i have been struggling for a while to get a job and I was wondering if there are any certifications that I can add to my masters degree in architecture to make me stand out from the crowd.
Wilma Buttfit
Mar 7, 18 11:58 pm
LEED, CSI, PMP, RA, NCARB, AAA. Don't stop until you have at least 16 letters behind your name. Inflation, used to be that 3-5 was enough.
joseffischer
Mar 8, 18 8:38 am
Hah, so true
Non Sequitur
Mar 8, 18 9:09 am
I only have 11. damn... need to open that cheque book and buy some more.
Wilma Buttfit
Mar 8, 18 10:30 am
Got ya beat.
Non Sequitur
Mar 8, 18 10:36 am
I can probably get the LEED stuff done over lunch. Certainly that will put me over the top no?
Wilma Buttfit
Mar 8, 18 11:25 am
Eh. Get the AAA membership. It's nice if you ever lock your keys out of your car.
Non Sequitur
Mar 8, 18 11:47 am
don't think the AAA will come help me in the vast untamed wilderness of Ontario.
Flatfish
Mar 8, 18 11:58 am
I hadn't thought of using RA (seems redundant to NCARB) or AAA. I'm old enough for AARP, maybe more letters is a reason to join. On the other hand I already have 23, not sure I can fit any more of those on my cards.
OP: getting more credentials before getting a job may pigeon hole you in what roles you're considered for in your job searches, so make sure anything you add is something you really want to be doing. For instance any PMI certifications will peg you as a project manager, CSI certifications mean spec writer/contracts specialist, etc.
Wilma Buttfit
Mar 8, 18 12:08 pm
^ thats good advice, 5839. And if the OP is looking for an entry-level job none of the letters will apply. Best to just focus on learning about construction and document production. I was going to mention AARP too. ha.
SALVA.GA
Mar 8, 18 1:10 pm
I cannot add these certification if I'm looking for an entry job in a architectural firm?
Non Sequitur
Mar 8, 18 1:12 pm
sure you can. It's just letters.
Flatfish
Mar 8, 18 1:18 pm
Of course you can add them. Just know that by doing so you're affecting perceptions about your strengths and interests. There are some accreditations that are so widespread that they're innocuous (but for the same reason they're not especially sought after). An example would be LEED. There are others that are rarer but that some firms will seek and pay a premium for - but these are much more specialized, so if you have them then you'll be pegged for a particular role.
SALVA.GA
Mar 8, 18 1:29 pm
I see. I'm trying to land a job in a architectural firm, I have been teaching at university for the last semester and it's not really my thing. so I thought having some certificates can maybe improve my chances for landing a job.
Non Sequitur
Mar 8, 18 1:59 pm
How can you teach architecture if you don't have the basics required for employment... or never worked a day in the field? Extra credentials don't mean shit if you can't deliver in an office setting. Instead of looking for the easy way, take a hard look at your portfolio and skills and improve on those.
Steeplechase
Mar 8, 18 4:48 pm
Non Sequitur, I had a studio (B.Arch) professor (fully in charge of the class, not an assistant) who himself had graduated the semester before from the other school in town with an M.Arch. A few of the faculty had no professional experience, the best being the smug ass who was part of a volunteer neighborhood planning group that made recommendations to the Zoning Commission.
joseffischer
Mar 9, 18 9:07 am
HAH, good joke Non Sequitur. The best we ever got were a bunch of professors with glorified single-family residence practices and a few professors who had won multiple international awards for what functionally boiled down to large art installations.
accesskb
Mar 8, 18 1:38 am
If with a masters degree you're still struggling to land a job, maybe its time to think of a different profession.... Or spend more money to get some letters beside your name. xD
randomised
Mar 8, 18 3:31 am
If the portfolio is lacking, a few certificates aren't going to help.
geezertect
Mar 8, 18 7:33 am
Membership in the right country club.
Non Sequitur
Mar 8, 18 8:06 am
Add NRA or even MAGA if you really want to stand out.
Peter Normand
Mar 8, 18 9:23 am
First a few questions:
1 Is this your first job?
2 What is your experience in software, when I started out I got better results when I changed "proficient in.." to "X number of years with .." for software skills.
3 do you have any Revit experience beyond renderings?
4 where in the world are you looking for work? Are you in a big city or rural small town?
