I am a recent architecture graduate. I graduated masters one and a half years ago. I loved studying architecture so I thought It's got to be the only career path for me. I have been working for the same firm during my graduate architecture work experience years. I've been trying to work at other firms but the economy in my country is terrible so recruitment agencies and firms have been telling me there are no job openings for graduate architects since half a year ago.
I HATE working as an architect, it's nothing like school. The pay is terrible. The meanders for a woman of colour is terrible. I have white work colleges who work, straight out of a bachelors degree, and they're put on projects where they are making proposals, meeting clients, running projects. While I, a black woman with 2 years of experience (I spent a year out working, before post grad, and through school) am struggling to get my boss to set me up to meet a single client. I'm basically a draftswoman. I evenhad to fight to go to a site meeting of a project I've drafted from inception. Climbing up the ladder as a black woman seems near to impossible from where I'm.I also have to use Autocad, which i think is an incredibly inefficient program. It's terrible with documentation but I can't suggest anything different because my bosses don't want anything else to be used. I know that there are many old, white haired, professional building consultants who are the same.
I don't know if its worth the long haul. Firm founders, I've interviewed, say that they sometimes can't feed their kids because people don't really want architect services anymore. But they have wildly successful seasons too. Everything I was told I could get in this profession (What made me do it in the first place) such as travel, great salary, stability, exposure to c-level executives, are a pipe dream. All the naive optimism I had in university, has been obliterated by the real world.
I can hold on if I know there is a good future ahead.
Rusty!
May 2, 19 11:18 am
Sounds like you need a new country. There are lots of firms in the world that are gender and ethnicity inclusive, or at least strive to be.
Lack of work will bring out the worst in this profession. But during boom times top talent will be recognized for talent.
OneLostArchitect
May 2, 19 6:08 pm
Country? What country is she from?
Jacq Arch
May 2, 19 2:49 pm
I don't think telling someone to go to another country because of that person's skin color and gender is a good advice. And while she's flying away a swedish chick will fly in and take her job.
nwabisamadyibi
Why stay in architecture? My question to you is what do want from architecture?
Witty Banter
May 2, 19 2:58 pm
I don't think Rusty!'s point was that she should leave her country because of her skin color or gender. I believe his point was that she should work for a firm that does not display bias due to race or gender. Since she already stated there are not other firms hiring in her country, that would mean start looking outside of it.
Jacq Arch
May 2, 19 3:09 pm
I got Rusty!'s point, but my point is moving to another country to just get a shot and to escape bigotry is pretty difficult.
Rusty!
May 2, 19 5:26 pm
Jacq, the original post reads more like a fiction piece than a real situation someone is in. But for benefit of doubt, let's just say it's some European country where economy is not great right now. Move to where work is. Half my office is international. This is what Architects do. Even a millennium ago, masons were the only people who actually moved from fortification to fortification once church was completed and it was time to start building a new one elsewhere.
tduds
May 2, 19 6:38 pm
..the fuck?
TED
May 2, 19 2:58 pm
You need a new county but also your values 'What made me do it in the first place) such as travel, great salary, stability, exposure to c-level executives, are a pipe dream.' may be a bit shallow - what about changing the world? solving climate change? Housing Crisis? Poverty and inequality? Passion should shape your identity - figure out what your dream is and follow it.
archinet
May 2, 19 3:55 pm
I would switch offices before switching countries or profession. First look for another job locally, if that does not work, then look for another job internationally.
Broadstreetexpresstrain
May 2, 19 5:22 pm
Also, you should develop a peer group in the profession where you can bounce around ideas and experiences. As an African American male architect myself, it hasn’t always been rosy. But the passion for the profession and my willingness to learn and grow all propelled and inspired me to persevere. I have progressed along in the career by knowing when it’s time to move along in order to get better experience/pay. Although, that last recession was pretty bad and almost forced me from the profession. You should take an assessment of who you are and what you want and identify at least 5 people that have already succeeded at what you want to do and follow through on how they did it. you should also include seasoned women of color architects in your circle for inspiration. In high school I read an article in the newspaper about black owned Architecture firms in Philadelphia and went to interview the principals there. Eventually I built a relationship with some of the people that I interviewed and went on to work for 2 Black owned firms while in college and afterwards. I learned a great deal at those firms and eventually moved on to larger design firms. Know what you want tying do,develop a plan and follow through while not allowing societal constraints to stop you......it won’t be easy but, nothing truly beneficial usually is.....You can do it .....because so many others already have.
