I am a graduate architect working for a firm in the UK. In the past year the economy has been uncertain due to Brexit and many projects were put on hold. It looks like a recession is on its way.
In fact, a few people have left our firm in a short period recently, which makes me worry. Some employees did not get their contracts renewed and some new hires left after 1-2 months on the job. I have been with this firm for less than 1 year and as a junior member I am by no means indispensable. Thus, I start to worry I might get let go.
In the beginning of my job, I was given front end work to do and put under a lot of pressure to deliver to deadlines. A few weeks ago I was reassigned to more technical work and my workload is not as stressful. Is this a good sign or could it be that they don't care to give me important work to do as they are considering to terminate me?
What other signs should I watch for?
I am considering sending my CV off to a few firms just to test the waters and see if anybody else if hiring or letting staff go too. What would you do in my position?
citizen
Jan 5, 18 5:55 pm
You'll drive yourself nuts trying to predict the unpredictable. Don't waste time looking for signs that could easily be misinterpreted by someone (you) in a heightened state of anxiety.
Keep your head down, your nose clean (meaning, focus on your work and don't draw undue attention), and send out a few cv's. Good luck.
chigurh
Jan 5, 18 6:09 pm
great advice to be used in many situations
proto
Jan 5, 18 6:08 pm
the good news is the young folks are the cheapest to keep
arch76
Jan 6, 18 1:29 am
If they are moving you to technical roles- don't stress, excel at it- the office is made up of many different skill sets. draft faster and better than anyone around you, when asked to do code research, document it well so it is easily shared. Learn to make spreadsheets and renderings and help with updating specifications. Be mindful of your own professional development. Look for ways to add value to your firm. Be charming. No employee is indispensable, but the more of a tear-jerking and agonizing experience it is for your bosses to release you from their work, the longer you will keep your job. cheers!
randomised
Jan 6, 18 2:39 am
You could also ask to have a meeting scheduled to discuss your contract renewal. If they keep postponing and delaying that meeting, you should know enough and can start looking elsewhere more actively (talking from experience). If they actually have a sit down with you, you can simply bring up your concerns and see how they respond, nothing wrong with honesty (again, talking from experience). Don't worry too much, work hard and be glad you are now able to develop new and valuable skills you'll profit from for years to come, chin up!
geezertect
Jan 6, 18 9:33 am
The posters above are giving good advice. It's an inherently unstable profession and sooner or later everyone experiences layoffs. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst and try not to stress. As they said in The Godfather, it's nothing personal-it's just business.
Bloopox
Jan 6, 18 5:25 pm
Being moved from design work to technical work probably has nothing to do with plans to lay you off. That sounds more like normal shuffling of staff to cover current project phases, and/or to expose less experienced staff to various aspects of practice. If others have recently been let go, and if work has slowed significantly, then it's a valid worry. But knowing whether or when you'll be on the layoff list isn't clear cut. For all you know you could be one of the very last to go.
Sometimes you can't tell at all that it's about to be your turn.
One potential sign is being assigned to large amounts of non-billable busy work. If most of your time is suddenly going into cataloguing the product library, working on logo design, revamping CAD standards, etc. - sometimes that's a precursor to a layoff. On the other hand, sometimes it just means they want to get some of those things done while they wait out some down time, but expect to have more billable tasks soon.
Another thing is if they suddenly want to get someone else trained in tasks you've been doing, or more informed about projects or aspects of them that you've been handling.
If the decision has already been made, and they're planning to tell you within days or hours, then the people who are in-the-know may start acting uncomfortable, avoiding conversation, shifting eye contact, that sort of thing.
I've never heard of anyone in an architecture firm being laid off via a literal "pink slip" or post-it. It's a pretty good bet they'll meet with you in person - so if you're suddenly asked into the conference room or your supervisor's office that might be the sign...
I'm not sure what Rick's talking about with worrying that the police will be called. Unless you're being fired for some sort of illegal conduct, or for violent, threatening, or confrontational behavior, there'd be no reason for that to happen (and if you're doing those things then I'm sure you know about it and the fact that you're doing those things might be your sign right there.) While some companies will escort out terminated employees in order to make sure they don't take company property with them or get up to any mischief or vandalism, that's usually done by firm's staff and rarely if ever involves police.
