dreams/ambitions of being a designer having interviewed for some great offices right out of school [Himmelblau, Gehry, Morphosis, etc], but those dreams went away over the past two years of scraping the ground for money. I survived with many odd jobs and it's been a great trip to say the least...I learned a lot.
I don't see myself going back to design, it doesn't make sense financially. [Call me a sell-out, I don't care] But I'm making hourly what I was asking for before the recession, plus OT.
Best of luck to all! Keep knocking on doors and keep all your contacts close, all of mine responded when I'd drop them a line every other month or so.
congrats punch...
sounds like you are making a mature choice. There's nothing wrong with earning a living and don't think of it as selling out.
At this engineering firm you will gain technical knowledge and an understanding of the construction biz. Most likely to greater degree than a design firm.
Ultimately it will make you more valuble and a better designer when you return.
congrats punch- you made a very responsible decision. there's so many people who feel it their duty to snub or look down on someone because they're not the "designer" architect... and it's ridiculous. unless you're working for yourself, at this age, you not be "THE" designer on projects. you are getting some good experience- and it will benefit you in the end. i hate working with people who *think* they can design yet have no idea how to put anything together or tie their own shoes. sadly i've worked with VP's like this too. on the other hand i've worked with those who have had experience AND can design- and it makes the quality of work and experience SO much better.
In a boutique office i worked at, at first i thought gee I'm walking into a little SOM, I might learn something" then a few weeks later it revealed itself for what it really was a boutique shop with a fancy website. I was labeled a technical guy for a lot of reasons one being that I knew how to read, two i knew how to draft details, three i wore glasses.
Anyways what I'm trying to say is get your own experience for your own self development forget if others label you a "technical guy"
I dont know about you but i plan on opening my own architecture shop, after all the inexperienced VP's, PM's, and PA's ive seen if they can do it why can't we all.
upcoming interview w/a firm who i would normally never even look at. is a job really just a job?
"is a job really just a job?"
Pretty much. I've never understood the career drive of the 20th century. It's really hard to assume that you can do something for 35 years, like it and still get paid for it.
Even a sloth knows that eventually it will have to find a new tree.
holz - I'd look at it as an opportunity to learn something. IMO, any job is worthwhile if I get to improve upon or pick up new skills - even if it's something that doesn't end up in the portfolio.
Holz i had a similar experience recently, the short answer to your question is yes.
but depending on your abilities, you could feel out the job for the first 6 months, after all most firms have you on provation for 6 months anyway.
I lost my job in the autumn of 2008. Since then I have been building Revit Families for BPMs and have not looked back. ☺
The Revit Revolution Rolls On!
archinect finally has one job post for the windy city aka chicago, for the first time in what feels like years.
i think they want someone who is an architect, but also happened to be a public school teacher kind of confusing.
interview went very well - i really loved the firm. it's a firm i would love regardless of the state of the economy. i hope it turns out in my favor and i can report i'm employed soon!
tomorrow is interview #2
Congrats! +i
hope that works out +i.
I thought I had something landed a few weeks ago... 2nd interview went well, loved the office, overall had a good feeling and was looking forward to moving cross-country and trying out something new... found out that after reevaluating the workload they weren't in a position to add staff like they had hoped. The good news is that they might call when work comes in but for now it's back to the hunt.
i like how the i've found employment! thread has turned into i got an interview! thread.
i recently had two second interviews, one that i didn't get (just found out) and one where i'm still waiting to hear back. the interview went well and the interviewer weirdly kept my portfolio. i hope that's a good sign, though it's still an inconvenience. i'm trying to not get my hopes up and am still going back and fixing some little things for the next printing.
another interview friday for an architecture related non-profit (thankfully they don't expect to see a portfolio!). hope hope hope
thanks for the advice, toaster, et al.
makes sense to me.
Since we're on the topic of interviews, has anyone noticed how unprofessional some offices are? First I found it absurd that people don't respond when you contact them for employment. All it takes is a 3 sentence paragraph "Dear ____, Thank you for your interest in our office. While your experience and work is impressive, we are unable to offer you a position at the moment. Best of luck in your career search." That took 10 seconds and I made it up. Now copy and paste, can't take more than 5-10 min out of the day. Consider it side work before shutting down the computer.
Secondly, I had a pair of interviews one at the end of April, the other beginning of May. Both said they'd get back to me, they're still interviewing candidates, etc. [I knew before that line I didn't get the position]. The point being that neither got back to me...I send thank you notes w/in 24 hrs of both. And followed up with the first one TWICE...no response. The one in May I contacted recently to let them know I found employment only to hear "sorry for not getting back sooner. I was looking for someone with a little more experience." Just say it! I don't need to drag it out of you! Maybe it's because they're both small offices [< 5 people], but I still find it very rude and can only imagine what a fruitful experience it'd be working there.
DisplacedArchitect: Keep pounding. I'm in Chicago as well and it's brutal, all the principals I speak to tell me how competitive it's become for work, but it's slowly coming in. It's time consuming, but if you haven't sent your stuff everywhere, do it. You'll get a few responses and contacts that you can email directly. I had the President of BSA Lifestructures respond immediately with a nice note that they weren't hiring. And because of that little gesture, I'd love to work for them!
Thanks Punch84,
the last interview i had, the people who interviewed me sounded like they were not too sure what they were looking for, but even scarier they sounded like they didn't know how to do anything, because they probably have become more business people than architects. They were definitely caught off guard when i asked specific questions it was fairly obvious that they wanted a Revit Monkey, and not someone who was a threat to their position of leadership. The whole thing sounded to me like a situation where they fired everyone and are now pulling their hair because of it.
