Right on, Para, when most jobs aren't posted anywhere, and instead are kept as "secret insider information", you're basically forcing people to go knocking on doors asking, "are you secretly hiring and just not telling anyone?"
Company owners, stop being dbags keeping everything hush hush and only hiring friends of employees, and instead post your job openings on places like archinect.
Has anybody experienced negative reaction at networking events due to unemployment? I was/is unemployed when I attended a construction networking event but as soon as I told people that I didn't have a job they didn't want to talk to me..I guess they thought I was only there to use them to find a job but that wasn't the case.I don't like manipulating people like that so I decided not to go to networking events until I find a job that at least pay the bills so I won't have to tell them I unemployed.Sheesh..
My advice is to direct your efforts to firms that are doing work that inspires you or work that you at least respect. Send your CVs to those firms and follow up, either with emails and/or phone calls. When the firms are looking at a lot of CVs, the criteria that set you apart from the pack are:
education and experience relevant to the position
graphically clear CV layout - but not centered and not over the top
a selection of great work samples, but not 50 pages
sincere interest in the firm that you are applying to
follow up with polite emails and one or two phone calls, it shows ambition and interest. but don't show desperation
Don't talk about yourself 100% in your correspondence. Think about what you can offer the employer and not about what you'll get out of it. You'd be surprised how many applicants will do this even in this market
Secretary / cleaning person / Entry level AutoCAD operator wanted for full-time work. Candidate must have knowledge of AutoCad 2000 or greater. Do not attach resume to email, insert text within email document. Qualified candidates will be contacted.
About position: Work Mon thru Fri 7:30am - 4pm, 1/2 hr lunch (8 hr day). Working hours may vary depending on project requirements. Candidate must have strong English skills. Compensation: $10 per hour. Candidate will answer phones, clean office, collect mail, perform clerical work, and perform cad drafting.
About us: Small structural engineering firm. We have an increasing amount of work and plan to expand rapidly. We specialize in temporary structures and construction management.
Yes, I went to architecture school to fulfill my dream of becoming a janitor.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, I've done janitorial work before, during college, and since I graduated with my 4 yr degree I've applied to be a custodian at a local university because I can't find any architecture jobs around here, but still...
Does it worry anyone else that they're still using AutoCAD 2000?
^ and this is why the whole BIM thing is just not going to provide the benefit it really should. It sounds good in theory until you face the reality that all of your consultants are using 10 year old versions of AutoCAD and probably will never upgrade to even the current version of AutoCAD, let alone Revit, etc.
"does anyone worry that they're still using AutoCAD 2000?"
On one hand you might think..wow they are really behind the curve.
On the other hand you might think...wow the avg. experience level of their production staff is 10+ years.
for a structural...I'd rather have the later personally. I suppose I'm biased as I am a 2d'er.
I'm not convinced that revit delivers better buildings, in the same way I'm not convinced that 2d cad was an improvement over plastic lead/mylar. Aside from an efficiency standpoint.
In my opinion, the efficiency of the computer is at odds with the sustainability of a "design" profession.
I think you all need to hear from someone on the inside. I'm a Partner at a medium size firm in Seattle and I do the hiring. I have almost 25 years of experience and I have never seen anything like the last year. We have been in survival mode. We have run through almost all of our cash reserves. We have laid off 50% of our staff. The remaining staff is working at reduced hours. We have been in the red the last three months. If we don't acknowledge receiving your resumes, which I used to do, it is because we are over-whelmed and completely focused on getting new work. The only way you all are going to get jobs is if we get the work...and there is barely any work out there. But, things are getting better. We have had two projects on hold start up and several new projects come in the door. It seems in our market that multi-family projects are leading the recovery...these are rental apartments and HUD financed. Our priority going forward is to hire back our valued employees first before any new hires. If you were laid off my advice to you is to maintain contacts with your old firm. When we hire I always ask our staff if they have a friend to recommend first before I post the job ad on the AIA website. If you are a recent graduate you are really in a tough position. There are a lot of experienced people ahead of you.
So there aren't any boring grunt work for entry level positions? You know the stuff the more experienced folk "looks down upon"? If nobody takes and trains recent graduates how will the next generation of architects take place? I wonder...
How to find an architectural job?
I had wanted to join AIA,to be able to join their events, but the membership fees are just too ridiculous for someone unemployed like me. Seriously.
It takes some money to network too.
I'm am thinking of going back to school for a building inspection or construction project management...What do you people think???
