Hello everyone, I'm somewhat new to Archinect and looking for advice, I'll try to make this as brief as possible, apologies in advance if this is long (or if there are other threads like this one):
MY BACKGROUND: I received my MArch degree a long time ago, but instead of getting licensed and practicing, I went into development (yes, I know, some of my former classmates still won't forgive me). After a couple of years as a project manager, I realized I needed more training in finance and then went back to school and received my MBA in Finance (I can feel you wincing). After that, I worked for a company that financed and partnered with developers, and I had a lucrative and rewarding career with a great deal of direct work with architecture and construction, until the recession. Long story short, I have been working for 5 years now at a similar company, in a similar role as the one I just described, but things changed recently (see below)...
THE PROBLEM: The company went through some senior management changes shortly after I started working there, and the company is now run by a bunch of investment bankers (note, although I studied finance, I never was, nor would ever want to be, an investment banker). The culture is now horrible (and that's being generous), and I have almost no direct exposure to design and construction anymore. It's pretty terrible.
MY ASK: In a nutshell, I'm passionate and design and I would really love to work directly for an architecture firm that would value and pay for my skills...but...I am not an architect, and have not worked directly in design for quite a long time. These are my skills: Project design & conceptualization, feasibility & economic analysis, due diligence, construction monitoring, leasing/sales management & oversight. This is how I (believe) I would add value to an architecture firm: Simply put, I have been the client of architecture firms, and I know what motivates them and the language that they speak, and I (believe) that an architecture firm would value that kind of direct "inside" knowledge of the client that I possess as it can (and will) enhance the chances of winning contracts.
Does anyone have any advice as to how someone like me could find a good job at an architecture firm?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ADVICE.
BulgarBlogger
May 26, 18 6:29 pm
Why not partner up with a registered architect? If you register a company as a DPC in NYS, you can get up to 25% ownership stake (depending on how you negotiate your salary with the sole shareholder i.e. Registered Architect, you can earn more money) and with your experience and connections from Real Estate you can immediately get the firm clients. The Registered Architect partner would sign off on your experience and combined with your M.Arch degree, you would eventually be able to become an equal partner. You can do all of this while doing your own thing and doing design.
archdevelNYC
May 28, 18 10:34 pm
Thank you for responding, I did not know about the DPC structure, but that is very interesting. Thanks for the suggestion!
Chemex
May 26, 18 6:34 pm
I don’t think you will have a problem with that background. An March + MBA is a good path to project management or many similar roles — though maybe there are jobs not just for arch firms but as an architect for the government or another type or a firm like Alloy that is very development + architecture (or vice versa like SHoP). That said, the architecture profession is really messed up when it comes to the bureaucracy punishing any people who don’t follow the “one path”, when it’s clear you’ve been pushing design from within non-design friendly places (there should be a bonus for that).
archdevelNYC
May 28, 18 10:45 pm
Thank you for your note, and for your positive attitude. Interestingly, I know principals at both Alloy and SHoP, and they are definitely on my list of targets. I was just looking for some advice here so that when I do approach some firms, I could suggest some roles at the firm
beyond "Business Development" which seems to be a popular suggestion (although I believe my experience would be severely underutilized in that role). Thanks very much again, I appreciate it.
Hello everyone, I'm somewhat new to Archinect and looking for advice, I'll try to make this as brief as possible, apologies in advance if this is long (or if there are other threads like this one):
MY BACKGROUND: I received my MArch degree a long time ago, but instead of getting licensed and practicing, I went into development (yes, I know, some of my former classmates still won't forgive me). After a couple of years as a project manager, I realized I needed more training in finance and then went back to school and received my MBA in Finance (I can feel you wincing). After that, I worked for a company that financed and partnered with developers, and I had a lucrative and rewarding career with a great deal of direct work with architecture and construction, until the recession. Long story short, I have been working for 5 years now at a similar company, in a similar role as the one I just described, but things changed recently (see below)...
THE PROBLEM: The company went through some senior management changes shortly after I started working there, and the company is now run by a bunch of investment bankers (note, although I studied finance, I never was, nor would ever want to be, an investment banker). The culture is now horrible (and that's being generous), and I have almost no direct exposure to design and construction anymore. It's pretty terrible.
MY ASK: In a nutshell, I'm passionate and design and I would really love to work directly for an architecture firm that would value and pay for my skills...but...I am not an architect, and have not worked directly in design for quite a long time. These are my skills: Project design & conceptualization, feasibility & economic analysis, due diligence, construction monitoring, leasing/sales management & oversight. This is how I (believe) I would add value to an architecture firm: Simply put, I have been the client of architecture firms, and I know what motivates them and the language that they speak, and I (believe) that an architecture firm would value that kind of direct "inside" knowledge of the client that I possess as it can (and will) enhance the chances of winning contracts.
Does anyone have any advice as to how someone like me could find a good job at an architecture firm?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ADVICE.
Why not partner up with a registered architect? If you register a company as a DPC in NYS, you can get up to 25% ownership stake (depending on how you negotiate your salary with the sole shareholder i.e. Registered Architect, you can earn more money) and with your experience and connections from Real Estate you can immediately get the firm clients. The Registered Architect partner would sign off on your experience and combined with your M.Arch degree, you would eventually be able to become an equal partner. You can do all of this while doing your own thing and doing design.
Thank you for responding, I did not know about the DPC structure, but that is very interesting. Thanks for the suggestion!
I don’t think you will have a problem with that background. An March + MBA is a good path to project management or many similar roles — though maybe there are jobs not just for arch firms but as an architect for the government or another type or a firm like Alloy that is very development + architecture (or vice versa like SHoP). That said, the architecture profession is really messed up when it comes to the bureaucracy punishing any people who don’t follow the “one path”, when it’s clear you’ve been pushing design from within non-design friendly places (there should be a bonus for that).
Thank you for your note, and for your positive attitude. Interestingly, I know principals at both Alloy and SHoP, and they are definitely on my list of targets. I was just looking for some advice here so that when I do approach some firms, I could suggest some roles at the firm beyond "Business Development" which seems to be a popular suggestion (although I believe my experience would be severely underutilized in that role). Thanks very much again, I appreciate it.
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