OneLostArchitect
Jan 11, 18 11:32 pm
I secretly want to get fired. Does anyone else feel the same way? I mean I put in my 100 percent everyday.... but wish they just put me beside the barn and put me out to pasture.
randomised
Jan 12, 18 2:34 am
Just sabotage it, a train driver in Belgium was reportedly going slow on purpose so he could get fired and take another, better paid job at another train company :)
I am a graduate architect working for a firm in the UK. In the past year the economy has been uncertain due to Brexit and many projects were put on hold. It looks like a recession is on its way.
In fact, a few people have left our firm in a short period recently, which makes me worry. Some employees did not get their contracts renewed and some new hires left after 1-2 months on the job. I have been with this firm for less than 1 year and as a junior member I am by no means indispensable. Thus, I start to worry I might get let go.
In the beginning of my job, I was given front end work to do and put under a lot of pressure to deliver to deadlines. A few weeks ago I was reassigned to more technical work and my workload is not as stressful. Is this a good sign or could it be that they don't care to give me important work to do as they are considering to terminate me?
What other signs should I watch for?
I am considering sending my CV off to a few firms just to test the waters and see if anybody else if hiring or letting staff go too. What would you do in my position?
You'll drive yourself nuts trying to predict the unpredictable. Don't waste time looking for signs that could easily be misinterpreted by someone (you) in a heightened state of anxiety.
Keep your head down, your nose clean (meaning, focus on your work and don't draw undue attention), and send out a few cv's. Good luck.
great advice to be used in many situations
the good news is the young folks are the cheapest to keep
If they are moving you to technical roles- don't stress, excel at it- the office is made up of many different skill sets. draft faster and better than anyone around you, when asked to do code research, document it well so it is easily shared. Learn to make spreadsheets and renderings and help with updating specifications. Be mindful of your own professional development. Look for ways to add value to your firm. Be charming. No employee is indispensable, but the more of a tear-jerking and agonizing experience it is for your bosses to release you from their work, the longer you will keep your job. cheers!
You could also ask to have a meeting scheduled to discuss your contract renewal. If they keep postponing and delaying that meeting, you should know enough and can start looking elsewhere more actively (talking from experience). If they actually have a sit down with you, you can simply bring up your concerns and see how they respond, nothing wrong with honesty (again, talking from experience). Don't worry too much, work hard and be glad you are now able to develop new and valuable skills you'll profit from for years to come, chin up!
The posters above are giving good advice. It's an inherently unstable profession and sooner or later everyone experiences layoffs. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst and try not to stress. As they said in The Godfather, it's nothing personal-it's just business.
Being moved from design work to technical work probably has nothing to do with plans to lay you off. That sounds more like normal shuffling of staff to cover current project phases, and/or to expose less experienced staff to various aspects of practice.
If others have recently been let go, and if work has slowed significantly, then it's a valid worry. But knowing whether or when you'll be on the layoff list isn't clear cut. For all you know you could be one of the very last to go.
Sometimes you can't tell at all that it's about to be your turn.
One potential sign is being assigned to large amounts of non-billable busy work. If most of your time is suddenly going into cataloguing the product library, working on logo design, revamping CAD standards, etc. - sometimes that's a precursor to a layoff. On the other hand, sometimes it just means they want to get some of those things done while they wait out some down time, but expect to have more billable tasks soon.
Another thing is if they suddenly want to get someone else trained in tasks you've been doing, or more informed about projects or aspects of them that you've been handling.
If the decision has already been made, and they're planning to tell you within days or hours, then the people who are in-the-know may start acting uncomfortable, avoiding conversation, shifting eye contact, that sort of thing.
I've never heard of anyone in an architecture firm being laid off via a literal "pink slip" or post-it. It's a pretty good bet they'll meet with you in person - so if you're suddenly asked into the conference room or your supervisor's office that might be the sign...
I'm not sure what Rick's talking about with worrying that the police will be called. Unless you're being fired for some sort of illegal conduct, or for violent, threatening, or confrontational behavior, there'd be no reason for that to happen (and if you're doing those things then I'm sure you know about it and the fact that you're doing those things might be your sign right there.) While some companies will escort out terminated employees in order to make sure they don't take company property with them or get up to any mischief or vandalism, that's usually done by firm's staff and rarely if ever involves police.
I secretly want to get fired. Does anyone else feel the same way? I mean I put in my 100 percent everyday.... but wish they just put me beside the barn and put me out to pasture.
Just sabotage it, a train driver in Belgium was reportedly going slow on purpose so he could get fired and take another, better paid job at another train company :)
they are hinting at possible criminal charges http://www.lavenir.net/cnt/dmf20180111_01109624