I am about 2 years out of school so I pretty much know nothing. I want to show I’m dedicated to learn and be helpful on projects. I started a new job where my boss had me on a massive project with another team member. After a few months I was pretty much (without word) taken off the project/email chains/meetings and moved on to helping other projects, while my teammate continued working on it (who is a few years older than me). Is this normal for someone with my experience or did I do something? I really want to see a project all the way through so that I can learn the process. I tried really hard to be on top of things as this was the first project I was introduced to at this firm... but is this normal for someone with my experience/or am I overthinking this? HELP
Non Sequitur
Jun 4, 18 9:36 pm
seems normal. You're junior and likely the lowest paid staff member. You'll be tossed around when projects need extra warm bodies. Experience counts and it's hard to imagine any business owner willing to move junior staff to the front and in a PM role.
With that said, seeing a large project from start to finish over several months/years is a great learning op so approach your boss with this in mind.
curtkram
Jun 4, 18 9:58 pm
i concur with NS. you're probably fine. as far as i can tell, it's pretty common to cut up a project into different groups of people through different phases. being able to follow a single project from start to finish doesn't seem that common, at least where i am. try to get someone more involved in the project to keep you up to date with how things are going. that way, you can kind of see the process, even if you aren't one of the warm bodies they need.
bowling_ball
Jun 5, 18 12:31 am
Totally normal where I work. No need to fret unless you're taken off a few in quick succession and not being given any work to replace it.
OneLostArchitect
Jun 5, 18 8:53 pm
honestly you are over thinking it. In your position I was tossed like a hot potato. If you are real passionate about a project take it to the boss and discuss it with him or her. Start the dialogue cause they will not start it with you
archanonymous
Jun 6, 18 9:25 am
It is normal, but that doesn't mean it is good - either for you or the projects you are working on (or the profession...)
Next review/ formal discussion of your role or career, bring it up to leadership. Tell them the most important thing for you right now is to see a few projects through from start to finish. Say you understand that as Jr. staff, you will need to bounce around and help out on other things, but the more you can come back to the same project in different phases, the more you can learn and the better your work output will be.
Volunteer
Jun 6, 18 9:33 am
"How can I show that I am dedicated?"
Leave your cell phone at home.
OneLostArchitect
Jun 6, 18 7:48 pm
Our new hire is constantly on the cellphone what should I do
thisisnotmyname
Jun 7, 18 1:30 pm
First make sure the phone use isn't work related. Then tell the person their excessive phone use is a problem. Tell them to limit cell use for personal calls to during lunch or outside of work hours. The situation may or may not get better. I'm very thankful the cell phone addict in my office resigned recently. They were about a month away from being fired.
OneLostArchitect
Jun 7, 18 10:23 pm
Ya she is only on Pinterest and Facebook all day. She was even taking a selfie today. SMH
Rusty!
Jun 6, 18 10:16 am
Seeing a project from start to finish is great but only after you've seen some range of projects. Having little experience and working on a single project for years can lock you into some really bad habits. There are plenty of projects that should not be used as an example of successful anything. I often see new staff that have so much to unlearn from their previous gig.
You are best off nibbling and grazing at first and seeing how different designers approach different design problems, hopefully across many typologies. So don't take this reassignment as a bad thing.
Unless the whole thing played out like middle school sportsball game where kids were being picked and you were the last pick "You take him. No you take him. Kid eats worms".
Peter Normand
Jun 6, 18 1:49 pm
The switching of projects can mean anything, so don't make so much out of it.
Show commitment with the following:
Start taking the ARE.
File, regularly, your hours for your internship with NCARB.
Have an NCARB record.
Before you leave the office for the day ask if there is anything they need done before you go.
Bring in a client with a project, even a very small one.
Get involved in CSI, AIA, ALA or other organizations relevant to your professional niche.
Hope this helps
Over and OUT
Peter N
s=r*(theta)
Jun 6, 18 2:42 pm
Its helpful to know that "you know nothing". (granted we know u know something) most people pretend to know everything and actually know nothing and actually cause more issues!
^peter's advice is pretty solid as well, only thing I can add that I encourage all younger staff:
-Keep the ibc, ansi, arch graphics, sweets (or web) books and a couple plan set's of a well done office project's on your desk at all times. these are like training wheels until you can ride with out them, you should be babysitting and studying these materials against the work you are doing, everyday and getting you head into them. All things equal, There is no reason you should be drawing hardly any standard details, wall sections, or code reviews from scratch ever! This is how I was brought up in the architecture game.
