Simply based on my inbox, there is a new batch of bright and shiny new future architects about to graduate and they are on the hunt for their future … hopefully in an office like mine.
That sounds like I think my office is the best place in the world to work. It’s not … I’m still working on getting a keg-r-ator installed in the break room, but until then, there are all sorts of things that people looking for summer jobs – or full-time positions upon graduation – and I think I have just about every possible angle covered.
The professional field of architecture comes as a shock to most recent graduates because the real-world is nothing like the studio environment you became familiar with while you were in school. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a job where everybody likes you and recognizes the value you bring to the mix. Today’s post is all about helping you prepare yourself for the real world of architecture. I know this will come as a shock, but Bjarke Ingels doesn’t really exist – (I know this because “he” hasn’t accepted my friend request on Facebook.)
Dig in and prepare to find your dream job – all my secrets are about to be revealed (except how to be friends with Bjarke Ingels).
The Not so Sexy Side of Architecture
Practicing architecture for 99.9% of the architects out there means something other than designing – at least what you think design means.
Why Should You Read This?
The practice of architecture is more than sketching on trace paper, parti diagrams, deciding what pens to draw with, groupies, and last-minute trips to Vegas. It means solving problems – sometimes incredibly mundane and uninspired – yet very important problems to the people who retain your services.
Are College Graduates Ready for the Real World
People go to college to learn how to learn and to train their brain to assess problems and determine what possible steps could or should be taken. You go to a technical college to learn how to do a thing or perform a specific job.
Why Should You Read This?
Regardless of what I design, however small, there are reasons for the moves I make. It’s not too often that my motivation is solely based on thinking something would look cool. There is an ebb and flow to design, a push here requires a pull there – and there are never-ending series of compromises that get made to achieve a finished product. Some of those compromises aren’t even made by me and are therefore completely out of my control. That’s why doing what I do requires critical thinking – it is not a craft. As a result, I don’t count on the graduates that come to me looking for a job to be ready to enter the working world.
Architects – Getting Your First Job
Getting your first job in an architecture school is more about who you are than what you can do. I thought I would put together some basic tips and strategies that might help you find the perfect firm for you.
Why Should You Read This?
Probably because you want to get a job. My answer to the question of how to get that first job is impacted by the size of firm we are and the type of culture we are trying to create in the office. Because of this, the things we look for in a candidate that is applying for their first job is how they present themselves, are they articulate and enthusiastic? Do they have things they are passionate about? I like to see the young people in my office care about something and get involved – it’s positively infectious to the culture of the office.
It’s that time of year again and the resumes from graduating college seniors are starting to crash our office door. What better time than now to have a little chat about them? What I want to talk about is the “what not to do’s” and the other nuances within resumes – the information you can plant between the lines to tell the reader something extra about you.
Why Should You Read This?
Because having a crappy resume is the kiss of death if you are trying to find work in a creative field. But since I can’t tell you how tone creative, what this post isn’t going to be is a list of how to write a resume. According to Google, the search “resume+books” returned 81,500,000 hits so you newbies should start there. What I want to talk about is the “what not to do’s” and the other nuances within resumes – the information you can plant between the lines to tell the reader something extra about you.
Here are some unique insights into how an architecture student can rise to the top of a pile of resumes and get that coveted architectural intern position.
Why Should You Read This?
Because if you are trying to find work as a summer intern, you should have some sort of idea of what you are about to get yourself mixed up in … sometimes it can be awesome, and sometimes it can totally suck. This post contains some tips to help you identify what you might be heading for and how to avoid a summer internship where the best thing you get to do is mow the grass out front.
Architecture in the Real World … Sorta
What is it like to be an architect? Architecture in the real world is a lot different from what people think. Does school prepare you for being an architect?
Why Should You Read This?
The reality of being an architect is that a vast majority of the time spent – for a vast majority of the people who practice architecture, involve doing something that doesn’t even come close to resembling design – but – since I am an upbeat and positive guy, I like to think attitude plays a role in whether or not you view this as misery or something else altogether. Not everything – or any job other than “Lottery Winner” – is awesome all the time. Something as simple as your attitude towards things goes a long way to how you approach your business.
Architecture School is an Island
People go to college to learn how to learn so in those moments of self-doubt, just show up, work hard, and relax. Everything is going to be okay.
Why Should You Read This?
Architecture School can be a lonely place at times despite being surrounded by your friends and colleagues. I know from personal experience that at times, it is easy to question your drive, dedication, talent, or ability. Maybe you shouldn’t be in architecture school … you don’t have what it takes. You spend a million hours in design studio learning new skills and techniques – always looking for that great idea, something that will help guide you through your design problem and leave you feeling good about the end result … and it doesn’t ever come. But that doesn’t mean you should give up. You have to realize why you went to school in the first place.
Architectural Portfolio and Their True Purpose
At one point or another, every architecture student or graduate has a portfolio of their work that they have agonized over creating … and most people get it wrong.
Why Should You Read This?
Every graduating architecture student has a portfolio – even I had one, and I maintained it for several years too. My portfolio was the tool I used to land my first AND second jobs. I was convinced for years of the importance of my portfolio – it represented me and my unquestionable “genius.” Until I realized years later how I should have built my portfolio and how it was impacting the sort of jobs I was able to land.
Pay Attention to the Shiny Things
I thought it would be particularly good timing to bring up the idea of working on short-term goals and they value – and satisfaction – that they can bring to your career.
Why Should You Read This?
Because the next worthy pursuit will probably appear in your periphery … which is why you should be careful of long-term dreams – if your focus is too far in front of you, you won’t see the shiny thing out the corner of your eye. And shiny things tend to be amazing.
Winning Interviews Techniques for Architects
tips and techniques that I think can make the difference between receiving an offer and someone offering to “keep your resume on file should anything come up.”
Why Should You Read This?
Because you probably want a job and this is the first step in achieving that goal. While many of these tips seem fairly self-evident to me, all I have to do is sit through an interview with a brand new graduate to realize that few people understand the basics behind a proper interview.
Do You Have What it Takes to be an Architect?
Do I have what it takes to be an Architect? Will I be any good at architecture if I become an architect? Will I make any money as an architect?
These are all good questions, so what does it take to be an “Architect?”
Why Should You Read This?
There are three things that can help you figure out if you have what it takes to be an architect. Do you know what they are? I do.
Big or Small? What’s the Right Size Firm for You?
For young architects and recent architectural graduates, how do you determine what the right size architectural firm for you?
Why Should You Read This?
There is a big difference between working in a large firm versus working in a small firm. It’s not just about the types of projects you get to work on, it’s about the opportunities and the resources available to you. There were clear and obvious benefits to be found at firms both large and small and determining which size firm is right for you is not as easy – or apparent – as you might think. It also might require that you actually work in both types of offices just to experience the differences for yourself.
Whoop! There it is … This is literally everything you could ever need to strike out on your own after graduation and find the job that’s best for you. While you might not get your dream job, you will be in a position to make sure that the job you get is at least worth your time.