Wilma Buttfit
May 2, 19 8:41 pm
Move on to a different job even one that is outside of the traditional career path before you decide to give it up completely (you could come back with other experience which is also valuable). Not all firms place the glass ceiling right above your head while you sit so you hit it just by standing up.
arch76
May 4, 19 1:05 am
wait...where on earth has kids two years out of college making proposals and running projects? It is sadly reassuring, in a way only this profession can be, to hear that the architects there don't get paid enough either...
AlinaF
May 4, 19 4:00 pm
OP is most likely working on cheap low quality stuff. Not difficult to run jobs like that.
AlinaF
May 4, 19 4:01 pm
Well don't stay then. More work for the rest of us.
meiii
May 6, 19 6:49 am
Power will not be given to you... you must take it. I'm a black woman working in an architecture firm and I am tired of seeing "race" used as an excuse for most of our life situations that bother us.. I am not saying you are wrong and there is no discrimination in your work place but you may be not totally right as well ?
Is it really about race or your performance and personality as an individual/employee ? How do you present yourself in the firm ? Are you more of a passive or active employee ? All that matters..
I have to agree with TED that your reasons for going to architecture are a bit shallow..After many years of studying architecture is that really the glimpse you got of the profession?
Finally I also agree with everyone that says, if the conditions are not right for you, you should consider first looking for another firm because they are truly amazing ones out there, just waiting for passionate young architects to find them lol.. architecture is not always roses and daisies, but it is so rewarding when you get to do what you love in a sane enviroment.. maybe dont give up just yet ?
I wish you well in your future endeavours. :)
meiii
May 6, 19 7:12 am
foreign firms* (if you are able to relocate)
workmorelivemore
May 6, 19 11:13 am
meiii, love what you have to say. Hope to read more posts from you on the forums.
Quentin P
May 6, 19 11:28 am
x2 @meiii
randomised
May 6, 19 12:34 pm
I don't know anyone who got into architecture just for "the travel, great salary, stability, exposure to c-level executives"...with such drivers no wonder you're miserable. Maybe find a job where you can travel, have a great salary, stability, exposure to c-level executives. Have you tried becoming an #Instagram #Influencer?
x-jla
May 6, 19 1:07 pm
if you touch every surface that you walk by to appreciate and examine the materials then stay in architecture.
If you spend more than 2 hours in a hardware store when your wife sends you for batteries and turn off your phone so she doesn’t bother you as you look around thinking of shit to build then stay in architecture.
If you watch movies and completely miss the plot because you were too busy looking at the set...stay in architecture.
If you want money, travel, stability etc...do not stay in architecture.
GridBubbles
May 6, 19 2:23 pm
or just become/work towards a career as a builder...
I am a recent architecture graduate. I graduated masters one and a half years ago. I loved studying architecture so I thought It's got to be the only career path for me. I have been working for the same firm during my graduate architecture work experience years. I've been trying to work at other firms but the economy in my country is terrible so recruitment agencies and firms have been telling me there are no job openings for graduate architects since half a year ago.
I HATE working as an architect, it's nothing like school. The pay is terrible. The meanders for a woman of colour is terrible. I have white work colleges who work, straight out of a bachelors degree, and they're put on projects where they are making proposals, meeting clients, running projects. While I, a black woman with 2 years of experience (I spent a year out working, before post grad, and through school) am struggling to get my boss to set me up to meet a single client. I'm basically a draftswoman. I evenhad to fight to go to a site meeting of a project I've drafted from inception. Climbing up the ladder as a black woman seems near to impossible from where I'm.I also have to use Autocad, which i think is an incredibly inefficient program. It's terrible with documentation but I can't suggest anything different because my bosses don't want anything else to be used. I know that there are many old, white haired, professional building consultants who are the same.
I don't know if its worth the long haul. Firm founders, I've interviewed, say that they sometimes can't feed their kids because people don't really want architect services anymore. But they have wildly successful seasons too. Everything I was told I could get in this profession (What made me do it in the first place) such as travel, great salary, stability, exposure to c-level executives, are a pipe dream. All the naive optimism I had in university, has been obliterated by the real world.
I can hold on if I know there is a good future ahead.
Sounds like you need a new country. There are lots of firms in the world that are gender and ethnicity inclusive, or at least strive to be.
Lack of work will bring out the worst in this profession. But during boom times top talent will be recognized for talent.