I know i should be grateful but i'm hoping they don't call me if they don't call me tomorrow i think i'll be out of danger of joining a sinking ship.
i guess knowing that people are getting interviews- which might lead to offers- gives everyone on the layoffs thread some hope? maybe that's why this turned into an interview thread?
@Punch- I was given that line "we just got started interviewing candidates", but was given a job offer a few days after that. so it doesn't mean you didn't get the job. i wonder if they just don't want to come off as being immediately sure of you- or they have to give the perception they are interviewing more people? i have no idea.
i have noticed how unprofessional firms are being... most of my interviews have been scheduled via email. i am shocked- because prior to 2008 (and the meltdown) i ALWAYS received phone calls to schedule interviews. it just seems unprofessional to me. maybe that's just me though. and the lack of responding when you send a resume and well-crafted cover letter and portfolio... i have gotten a few "thank you but we're not hiring" but the majority i haven't received a single response.
i've had 2 interviews since i graduated last spring that lead to nothing. and by nothing i mean, no contact with me at all whatsoever, despite me phoning/emailing to follow up.
actually, for one of those, i actually ended up getting to talk to the interviewer about two months later, and he said they still hadn't decided if they're hiring. ok. but you know how i found out that i didn't get the job? i ended up meeting the person who did. so basically, it seems like i was just fed a lie. wtf? that is so sleazy, i mean, i took the time out of my day too. one was a firm i really admired and really wanted to work at, too, but it just seems so unprofessional.
move to Canada! there is no shortage of work here. i've moved back home to Toronto from NYC last spring and i got a slew of interviews. it wasn't as easy as when i graduated from masters at the end of 2007, but it was definitely not as hard to land interviews as in NYC. working now at a great firm with my ideal work environment, type of work, salary, and boss, My boss says he didn't feel any recession.
I realize it is frustrating to apply for a job and not hear anything, but please see things from the side of the employer:
- most firms are not large enough to have HR people who do nothing but send out letters, respond to emails, set up interviews etc. The principals are doing the hiring, reviewing the resumes, etc.
- Also, we had recent ads for a position, and got about 100 resumes, about 40 of which did not meet the qualifications or were grossly overqualified ( we wanted 2 to 4 years experience, we had people apply with no experience, and those with 30 years...)
- The profession is still a big mess, and sometimes you are not sure if a large project or a bunch of projects will actually proceed. You may think that you can hire someone, then the projects you were anticipating get put on hold, so the hiring slows down. No one wants to hire someone then lay them off. So we principals are all a bit hesitant to hire.
- it also is not so weird to not be 100% sure what you are looking for. When I hire, the person, their attitude, their ability to learn, fitting in to the culture, etc all are more important than the exact degree, or their software experience. Sometimes we have ended up hiring someone different than what we originally thought we were going to hire for just those reasons.
I had a great interview, where I was one of two people hand picked to be interviewed. He pretty much said I had the job in the interview, but we hadn't resolved the salary during the interview. I was asking too much at first, but told him it was negotiable and told him to make an offer. He said he would think about it and would make his decision and call back later THAT AFTERNOON. I cancelled my plans THAT AFTERNOON just to hang out by the phone awaiting his precious call. That was a few months ago. Never heard from him. I happen to know they ended up not hiring anyone because I heard thru the grapevine. But that is pretty unprofessional in my opinion. I don't treat people like that. I sent him a follow up e-mail to thank him for the interview and gave him my references. At least he could have responded to my e-mail with a note that said he decided not to hire at this time. Professional. Polite. Respectful. I look for these qualities in an employer.
But since this is the employment.... employment thread, I should say, I'm employed! Happily employed! (In another industry.)
What industry are you working in now Strawbeary?
Para, my husband and I bought the business he used to work for, so I work there now. Private special education.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who almost never hears back from interviewers.
I dont even know how many times I've had a great interview with a firm and then just never heard from them again, but the craziest was one of the first firms I interviewed with right out of school-they called me the same day I submitted my resume, I went in that same week and had what I thought was a great interview, I was offered a job on the spot, negotiated salary and everything and was told to expect an official offer letter the next day when the HR person would be in-and then nothing. I tried calling them a couple of times and asking for the HR person or the person who interviewed me and I would just be asked to leave a message or whatever until like a month later when the HR person finally talked to me only to tell me that she had no idea who I was and had never seen my resume and that the person who had interviewed me, who was the head of arch studio or at least claimed to be, had been let go several weeks earlier and they were not hiring. And I apparently was not the only person he had interviewed with no intention of hiring right before he left.
I actually had a second weird encounter with that firm like a year and half later right after I was laid off from the job I ended up taking right out of school. I applied for a design job online and then got a call from the recruiter who had actually posted the job ad and she sent my resume to the firm, but said the firm had specifically asked them not to tell candidates who the firm was, and then I never heard anything else. The recruiter later called me and I guess the firm had asked for like 50 resumes and never interviewed anyone and just started dodging the recruiters calls. Very strange.
It is good to hear you are happily employed Strawbeary.I guess it is best not to allow what you do define who you are.
I went to an interview 3 weeks ago.At the end of the interview the architect said he had other candidates to interview so I knew it was a lost cause but still it was very unprofessional of him not to let me know about the outcome.He only had 1 drafter,dropped from 3 over the last 2 years so I wasn't expecting much.Even if I did get the job I could have let go 3 months after because the work dried up,he was only doing residential.His workplace was very...depressive.He shared it with another architect and they all looked miserable.Oh well..out of topic.
I think this unprofessional attitude exists in other fields also so it is not unique to architecture.
para, I still identify as an architect. I just don't have to draw blueprints or take calls from contractors anymore! Or work long hours for pennies.
Just in case anyone is interested...
Toll Brothers is hiring a "ARCHITECTURAL CADD TECHNICIAN" with 1-to-2 years experience and a high school diploma for $9.25 an hour in Orlando.
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