Right on, Para, when most jobs aren't posted anywhere, and instead are kept as "secret insider information", you're basically forcing people to go knocking on doors asking, "are you secretly hiring and just not telling anyone?"
Company owners, stop being dbags keeping everything hush hush and only hiring friends of employees, and instead post your job openings on places like archinect.
Has anybody experienced negative reaction at networking events due to unemployment? I was/is unemployed when I attended a construction networking event but as soon as I told people that I didn't have a job they didn't want to talk to me..I guess they thought I was only there to use them to find a job but that wasn't the case.I don't like manipulating people like that so I decided not to go to networking events until I find a job that at least pay the bills so I won't have to tell them I unemployed.Sheesh..
Pretty much the only way to get hired these days is to already have a job doing exactly the same thing, only for a different company.
Nobody wants to spend any time training new employees, and nobody wants to hire someone that another company tossed out.
Cheer up everyone. It might never happen. :)
My advice is to direct your efforts to firms that are doing work that inspires you or work that you at least respect. Send your CVs to those firms and follow up, either with emails and/or phone calls. When the firms are looking at a lot of CVs, the criteria that set you apart from the pack are:
education and experience relevant to the position
graphically clear CV layout - but not centered and not over the top
a selection of great work samples, but not 50 pages
sincere interest in the firm that you are applying to
follow up with polite emails and one or two phone calls, it shows ambition and interest. but don't show desperation
Don't talk about yourself 100% in your correspondence. Think about what you can offer the employer and not about what you'll get out of it. You'd be surprised how many applicants will do this even in this market
Secretary / cleaning person / Entry level AutoCAD operator wanted for full-time work. Candidate must have knowledge of AutoCad 2000 or greater. Do not attach resume to email, insert text within email document. Qualified candidates will be contacted.
About position: Work Mon thru Fri 7:30am - 4pm, 1/2 hr lunch (8 hr day). Working hours may vary depending on project requirements. Candidate must have strong English skills. Compensation: $10 per hour. Candidate will answer phones, clean office, collect mail, perform clerical work, and perform cad drafting.
About us: Small structural engineering firm. We have an increasing amount of work and plan to expand rapidly. We specialize in temporary structures and construction management.
^ http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/egr/1807562061.html
Yes, I went to architecture school to fulfill my dream of becoming a janitor.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, I've done janitorial work before, during college, and since I graduated with my 4 yr degree I've applied to be a custodian at a local university because I can't find any architecture jobs around here, but still...
Does it worry anyone else that they're still using AutoCAD 2000?
^ and this is why the whole BIM thing is just not going to provide the benefit it really should. It sounds good in theory until you face the reality that all of your consultants are using 10 year old versions of AutoCAD and probably will never upgrade to even the current version of AutoCAD, let alone Revit, etc.
"does anyone worry that they're still using AutoCAD 2000?"
On one hand you might think..wow they are really behind the curve.
On the other hand you might think...wow the avg. experience level of their production staff is 10+ years.
for a structural...I'd rather have the later personally. I suppose I'm biased as I am a 2d'er.
I'm not convinced that revit delivers better buildings, in the same way I'm not convinced that 2d cad was an improvement over plastic lead/mylar. Aside from an efficiency standpoint.
In my opinion, the efficiency of the computer is at odds with the sustainability of a "design" profession.
I think you all need to hear from someone on the inside. I'm a Partner at a medium size firm in Seattle and I do the hiring. I have almost 25 years of experience and I have never seen anything like the last year. We have been in survival mode. We have run through almost all of our cash reserves. We have laid off 50% of our staff. The remaining staff is working at reduced hours. We have been in the red the last three months. If we don't acknowledge receiving your resumes, which I used to do, it is because we are over-whelmed and completely focused on getting new work. The only way you all are going to get jobs is if we get the work...and there is barely any work out there. But, things are getting better. We have had two projects on hold start up and several new projects come in the door. It seems in our market that multi-family projects are leading the recovery...these are rental apartments and HUD financed. Our priority going forward is to hire back our valued employees first before any new hires. If you were laid off my advice to you is to maintain contacts with your old firm. When we hire I always ask our staff if they have a friend to recommend first before I post the job ad on the AIA website. If you are a recent graduate you are really in a tough position. There are a lot of experienced people ahead of you.
So there aren't any boring grunt work for entry level positions? You know the stuff the more experienced folk "looks down upon"? If nobody takes and trains recent graduates how will the next generation of architects take place? I wonder...
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