Country? What country is she from?
I don't think telling someone to go to another country because of that person's skin color and gender is a good advice. And while she's flying away a swedish chick will fly in and take her job.
nwabisamadyibi
Why stay in architecture? My question to you is what do want from architecture?
I don't think Rusty!'s point was that she should leave her country because of her skin color or gender. I believe his point was that she should work for a firm that does not display bias due to race or gender. Since she already stated there are not other firms hiring in her country, that would mean start looking outside of it.
I got Rusty!'s point, but my point is moving to another country to just get a shot and to escape bigotry is pretty difficult.
Jacq, the original post reads more like a fiction piece than a real situation someone is in. But for benefit of doubt, let's just say it's some European country where economy is not great right now. Move to where work is. Half my office is international. This is what Architects do. Even a millennium ago, masons were the only people who actually moved from fortification to fortification once church was completed and it was time to start building a new one elsewhere.
..the fuck?
You need a new county but also your values 'What made me do it in the first place) such as travel, great salary, stability, exposure to c-level executives, are a pipe dream.' may be a bit shallow - what about changing the world? solving climate change? Housing Crisis? Poverty and inequality? Passion should shape your identity - figure out what your dream is and follow it.
I would switch offices before switching countries or profession. First look for another job locally, if that does not work, then look for another job internationally.
Also, you should develop a peer group in the profession where you can bounce around ideas and experiences. As an African American male architect myself, it hasn’t always been rosy. But the passion for the profession and my willingness to learn and grow all propelled and inspired me to persevere. I have progressed along in the career by knowing when it’s time to move along in order to get better experience/pay. Although, that last recession was pretty bad and almost forced me from the profession. You should take an assessment of who you are and what you want and identify at least 5 people that have already succeeded at what you want to do and follow through on how they did it. you should also include seasoned women of color architects in your circle for inspiration. In high school I read an article in the newspaper about black owned Architecture firms in Philadelphia and went to interview the principals there. Eventually I built a relationship with some of the people that I interviewed and went on to work for 2 Black owned firms while in college and afterwards. I learned a great deal at those firms and eventually moved on to larger design firms. Know what you want tying do,develop a plan and follow through while not allowing societal constraints to stop you......it won’t be easy but, nothing truly beneficial usually is.....You can do it .....because so many others already have.
Move on to a different job even one that is outside of the traditional career path before you decide to give it up completely (you could come back with other experience which is also valuable). Not all firms place the glass ceiling right above your head while you sit so you hit it just by standing up.
wait...where on earth has kids two years out of college making proposals and running projects? It is sadly reassuring, in a way only this profession can be, to hear that the architects there don't get paid enough either...
OP is most likely working on cheap low quality stuff. Not difficult to run jobs like that.
Well don't stay then. More work for the rest of us.
Power will not be given to you... you must take it. I'm a black woman working in an architecture firm and I am tired of seeing "race" used as an excuse for most of our life situations that bother us.. I am not saying you are wrong and there is no discrimination in your work place but you may be not totally right as well ?
Is it really about race or your performance and personality as an individual/employee ? How do you present yourself in the firm ? Are you more of a passive or active employee ? All that matters..
I have to agree with TED that your reasons for going to architecture are a bit shallow..After many years of studying architecture is that really the glimpse you got of the profession?
Finally I also agree with everyone that says, if the conditions are not right for you, you should consider first looking for another firm because they are truly amazing ones out there, just waiting for passionate young architects to find them lol.. architecture is not always roses and daisies, but it is so rewarding when you get to do what you love in a sane enviroment.. maybe dont give up just yet ?
I wish you well in your future endeavours. :)
foreign firms* (if you are able to relocate)
meiii, love what you have to say. Hope to read more posts from you on the forums.
x2 @meiii
I don't know anyone who got into architecture just for "the travel, great salary, stability, exposure to c-level executives"...with such drivers no wonder you're miserable. Maybe find a job where you can travel, have a great salary, stability, exposure to c-level executives. Have you tried becoming an #Instagram #Influencer?
if you touch every surface that you walk by to appreciate and examine the materials then stay in architecture.
If you spend more than 2 hours in a hardware store when your wife sends you for batteries and turn off your phone so she doesn’t bother you as you look around thinking of shit to build then stay in architecture.
If you watch movies and completely miss the plot because you were too busy looking at the set...stay in architecture.
If you want money, travel, stability etc...do not stay in architecture.
or just become/work towards a career as a builder...