All I know is that there is a generous helping of whiners and complainers here. It's always easier to wish things were different and in your favour than to make real effort and adapt.
I would also venture a guess that many are unwilling to seriously apply to all the smaller, lesser-known firms due to an inherent ego-complex that, put simply, boils down to "work only for the best or bust."
Don't think people are whining here at all. Law school graduates have it as bad, if not worse, than architects. On the other hand the unemployment rate of physicians is.........zero. Clearly the whole system is screwed up big time. No one in the alphabet soup agencies that control the education and licensing seem to care - as long as their fat paychecks clear.
Not really, there are many professions that are declining in influence and prestige in our current horrible economy while a few others, like physicians assistants and petroleum engineering, have been on a strong upswing over a period of several years. A lot of the demand of any profession can be controlled and managed to a degree by the licensing authorities.
Other than freelance I couldn't get on at a firm after 2 1/2 years and 200+ resumes (I did get 5 interviews though so there is that) graduating from M Arch.
I looked to related fields and now I work on the other side of the counter for municipal government in the planning department. I make more per year than an arch intern (and most junior architects) in my area, work less and have no stress. I still design in my off time and still own my own business (design/build) so I'm not out of the game, just getting the perspective from the other side of things.
Goes to show that our skills are transferable, and there is always something out there.
I think there are at least 25% of people here who made accounts just to score a quick free CAD file of insert name city. The actual % of truly unemployed architects (with license) has got to be be minimal. There is however no shortage of people thinking highly of themselves or their skill set expressing frustration at a world not geared towards their benefit.
Just checking in here. Currently gainfully employed. Worked freelance for about a year and a half after getting my BFA in Architecture. Then firm I was freelancing for terminated my contract. It was rough. I sent my resume and portfolio to every firm in town with little results. I was able to get a job in construction while I was searching for another gig. The firm I freelanced for helped out with references and I finally landed with a stable, successful firm as a full time employee. It was strange though, I after I accepted the job offer from my current employer, half the firms I sent my resume to came out of the woodwork wanting to give me an interview. That said, I landed at the firm I really wanted to work for. I took two other interviews, but the offers were not as lucrative and the firms were not as prestigious. Now I am working towards getting my license.
I wish everyone out there luck who is still looking for work.
Currently self employed-by choice-after 15 years of working for others. Right now, not making as much, but on track to do much better than. The pitiful salaries offered at firms. Time will tell. Once I got my first job back in the day (during a recession) I've never had any trouble finding jobs.
Mar 2, 14 10:08 am ·
·
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.
Out of curiosity; How many unemployed Architect graduates do we have here?
Unemployed as in, no longer doing anything architecture-y.
All I know is that there is a generous helping of whiners and complainers here. It's always easier to wish things were different and in your favour than to make real effort and adapt.
Ding
^-- sometimes people want to make an effort, but they don't know what to do, so they ask for help, then they get accused of whining.
other times they're just whining.
The comment history of the OP would suggest more whining that effort.
^ ^ "Other times"
Most of the time.
I would also venture a guess that many are unwilling to seriously apply to all the smaller, lesser-known firms due to an inherent ego-complex that, put simply, boils down to "work only for the best or bust."
@Non Sequitur Bog off Non Sequitur, I would like this to be a constructive thread.
15-25% unemployed
50% students and "non-architects"
25-35% working architects*
*may not be a licensed professional
Don't think people are whining here at all. Law school graduates have it as bad, if not worse, than architects. On the other hand the unemployment rate of physicians is.........zero. Clearly the whole system is screwed up big time. No one in the alphabet soup agencies that control the education and licensing seem to care - as long as their fat paychecks clear.
Not really, there are many professions that are declining in influence and prestige in our current horrible economy while a few others, like physicians assistants and petroleum engineering, have been on a strong upswing over a period of several years. A lot of the demand of any profession can be controlled and managed to a degree by the licensing authorities.
Other than freelance I couldn't get on at a firm after 2 1/2 years and 200+ resumes (I did get 5 interviews though so there is that) graduating from M Arch.
I looked to related fields and now I work on the other side of the counter for municipal government in the planning department. I make more per year than an arch intern (and most junior architects) in my area, work less and have no stress. I still design in my off time and still own my own business (design/build) so I'm not out of the game, just getting the perspective from the other side of things.
Goes to show that our skills are transferable, and there is always something out there.
@Aristotle, boo-hoo.
I think there are at least 25% of people here who made accounts just to score a quick free CAD file of insert name city. The actual % of truly unemployed architects (with license) has got to be be minimal. There is however no shortage of people thinking highly of themselves or their skill set expressing frustration at a world not geared towards their benefit.
Just checking in here. Currently gainfully employed. Worked freelance for about a year and a half after getting my BFA in Architecture. Then firm I was freelancing for terminated my contract. It was rough. I sent my resume and portfolio to every firm in town with little results. I was able to get a job in construction while I was searching for another gig. The firm I freelanced for helped out with references and I finally landed with a stable, successful firm as a full time employee. It was strange though, I after I accepted the job offer from my current employer, half the firms I sent my resume to came out of the woodwork wanting to give me an interview. That said, I landed at the firm I really wanted to work for. I took two other interviews, but the offers were not as lucrative and the firms were not as prestigious. Now I am working towards getting my license.
I wish everyone out there luck who is still looking for work.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.