So You are Graduating...What Now?

Phil Bernstein recently published a very nice post that all of my student readers so take a look at:

Winter Commencement

As December now rolls around it's the eve of my last lecture in my professional practice class at Yale.  Although I've been teaching for almost twenty-five years, I still can't believe how quickly the semester accelerates into Thanksgiving, and suddenly it's all over but the shouting (or, in our case, final projects and juries).  About the same time as the term slammed to a closed I received a note from a student at Prarie View A&M, asking many of the existential questions that must be facing architecture students nearing their degrees.  Seemed like a good time to speculate a bit about that future, and what this year's graduates might be facing as they confront the job market in the spring, with enough time between now and then to contemplate their options and plot their strategies, so here goes:

What does the market look like out there for a young architect? 

....Click here to see the rest of the post....

Phil brings up some excellent points in his post.  I think the underlying issue that is now haunting all of my peers and myself is the uncertainty of our future.  All of the facts and numbers point to such a gloomy future.  6,000 of us graduating while there are still 20,000 more experienced architects looking for jobs too?!   That means we are at a 3 to 1 disadvantage even before we walk across the stage and shake our dean's hands.  So what do we have that those 20,000 architects do not?  The Revit Mind.

The Revit Mind does not simply mean we know Revit and they don't.  It means we think differently.  We problem solve differently.  We naturally collaborate across disciplines without a hint of discrimination or hesitation.  We contain the ability to complete three or four different tasks at once (while texting, checking Facebook, and watching a football game).  We are the Generation X Reviteers and we should not be afraid of those 20,000 CAD generation baby boomers... 

Just as Phil points out in his post, we need to stay "in the grid".  If we can creep into every nook and cranny of the building industry and utilize our Revit Mind's to their fullest effect I honestly believe that we have the power to revive it.     

Job Searching... Where to Start?!

This goes right along with yesterdays post from Archinect. Design Intelligence released a nice write up with their recent newsletter. I urge you all to check it out. There is some great information as well as a list of links as to where to begin searching for Architecture related jobs.

"...Recessions in 1973, ’82, ’87, ’91, ’97, 2001, and now ’08. Does it seem like they get progressively more frequent? Do they now appear to be the norm, with prosperity being a temporary situation? Has stability become an outdated phenomenon? Has economic uncertainty affected our performance? Has everything-due-yesterday rendered us too stressed to do anything today? Has fear replaced hope?

Nope. Media thrive on reminding us of the dismal state of our economy … and lives. Few reports are apt to point out the opportunities and choices we still have, and still fewer to offer any real solutions. We are left with self-doubt, anxiety, and the critical question:

What is wrong with my profession, and when will it improve? When will the (good) jobs return?

This article offers advice to those seeking work in the construction design professions, particularly architects and interior designers. When job hunting, accept that the process will not be linear. Also know that there is no walk-in perfect design job. The key is to find a potentially promising employer, get on board, and then grow into the position. The cast of characters involved, employers and otherwise, is worthy of a novel; no one will make it easy for you. Those new to the design professions are the most at risk; however, they are also in the best state to land a job because the number of positions available to recent graduates is usually highest...

...School vs. Work

Sadly, employers remain at odds with education, particularly in the case of recent grads. Design schools -- if not all schools -- teach us to think outside the box. Conceptual theory and imagination are the seeds of good design, from which a superior reality flows. Architects emerge with essential analytical skills and environmental sensitivity. And they can use computers to fabricate glorious cyber-complexes, underwater cities, and second-generation prairie housing. All this mind expansion is grand.

Unfortunately, most employers want none of it. “Did you finish the egress study yet?” “What is the floor occupancy, and how many toilets do we need?” “What is the square footage of the northeast quadrant of the site?” “Have you checked the ADA requirements for a judge’s bench?” “Make me five copies of the specs, and ship them to Mumbai.”

This is what you should be prepared for. Why? The worse the market, the more nitty-gritty the work. Are you up for it?

Those with work/study experience (such as internships) can be the most conflicted of all, having gone back and forth between theory and reality. During times like these, it’s usually best to concentrate on what was learned on the job... Continue Reading for links, info, and more..."

Autodesk Student Community: Career Center

For those of you who belong to the student community I was clicking around and found the Careers section.  

This portion of the site is powered by Career Builder.com and appears to be very powerful.  I searched for jobs in my area and found a whole bunch (usually I find one or two relating to architecture on many other sites).  Give it a try.

Autodesk Student Community : Career Center