i am a recently graduated architect. i have been given a job at university to teach master and bachelor students History of architecture. my aim is not to continue teaching for the rest of my life i would like to find a job as an architect in a firm. this is just temporary. my point is . .. should i put teaching experience on my cv would that look good or will it just make it harder to get a job in an architecture firm?
jorge espinoza
Nov 29, 17 2:03 pm
if you are going to do some History work go ahead, but I would recommend that you do not do it because in an architecture firm that is not going to be relevant for the tasks you are going to perform.
Non Sequitur
Nov 29, 17 2:45 pm
very bad advice. the teaching I did and included in my CV certainly helped as it showed the office's principles that I can communicate ideas clearly enough to teach others.
Peter Normand
Nov 30, 17 9:10 am
You should use your teaching work experience until you build up more work experience and can leave it off once you can fill a resume with work experience from your time in firms. it is better than an employment gap.
TED
Nov 29, 17 2:09 pm
Suggest you do include on your CV. Teaching requires transferable skills to architecture including communication, organisation and presentation. Ask anyone who were teaching assistants while going to grad school - builds self-confidence in your ability to describe ideas succinctly.
thisisnotmyname
Nov 29, 17 2:19 pm
Yes, do include it. Because explaining things is the essence of what practicing architects do. You are communicating your ideas and solutions to clients and then creating instructions to the builder.
Furthermore, once you are established as an architect, you will spend huge amounts of time teaching practical skills to recent graduates.
citizen
Nov 29, 17 2:23 pm
Do include, definitely.
But not at the top under "work experience." Place further down, under "academic experience" or "teaching."
As others have said, teaching is a useful and somewhat transferable skill set, and many in our profession have done it and relate. But it's not the main thing most employers are looking for on a CV.
Volunteer
Nov 29, 17 5:09 pm
You are teaching architectural history for masters' level architecture courses at the university level and you want to know if you should include it? Of course you should.
James Aleister Barcelona
Nov 29, 17 6:04 pm
I second TED and thisisnotmyname. If you've worked a semester or more as a professor then you should! The skills and mindset you've picked up while teaching are no less valuable if you're going to work for a firm. It's also an advantage because eventually if you do both, you provide that knowledge to educate students making the transition from school to work.
citizen
Nov 30, 17 12:30 am
^^ To piggyback onto James's post, agreed. But use the designation the school/department gives you. Don't use any form of "professor" unless that's your title. Best to avoid looking transparent and sleazy.
Good luck!
nonneutral
Nov 30, 17 1:16 am
Could also be indirectly a way of showing your enthusiasm for / commitment to the broader field of architecture from another angle. I know when I've shown employers the travel sketches in my printed portfolio during job interviews they often are excited and pleasantly surprised to see that section even though it isn't directly relevant, so I could imagine teaching being received in a similar way.
randomised
Nov 30, 17 2:52 am
Include it! What's the alternative, a huge gap in your cv? If you want to be an architect, put it in! If you want to be a cad/bim monkey perhaps not, using analytical skills could be intimidating for your superiors ;) It shows your knowledge of architecture as a recent grad goes beyond foaming models, laser cutting or producing renderings and that you can present or communicate your findings to a larger crowd of people. I'd personally consider people with teaching experience over people without it, but maybe that's just me.
Volunteer
Nov 30, 17 6:58 am
Any chance of the teaching gig becoming a full-time tenure track position? I would at least look into the possibility of keeping the teaching position while working for a firm. It would benefit the firm immensely to be associated with the faculty of a university. The job would also be insurance for you against the economy falling off its perch.
3tk
Nov 30, 17 3:16 pm
Absolutely. Communication, empathy, and ability to interact as mentor are all useful skill sets. Having been in offices where seasoned staff treated the younger/less-experience staff poorly (either from ignorance or spite) it is an aspect that is critical to the stability of a firm.
The other aspect of teaching is that showcases that you are interested enough in topics in architecture to have accumulated an expertise beyond the typical peer group. It is also one that is appreciated by a good employer.
i am a recently graduated architect. i have been given a job at university to teach master and bachelor students History of architecture. my aim is not to continue teaching for the rest of my life i would like to find a job as an architect in a firm. this is just temporary. my point is . .. should i put teaching experience on my cv would that look good or will it just make it harder to get a job in an architecture firm?
if you are going to do some History work go ahead, but I would recommend that you do not do it because in an architecture firm that is not going to be relevant for the tasks you are going to perform.
very bad advice. the teaching I did and included in my CV certainly helped as it showed the office's principles that I can communicate ideas clearly enough to teach others.
You should use your teaching work experience until you build up more work experience and can leave it off once you can fill a resume with work experience from your time in firms. it is better than an employment gap.
Suggest you do include on your CV. Teaching requires transferable skills to architecture including communication, organisation and presentation. Ask anyone who were teaching assistants while going to grad school - builds self-confidence in your ability to describe ideas succinctly.
Yes, do include it. Because explaining things is the essence of what practicing architects do. You are communicating your ideas and solutions to clients and then creating instructions to the builder.
Furthermore, once you are established as an architect, you will spend huge amounts of time teaching practical skills to recent graduates.
Do include, definitely.
But not at the top under "work experience." Place further down, under "academic experience" or "teaching."
As others have said, teaching is a useful and somewhat transferable skill set, and many in our profession have done it and relate. But it's not the main thing most employers are looking for on a CV.
You are teaching architectural history for masters' level architecture courses at the university level and you want to know if you should include it? Of course you should.
I second TED and thisisnotmyname. If you've worked a semester or more as a professor then you should! The skills and mindset you've picked up while teaching are no less valuable if you're going to work for a firm. It's also an advantage because eventually if you do both, you provide that knowledge to educate students making the transition from school to work.
^^ To piggyback onto James's post, agreed. But use the designation the school/department gives you. Don't use any form of "professor" unless that's your title. Best to avoid looking transparent and sleazy.
Good luck!
Could also be indirectly a way of showing your enthusiasm for / commitment to the broader field of architecture from another angle. I know when I've shown employers the travel sketches in my printed portfolio during job interviews they often are excited and pleasantly surprised to see that section even though it isn't directly relevant, so I could imagine teaching being received in a similar way.
Include it! What's the alternative, a huge gap in your cv? If you want to be an architect, put it in! If you want to be a cad/bim monkey perhaps not, using analytical skills could be intimidating for your superiors ;) It shows your knowledge of architecture as a recent grad goes beyond foaming models, laser cutting or producing renderings and that you can present or communicate your findings to a larger crowd of people. I'd personally consider people with teaching experience over people without it, but maybe that's just me.
Any chance of the teaching gig becoming a full-time tenure track position? I would at least look into the possibility of keeping the teaching position while working for a firm. It would benefit the firm immensely to be associated with the faculty of a university. The job would also be insurance for you against the economy falling off its perch.
Absolutely. Communication, empathy, and ability to interact as mentor are all useful skill sets. Having been in offices where seasoned staff treated the younger/less-experience staff poorly (either from ignorance or spite) it is an aspect that is critical to the stability of a firm.
The other aspect of teaching is that showcases that you are interested enough in topics in architecture to have accumulated an expertise beyond the typical peer group. It is also one that is appreciated by a good employer.