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I wanted to be an artist, but my parents said I had to get a “real degree”. So instead of art school, I went to architecture school.
I think of those days as a creative boot camp, where artistic vision and design skills got you top marks. I graduated, got my first job….and discovered architecture firms operate under a completely different set of priorities. School taught us to be creative, but not how to succeed in a creative career.
Photo by Nathan Bingle on UnsplashI figured it out fast, but it would have been nice if someone had warned me ahead of time.
If you want a successful architecture career, there are four things you should know.
1. Your Life Will Be Ruled by Timesheets
Remember staying up all night to finish your studio project? Guess what — we don’t pull all-nighters in the office.
You'll work during office hours and finish by the deadline. You’ll be told exactly how many hours you have to finish a project task and you’ll write down every one of those hours on an architectural timesheet.
Late submitting your timesheet? Accounting will make you regret it.
If you need more time, speak up! Your supervisor is responsible for the team staying under the total budgeted hours.
Quiz
Janice, the project architect, gave you 20 hours to draw a roof detail. You're not familiar with the drawing software and you're struggling. What should you do?
Janice is responsible for how the hours in the project budget are spent. Show her what you’ve done so she can decide if it's more efficient to move hours from another task to yours or give the job to someone else. Don’t ask a coworker to do your work — Janice won’t like someone using up her project hours without her permission.
2. The Number One Threat is Being Sued
Construction projects can be worth millions of dollars. Architects get sued all the time, sometimes years after a project is finished. Every drawing, document, letter, or email you send is potential evidence in a contract dispute or legal action.
Don't say anything on behalf of your firm, unless you have permission.
Your Little Black Book
Every architect carries a notebook (or tablet) to write down:
ideas and sketches
conversations or calls
field notes
meeting minutes
contact info
Your notes might be important if the firm gets sued.
3. The Only Way To Become a Partner Is to Get New Clients
Being good at your job is not enough. To earn promotions or open your own firm, you have to be great at getting new projects.
Sure, you're a junior, but start impressing clients now. Show them you're someone they want to work with.
When you meet a client:
Say hi — explain what you're doing on their project.
Be professional — don't say negative things about the firm, coworkers, other clients, or ex-employers.
Be a problem solver — always present solutions along with the problems.
Be responsive — answer their emails/voicemails right away.
Did you know?
Many clients are happy to mentor you. I was hired to head a new division of an architectural firm, less than six years out of school. They said they were super impressed that one of my clients wrote a glowing reference letter.
4. Junior Staff Don't Get to Design (Much)
Photo by Bing Han on UnsplashEveryone wants to do the fun stuff. Senior staff aren’t picking on you — there are some good reasons why you’re not given the juicy design work:
It involves meeting with the client — you're too junior to be trusted with that.
It must be buildable — experienced staff can sketch ideas they know can be constructed to meet budget and codes.
Senior staff are faster — less than a third of project hours are for design, so experienced designers are first in line.
Did you know?
A great way of getting design experience and mentorship is to join your coworkers in doing a design competition after hours. You won't get paid but most firms support it as a team-building activity. They'll usually donate printing, use of office resources, and some free meals.
Take Action
Work with the priorities of architectural firms and you'll be ready to launch your successful design career!
Photo by Zac Durant on UnsplashHere's what you can do:
This Byte has been authored by
Suzanne Cheng
Director of Education
B.E.S., B. Arch, B. Ed.