Turning Your Degree Into a Job
Posted: June 24th, 2011 | Author: Brianna | Filed under: Architecture as a Profession | No Comments »
This past year I have gone through so many changes in my life including getting married, moving to Indianapolis, and becoming the owner of a Saint Bernard puppy. However, the change that impacted my life the most (aside from getting married) was completing my school career by graduating with my Master’s in Architecture from the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University. Up to this point, my entire life had been focused on school, homework, studying, good grades, tests, getting into college, more studying, keeping up those grades, harder tests, and projects. The cycle continued until I earned my diploma.
Eagerly I stood; ready to make an impact on the architecture world. Like me, all your schooling has prepared you to be the best architect that you can be, and you feel that anything you want from this career is within your grasp; the only thing that can stop you is yourself……or a bad economy. I don’t recall any of my professors mentioning the impact of a bad job market when they were preparing me for the world after school, but that was where I found myself in May, 2010. Since I was one of the fortunate few who found an architecture job fairly quickly, I decided to blog some suggestions and methods that helped me and some of my classmates secure promising careers in the field of architecture or in related fields. In addition, I spoke with my employer to see what qualities he looks for in a potential employee.
Connections:
Connections is probably the most basic answer someone can give when asked about finding a job, but it truly is the easiest and fastest way to find a job. Networking effectively can yield success in many fields, and this holds true for the architecture and design field, as well. You never know when one of those connections will lead to a job opportunity. Get as involved as you can in the professional community. You can start working on this by volunteering your time for any project or charity that you find interesting and that you can offer some of your personal expertise (such as digital/graphic help, drawing, designing, etc.). You will meet people with similar interests as yourself, which can lead to more opportunities to get involved and meet more people. The more people you know, the more likely you are to meet someone that could help connect you to a job opportunity. Don’t forget about your existing connections: family, friends, professors, mentors, and past bosses usually want to help you if they can. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and see where it leads you. You may be given the job because of who you know, but you are the one who has to prove that was the best decision they ever made.
Flexibility:
Being flexible can help you get a job in a number of ways. Having a flexible schedule can help you fit better into the schedule of the company. In my current job with Cooler Design, Inc., they were flexible in adjusting my start date to one that worked best for me as well as the company.
It is essential to be flexible about your location. If you are willing to travel or look for jobs throughout the country, you expand the number of firms you can apply with, and the more firms you meet with, the more chances you have at landing a job. Also make sure you are open to looking at and applying for all types of jobs related to the architecture field. Many of my calssmates from BSU have found jobs in areas related to architecture and design.
Getting your foot in the door at a firm where you want to work is more important than the job title itself. A lot of companies try to fill positions with people from within the existing company. Doing one job well, even if it is a job for which you are over-qualified, will encourage employers to consider looking at you for other positions as those become available. Just as the economy is challenging for those seeking employment, it is causing financial problems for all of these companies as well, which means that employees often get paid less to do more work. Keep in mind that you might not get your dream pay or hours, and you will probably have to do a few tasks that are not your favorite, but if it means you get experience and allows you to learn more about architecture, it is worth it.
Stand Out:
One of the things my architecture friends and I agreed upon was that through our architecture education, we have been equipped with a large set of skills that makes us marketable to a wide range of jobs. However, we all come from different backgrounds, have various interests and personal skills that can help us stand out from the crowd. Do not forget to make sure those skills are known. All of those skills and your personality need to shine through all your physical documentation (resume, graphic calling cards, portfolio, etc.) and at your meetings. Whether it is just as a casual meeting or a professional interview, those people are going to know whether they like you or not within the first ten minutes. You have to impress them and make them remember you in a positive way. This is not an easy task and takes some practice to perfect.
Research:
Research is probably the key item that is often missed by people who are trying to secure a job; you need to know about the company you are interviewing with before you make contact. The World Wide Web is a very useful tool when it comes to this kind of research. Do your homework, know the firm. What types of architecture do they do? How large are they? Have they won any awards? Read their history and mission statement, and look at their portfolio. This is your chance to judge a firm and see if you think they would be a good match for you. Since we live in a technology based society, if the firm does not have a website, they probably are not in business anymore, or they won’t be for long.