-Write down all your questions pertaining to your task to ask at once. If you are unsure about something, thats a redflag that its a question and write it down. Do not peicemeal questions - ITS VERY ANNOYING!!!!
if you do this over time you will notice how you will become less dependent on the code books and the volume of questions will go down, your value and responsibility will go up!
Also just because you are no longer logging office hours on the project doesnt mean you cant track the project's progress on you own time
thatsthat
Jun 6, 18 4:12 pm
I'll join in on this.
Ditto what Peter and theta said. Both good pieces of advice. I would add to what theta said, in that sometimes it can be helpful to even schedule a specific time with your manager to ask your questions if you know you have a lot to discuss. Just saying "are you available to sit down with me and discuss project XYZ at 1:00 this afternoon? I think it will only be about 30 minutes at max" can show that you're organized and respect other people's time. Plus it gives your manager some time to get other things off their plate and prepare if they need to.
In general, I've worked with younger staff, some who are great and some who clearly had 1 foot out of the door even on their first day. In my mind what separated them was their willingness to learn, volunteering to help out even when it was inconvenient, having a good attitude about new challenges, and making an effort to find solutions to their own problems instead of asking every tiny little thing.
Peter Normand
Jun 7, 18 10:32 am
Yes asking questions is good, and always try to find an answer on your own first, it can get to be a problem if you are asking questions too often as this can disrupt others work.
JLC-1
Jun 6, 18 4:58 pm
I read "how can I show I'm Medicated?"
Miles Jaffe
Jun 6, 18 8:38 pm
Stalking is a good indicator of dedication.
CrazyHouseCat
Jun 6, 18 9:14 pm
This may sound a bit strange, but it’s a tactic that could work really well for junior staff: Get very good at taking meeting notes. For every meeting you attend, send your meeting notes (make sure it’s complete and concise) to the project manager or whomever ran the meeting as soon as you can. Tell them you just want to be helpful since you know they had their hands full running the meeting.
This does a few things:
It tells your direct supervisor that you are an eager beaver, and above all else, you are humble and willing to serve.
It helps you get taken to more and increasingly important meetings, which are difficult experience for junior staffs to get otherwise.
You get very good exposure to lots of different aspects of the business and can actually learn a lot.
Don't worry about being stuck as a scribe. Soon you'll be running your own meetings.
curtkram
Jun 6, 18 9:25 pm
don't underestimate the power of sending out meeting minutes.
taking minutes like that lets you control the past. if you control the past, you control the project.
thatsthat
Jun 6, 18 10:24 pm
This is a good one. Also gives you a good excuse to ask questions if you’re unsure of something.
zonker
Jun 6, 18 9:54 pm
Meeting notes - the person that writes them knows the project and keeps things straight - it's amazing how the PA and the rest of the team relies on this person.
zonker
Jun 6, 18 10:17 pm
volunteer to help out doing the things that no one either doesn't want to do, doesn't have time to do - cad and or BIM clean-up, sheet set up - titleblocks, sheet index
shellarchitect
Jun 10, 18 10:28 pm
Be able to access office email from your phone
youngarchie93
Dec 17, 18 12:03 am
THANK YOU
randomised
Dec 17, 18 3:39 am
It also shows you're dedicated when it doesn't take you over half a year to post a simple reply ;-)
I am about 2 years out of school so I pretty much know nothing. I want to show I’m dedicated to learn and be helpful on projects. I started a new job where my boss had me on a massive project with another team member. After a few months I was pretty much (without word) taken off the project/email chains/meetings and moved on to helping other projects, while my teammate continued working on it (who is a few years older than me). Is this normal for someone with my experience or did I do something? I really want to see a project all the way through so that I can learn the process. I tried really hard to be on top of things as this was the first project I was introduced to at this firm... but is this normal for someone with my experience/or am I overthinking this? HELP
seems normal. You're junior and likely the lowest paid staff member. You'll be tossed around when projects need extra warm bodies. Experience counts and it's hard to imagine any business owner willing to move junior staff to the front and in a PM role.
With that said, seeing a large project from start to finish over several months/years is a great learning op so approach your boss with this in mind.
i concur with NS. you're probably fine. as far as i can tell, it's pretty common to cut up a project into different groups of people through different phases. being able to follow a single project from start to finish doesn't seem that common, at least where i am. try to get someone more involved in the project to keep you up to date with how things are going. that way, you can kind of see the process, even if you aren't one of the warm bodies they need.
Totally normal where I work. No need to fret unless you're taken off a few in quick succession and not being given any work to replace it.
honestly you are over thinking it. In your position I was tossed like a hot potato. If you are real passionate about a project take it to the boss and discuss it with him or her. Start the dialogue cause they will not start it with you
It is normal, but that doesn't mean it is good - either for you or the projects you are working on (or the profession...)
