time to start your own firm and be 

oneFOUNDarchitect

!!!

I feel like I'm in the same boat.  Not sure what to do, but with the economy improving maybe new opportunities will pop up.

Running a business is a different skillset than being an architect.  Working for a living should be a more viable option.  Getting a bunch of "entrepreneurs" who have no idea how to run a company and only want to make money off other people's work is not a good solution.

At first I wasn't going to comment on your post because I felt you might not be receptive to what I have to say on this subject. But, upon reflection, I decided to give it a shot. I hope you find these comments helpful.

Progress within a firm rarely is a function of 'time spent on the job' -- it certainly isn't an entitlement. In my experience, people move up in a firm when, and only when, those to who they report have a high degree of confidence that greater responsibility can be handled with reasonable skill and positive results.

It's entirely possible that your firm just isn't paying attention or listening to what you are saying -- but, I doubt that's the case. It's much more likely that you are being held back for a reason. They probably feel you still have lots to learn at your current level, plus they may not think you have demonstrated other, more intangible, skills needed for promotion to greater responsibility.

Sound technical and design abilities alone don't make someone worthy of promotion. As one rises in a firm, other skills -- such as the ability to work effectively with other people, the ability to manage other people, interpersonal skills, the ability to regularly meet schedules and budgets, the ability to make effective presentations, etc. -- take on much greater importance.

Perhaps you might want to examine how effectively you spend your time on the job, how you are perceived by those around you (especially those above you on the organization ladder), how well you have developed -- and convincingly demonstrated -- a broader set of skills, what sort of regular positive results you have achieved during your two years at the firm, etc. That examination might help you better understand what you need to do in order to be promoted.

Finally, over the course of a career, those who achieve significant responsibility frequently have someone older, and wiser, who can provide a mentoring relationship on the ins-and-outs of professional life. If you have not already done so, you might want to establish a trusting relationship with someone senior in your firm who can give you meaningful guidance about how to prepare yourself for the next stage of organizational responsibility.

Good luck.

Well put quizzical...one thing I would add is that one other thing that puts someone on track to step up to the next level is to consistently think ahead a couple of steps (this assumes you have enough experience that you should have a good overview of what's needed for a project).

So when I've asked two hypothetical employees to finish up changes to some floor plans, and one of them completes the task, and the other does too, but also shows the initiative to update the resulting changes to elevations/sections/etc., or raises concerns that the plan changes have created a conflict w/ the HVAC system, that second employee is showing me that they understand the project in a way that the first does not yet.

An employee who can anticipate what's next, and who's always dependable and thorough, is someone who will definitely get more responsibility.

Also, don't hesitate to ask your bosses how you can do a better job, what they need to see from you for you to get to the next level.  Whenever I'm asked those questions, I deeply appreciate that someone's serious about being a great asset to the firm.

In the modern world - you can organize almost everything on a computer with reproducible copies.  Outlook has a nice task list you can take advantage of.  There are ways of countering poor organizational ability, but good sucking-up skills are priceless.

You will never go poor winning the favor of a rich man.  I know I'm overly cynical...

bklyntotfc, thinking one step ahead can be a great idea - but to me its just one of those "one uppers" that in the end can have little value as well.

Does the time saved really make a difference, or will people still have downtime in the end?  Really, what should be the focus is how well of a job the person is doing.  Are they capable of thinking things through on a deep level, at an appropriate pace.

Thanks everyone for the comments. I understand where you all are coming from. Maybe I rub individuals the wrong way. I don't know? What I do not want to happen is for me to dedicate 10 years of my life, and not be recognized. It is so easy to get stuck at a firm, and what I am finding out about myself is that I am not one of these individuals who does their work, looks at the clock and counts down the minutes to 5pm. I want to be at work to further my career and my development as an architect.. I understand some people are happy pumping  out CD's day in and day out. I've done it, and still am doing it and I don't think there is anything wrong with that, but I am not one of those guys. I want to stand up and scream sometimes... but I just keep on doing what I am doing... hoping that they would recognize that I am an asset. I feel like they have just thrown me on the backburner, and if something arises, hey maybe they will think of me and give me a shot. I think my issue is that opportunities aren't going to fall on my lap. I need to make them happen and maybe this isn't the right opportunity for me. 

Have you ever expressed this to your employer? Speak up and let them know your position! You may find them to be very responsive by being more vocal and selfish - let it be known. You have to look out for yourself because nobody else will if they don't know. Unless they're really invested and depending on the type of culture, they're not going to go out of their way; I'm sure they have enough to worry about. Open communication is key.

I agree with Vytautas - communication is key.  Lithuanians always have such wisdom...  It sounds like you just don't like your job and/or current company. Perhaps good communication could solve that - or maybe you just would jive better with another group.

grneggandsam...thinking ahead isn't about being efficient.  That may be a secondary benefit, but to me it's just a really good indicator that differentiates those who get it from those who don't.

I think the OP needs to speak to his employers to get an idea of what their expectations are, and get their perspective on his strong/weak points.  Once he knows that, he'll have a leg up compared to his situation now...I can't imagine not getting a promised lead on a project, and just sitting there, not knowing why.

Maybe another good indicator on those who do/don't get it is those who communicate with their boss to see what's gone wrong and how to fix it, and those who don't.

Its really not that difficult to think ahead - I think most people do it whenever they can.  For example, I thought ahead and realized our firm was slow - so I did a lot of research on future projects we could pick up.  When I found a few, to my dismay, my boss handed over the solicitation to others.  Now, I don't research solicitations anymore.

but, yes, I do think "thinking ahead" is probably what employers look for when finding someone to promote.  Basically - your boss wants to have to tell you what to do as little as possible, so keep that in mind.  It can seem a little honest to expect someone to "think ahead" as well - when you told them to do a certain amount and get back to them, perhaps they could have a different idea about how the next part of the wall assembly works and you are wasting your time drawing it up with your "thinking ahead".  What I've found, though, is its a psychological device - employers will think you are going the extra mile or something.