5 are you at least filling out 5-10 applications a day getting 2-3 informational interviews a week and spending 40 hours a week minimum productively looking for work?
6 are you just looking for work or are you also doing things to advance your career such as taking the ARE exams or something.
If you are in Chicago you should join the Young Architect Forum, Visit the AIA offices the folks there are nice and helpful and join NAIOP (all people are welcome).
It's true I haven't been putting much time in to researching because I'm currently teaching masters and bachelor's students at university I graduated last year. But I want to make the jump, so I was thinking about adding some certificates to my CV. Thank you for your help I'm currently in the UK.
i have been struggling for a while to get a job and I was wondering if there are any certifications that I can add to my masters degree in architecture to make me stand out from the crowd.
LEED, CSI, PMP, RA, NCARB, AAA. Don't stop until you have at least 16 letters behind your name. Inflation, used to be that 3-5 was enough.
Hah, so true
I only have 11. damn... need to open that cheque book and buy some more.
Got ya beat.
I can probably get the LEED stuff done over lunch. Certainly that will put me over the top no?
Eh. Get the AAA membership. It's nice if you ever lock your keys out of your car.
don't think the AAA will come help me in the vast untamed wilderness of Ontario.
I hadn't thought of using RA (seems redundant to NCARB) or AAA. I'm old enough for AARP, maybe more letters is a reason to join. On the other hand I already have 23, not sure I can fit any more of those on my cards.
OP: getting more credentials before getting a job may pigeon hole you in what roles you're considered for in your job searches, so make sure anything you add is something you really want to be doing. For instance any PMI certifications will peg you as a project manager, CSI certifications mean spec writer/contracts specialist, etc.
^ thats good advice, 5839. And if the OP is looking for an entry-level job none of the letters will apply. Best to just focus on learning about construction and document production. I was going to mention AARP too. ha.
I cannot add these certification if I'm looking for an entry job in a architectural firm?
sure you can. It's just letters.
Of course you can add them. Just know that by doing so you're affecting perceptions about your strengths and interests. There are some accreditations that are so widespread that they're innocuous (but for the same reason they're not especially sought after). An example would be LEED. There are others that are rarer but that some firms will seek and pay a premium for - but these are much more specialized, so if you have them then you'll be pegged for a particular role.
I see. I'm trying to land a job in a architectural firm, I have been teaching at university for the last semester and it's not really my thing. so I thought having some certificates can maybe improve my chances for landing a job.
How can you teach architecture if you don't have the basics required for employment... or never worked a day in the field? Extra credentials don't mean shit if you can't deliver in an office setting. Instead of looking for the easy way, take a hard look at your portfolio and skills and improve on those.
Non Sequitur, I had a studio (B.Arch) professor (fully in charge of the class, not an assistant) who himself had graduated the semester before from the other school in town with an M.Arch. A few of the faculty had no professional experience, the best being the smug ass who was part of a volunteer neighborhood planning group that made recommendations to the Zoning Commission.
HAH, good joke Non Sequitur. The best we ever got were a bunch of professors with glorified single-family residence practices and a few professors who had won multiple international awards for what functionally boiled down to large art installations.
If with a masters degree you're still struggling to land a job, maybe its time to think of a different profession.... Or spend more money to get some letters beside your name. xD
If the portfolio is lacking, a few certificates aren't going to help.
Membership in the right country club.
Add NRA or even MAGA if you really want to stand out.
First a few questions:
1 Is this your first job?
2 What is your experience in software, when I started out I got better results when I changed "proficient in.." to "X number of years with .." for software skills.
3 do you have any Revit experience beyond renderings?
4 where in the world are you looking for work? Are you in a big city or rural small town?
5 are you at least filling out 5-10 applications a day getting 2-3 informational interviews a week and spending 40 hours a week minimum productively looking for work?
6 are you just looking for work or are you also doing things to advance your career such as taking the ARE exams or something.
If you are in Chicago you should join the Young Architect Forum, Visit the AIA offices the folks there are nice and helpful and join NAIOP (all people are welcome).
http://www.naiopchicago.org/
Hope these questions help clarify things
Over and OUT
Peter N
It's true I haven't been putting much time in to researching because I'm currently teaching masters and bachelor's students at university I graduated last year. But I want to make the jump, so I was thinking about adding some certificates to my CV. Thank you for your help I'm currently in the UK.
A medical license would help.