Cold Calls & Impromptu Visits:
Cold calling is the process of approaching a prospective employer or company, typically by telephone, who is not expecting such an interaction. Any fears you have about cold calling a firm or making an impromptu visit needs to go away as quickly as possible. When it comes to job searching, it is basically a rite of passage. We all have done it and many people continue to do it whenever they search for a job. This shows the company that you are interested in them and allows them to gain a better understanding of who you are. Just blindly sending out letters with your portfolio can be expensive and wasteful. You need to know if they are interested in at least seeing what you have to offer them. Also cold calls and impromptu visits allow them to put a person with a name. During calls, they can get a better sense of your personality and at least what your voice sounds like. At visits, they can actually meet you and put a face to the work that you do. Architects are visual people and will remember a face over a name, plus many will take a little time to have a brief impromptu meeting with you right on the spot. Whether it be a quick tour of the office or an actual interview, any time they can see your personality can lead to a job offer later on down the road.
Experience:
Accumulating work experience can be tough, especially if you are just graduating college. As most of you know, or will find out soon, the profession of architecture is not the same as having an education in architecture. Most employers are looking for work experience along with the education. For example, firms who focus on healthcare will interview applicants who have healthcare design experience over others who do not. This is hard for many students and recent graduates because you are each trying to find the area of design that best works with you. However, you can use experiences gained in internship opportunities or volunteer activities while in college, so choose those experiences carefully.
If you do not have the experience in the type of the design the firm primarily works in, you need to show them how diverse you can be. Also show how any current or past employment experiences can help make you a better employee to them. If you don’t have the experience, you need to have skills that will benefit the company in some way, and a personality that is positive and enthusiastic. You will have to show them that you can learn quickly and work well in a group setting.
Documentation & Interviews:
Your resume and portfolio need to be as current as possible. Make sure you are constantly updating the information as anything changes or just to make it better. This package of information is what the company will keep to represent you. I recommend providing a cover letter that directly relates to that firm; a few graphic calling cards that have information about you, your skills, and your experiences on the back of the images of your best work; and your resume. Make sure you have different resumes that highlight various skills that will appeal to a number of different firms. For example, your resume that you would sent to a health care design firm like Cooler Design would probably be very different from the one you would send to a company that designs airports.
Once you get an interview, make sure you take anything that will represent your work. Typically this would include your school portfolio filled with different types of projects and media, any sketchbooks you have from projects or trips you have been on, any publications that you have worked on or written in, and a short list of references that the employers can call to learn more about you. These are items that the potential employer can look at with you during the interview but, with the exception of the references, they do not necessarily have to be left with them unless they ask. As we all know, printing a portfolio can be fairly expensive, and there is no need to leave these materials laying in someone’s bottom drawer.
During the interview make sure you are engaged in all the questions that the employer may ask. Think before you answer, and try to respond as honestly as you can. If you are being “fake” in any way, they will be able to see right through you. Also, there is no need to be nervous; the potential employer obviously wanted to meet with you because your skills or experience impressed them in some way. Be confident in yourself and all you have to offer. Finally, do not be afraid to ask them a few questions at the end. You are just as much getting to know them as they are you. Try to keep the questions about the firm, their projects, or their work values. A few questions about the position are fine as well, but I would avoid anything to specific such as pay unless they offer you a job on the spot. A great example of a question you could ask is how will the firm evaluate employee performance and allocate new responsibilities?
Persistence:
After you interview for a job, give them about a week and do a follow-up call. This is one of the most important steps in the whole process. Employers often get busy with work and put off calling you to let you know what they are thinking about hiring you. A follow-up call shows them that you want the job, and makes them focus again on how you could possibly help their company. The reality is there are job openings out there; the people who get hired are the ones who go the extra mile to show their passion for their work and that job. Do not get discouraged by getting turned down either. There is a job out there that is right for you; right now you just are searching to find it. View all the cold calls, impromptu visits, and interviews as great practice that will prepare you for the right job waiting for you.
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