Next review/ formal discussion of your role or career, bring it up to leadership. Tell them the most important thing for you right now is to see a few projects through from start to finish. Say you understand that as Jr. staff, you will need to bounce around and help out on other things, but the more you can come back to the same project in different phases, the more you can learn and the better your work output will be.
"How can I show that I am dedicated?"
Leave your cell phone at home.
Our new hire is constantly on the cellphone what should I do
First make sure the phone use isn't work related. Then tell the person their excessive phone use is a problem. Tell them to limit cell use for personal calls to during lunch or outside of work hours. The situation may or may not get better. I'm very thankful the cell phone addict in my office resigned recently. They were about a month away from being fired.
Ya she is only on Pinterest and Facebook all day. She was even taking a selfie today. SMH
Seeing a project from start to finish is great but only after you've seen some range of projects. Having little experience and working on a single project for years can lock you into some really bad habits. There are plenty of projects that should not be used as an example of successful anything. I often see new staff that have so much to unlearn from their previous gig.
You are best off nibbling and grazing at first and seeing how different designers approach different design problems, hopefully across many typologies. So don't take this reassignment as a bad thing.
Unless the whole thing played out like middle school sportsball game where kids were being picked and you were the last pick "You take him. No you take him. Kid eats worms".
The switching of projects can mean anything, so don't make so much out of it.
Show commitment with the following:
Start taking the ARE.
File, regularly, your hours for your internship with NCARB.
Have an NCARB record.
Before you leave the office for the day ask if there is anything they need done before you go.
Bring in a client with a project, even a very small one.
Get involved in CSI, AIA, ALA or other organizations relevant to your professional niche.
Hope this helps
Over and OUT
Peter N
Its helpful to know that "you know nothing". (granted we know u know something) most people pretend to know everything and actually know nothing and actually cause more issues!
^peter's advice is pretty solid as well, only thing I can add that I encourage all younger staff:
-Keep the ibc, ansi, arch graphics, sweets (or web) books and a couple plan set's of a well done office project's on your desk at all times. these are like training wheels until you can ride with out them, you should be babysitting and studying these materials against the work you are doing, everyday and getting you head into them. All things equal, There is no reason you should be drawing hardly any standard details, wall sections, or code reviews from scratch ever! This is how I was brought up in the architecture game.
-Write down all your questions pertaining to your task to ask at once. If you are unsure about something, thats a redflag that its a question and write it down. Do not peicemeal questions - ITS VERY ANNOYING!!!!
if you do this over time you will notice how you will become less dependent on the code books and the volume of questions will go down, your value and responsibility will go up!
Also just because you are no longer logging office hours on the project doesnt mean you cant track the project's progress on you own time
I'll join in on this.
Ditto what Peter and theta said. Both good pieces of advice. I would add to what theta said, in that sometimes it can be helpful to even schedule a specific time with your manager to ask your questions if you know you have a lot to discuss. Just saying "are you available to sit down with me and discuss project XYZ at 1:00 this afternoon? I think it will only be about 30 minutes at max" can show that you're organized and respect other people's time. Plus it gives your manager some time to get other things off their plate and prepare if they need to.
In general, I've worked with younger staff, some who are great and some who clearly had 1 foot out of the door even on their first day. In my mind what separated them was their willingness to learn, volunteering to help out even when it was inconvenient, having a good attitude about new challenges, and making an effort to find solutions to their own problems instead of asking every tiny little thing.
Yes asking questions is good, and always try to find an answer on your own first, it can get to be a problem if you are asking questions too often as this can disrupt others work.
I read "how can I show I'm Medicated?"
Stalking is a good indicator of dedication.
This may sound a bit strange, but it’s a tactic that could work really well for junior staff: Get very good at taking meeting notes. For every meeting you attend, send your meeting notes (make sure it’s complete and concise) to the project manager or whomever ran the meeting as soon as you can. Tell them you just want to be helpful since you know they had their hands full running the meeting.
This does a few things:
Don't worry about being stuck as a scribe. Soon you'll be running your own meetings.
don't underestimate the power of sending out meeting minutes.
taking minutes like that lets you control the past. if you control the past, you control the project.
This is a good one. Also gives you a good excuse to ask questions if you’re unsure of something.
Meeting notes - the person that writes them knows the project and keeps things straight - it's amazing how the PA and the rest of the team relies on this person.
volunteer to help out doing the things that no one either doesn't want to do, doesn't have time to do - cad and or BIM clean-up, sheet set up - titleblocks, sheet index
Be able to access office email from your phone
THANK YOU
It also shows you're dedicated when it doesn't take you over half a year to post a simple reply ;-)