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Architect services and freelancing

M

mcai7et2

pfm Member
Hi all,
My girlfriend graduated about 18 months ago with a Masters degree in Architecture from one of the best universities in Europe. Since then she has done a little freelance work, and has been looking for a full time job, either in the UK or in the Netherlands. As you may know, the market is still in the toilet, and there are very few jobs available compared to the number of qualified graduates, and she has not had much luck.

I think it might be worthwhile for her to step up her freelancing a bit, and start to look for clients directly. Although she has not (yet) passed her part 3 exam in the UK, and cannot be an "Architect" there, I think there might be a market for something in between (for drawing, detailing, rendering, and general consultation).

Seeing as the per-capita income here is (generally) a little higher than average, you seemed like good potential clients. What services do you think would be useful, and do you have any ideas to help get this business off the ground?

Cheers,
Edward :)
 
Hi Edward
When I was at the Dept Architecture at the Uni or Brighton I used to advise my students to forget the CV's as in a crowded market you need face to face eye contact to make a mark.
My advise was always to pick their best projects get them into their portfolio and hump it around the practices that they would like to work for, this was mainly in London of course, ask to see the head of the practice and say that although you knew that there was no vacancies at the moment, would they look the the portfolio and advise them. This of course shows a little more of a initiative over those that just send their CV's.
It was surprising how many obtained a position in the Top London Practices using this ploy. When you have a CV's submitted to you, it's very easy just to say that you haven't time to read them all, but it's a lot more difficult dismiss people when your are eye to eye with them.
She really needs to persevere and obtain her part three to practice on her own in the UK, and then join the RIBA. I do know of some Architects that practice without being a member, but for those that do join the rewards are most beneficial.
The very Best of Luck to her
oldie
 
When I was an associate at an Architect practice in Brighton I would be part of the interview team. The boss was never that struck by the CV and the rehearsed drivel, but only in what the candidate would be able to contribute in ideas and talent. The other factor that was just as important was how they mingled when introduced to the ground floor of architects and technicians hard at work. If their social skills were good and they appeared to fit, they passed. If they were awkward and shy, they didn't.

The problem with this is that they had to get to the interview stage by sending in a CV as a response to an advert, but by bypassing that, as Oldie says, it cuts out all that crap. It also shows initiative, which is what an employer wants to see.

Of course, this wouldn't be appropriate in many businesses, but in architecture it does seem to work like that.

Employment is useful to make contacts, but otherwise freelance is the way to go, and an entry in Yell.com would get her going in no time. Clients want fixed prices, so don't do the hourly rate thing because they get frightened. Don't charge too little - it is counter-productive and won't win jobs.

I'm sure Martin will be along soon to lend something useful here.
 
Forgot to say - employment will get her part 3 and freelancing will not, because business will boom and there is no stopping once it's underway. If she's dead set on getting the part 3, then it has to be employment.
I know tons of people that never got around to it, including the guy that rents an office from me and runs a very successful architectural practice with a few staff. He does reasonable sized projects and it's never hampered him in the slightest, but she'll need to decide what is important to her. It's hard to stop once it's underway.
 
My daughter is going through the same process, best of fortune to her. No1 child enjoys doing CAD, I think the phrase is a CAD jockey. Has she got a particular skill that is in demand?

The profession doesn't seem to support new talent very much at all.
 
Thanks for all the feedback and support. I worry that showing up unannounced and asking to see the head of a practice was a little rude, and would result in a lot of secretaries kicking you out for not having an appointment. Perhaps this is a cultural thing, and it is more accepted in architecture, certainly if it is worth a try we will give it a go :)

Regarding the part 3, she is not dead set on it, she just wants a job, and to have the 6 years she spent working her ass off at University to mean something. She is starting to get pretty down about it, and worrying that she has made an irrevocable wrong turn in her life. She is talented, and very hard working, and she will make an awesome architect, we just need to figure out a way into the profession :)

Regarding particular skills, she has pretty wide experience. She has designed a small house working directly with clients on a freelance project; she has designed industrial buildings for an electricity company (something to do with a power station); her thesis was a three building sports, leisure, and conference facility on a landscaped island. She has professional and academic experience with surveying, conserving, and renovating old buildings (one project was featured at an architecture biannale). Not sure what in particular is in demand at the moment (she will have a better idea).

Cheers,
Ed
 
mcai7et2 said:
I worry that showing up unannounced and asking to see the head of a practice was a little rude, and would result in a lot of secretaries kicking you out for not having an appointment. Perhaps this is a cultural thing,
Click to expand...

Architects are rude and arrogant. It's an attitude they think of as a positive quality. It's no profession for the timid.
:)
 
Rasher said:
Architects are rude and arrogant. It's an attitude they think of as a positive quality. It's no profession for the timid.
:)
Click to expand...

Correct, It's a attitude of "you may think you know what you want , but we know better" but very talented as well.
She could work as a architect in the UK without part 3, but only under the supervision of a practice that has part 3 architect's working there. This is the way forwards to obtaining part 3

Best of luck
oldie
 
oldie said:
Hi Edward
When I was at the Dept Architecture at the Uni or Brighton I used to advise my students to forget the CV's as in a crowded market you need face to face eye contact to make a mark.
My advise was always to pick their best projects get them into their portfolio and hump it around the practices that they would like to work for, this was mainly in London of course, ask to see the head of the practice and say that although you knew that there was no vacancies at the moment, would they look the the portfolio and advise them. This of course shows a little more of a initiative over those that just send their CV's.
It was surprising how many obtained a position in the Top London Practices using this ploy. When you have a CV's submitted to you, it's very easy just to say that you haven't time to read them all, but it's a lot more difficult dismiss people when your are eye to eye with them.
Click to expand...

That's the way to do it nowadays. it will actually differentiate them from the usual crowd that just shoots off emailed CV's. If you do get to meet "the boss" try to think of a commercial angle to suggest you won't be a waste of space for the first 6 months (it might be a totally naive idea but anyone meeting you will like any effort made and won't kill you for trying). Architecture is a tough business financially and made even tougher during the recession when the banks reduced lending. Remember, architectural work is basically funded by a bank, i.e. few personal or commercial clients build with their own cash.
 
Rasher said:
Architects are rude and arrogant. It's an attitude they think of as a positive quality. It's no profession for the timid.
:)
Click to expand...

Most of the architects I deal with aren't rude at all, but considerate, self effacing and often quite timid, possibly reflecting their diminished status in the built environment hierachy and the fact that most building design is actually determined by the QS, Project Manager and Engineer in that order.

I can't think of another profession that involves such a long winded education combined with often abyssmal job opportunities, and where if you're lucky enough to get work, can end up with 18 hour days, w/e working, all for a salary substantially less than the average bus driver.

The only sensible route if you really want to pursue the profession is to get fully qualified, and then set up on your own. AFAIA operating without full qualifications means you can't officially call yourself an Architect and access to appropriate levels of PII to cover works on site is difficult to come by and/or costly.

If you want rude the PM is usually the first candidate in line;)
 
My girlfriend, who is a well-establsihed architect with 25 years of experience and earns like a bus driver with a little seniority, suggests that you look on a website: www.world-architects.com.

Good luck to her, and good luck to you if you have to live with or marry an architect!
 
PaulMB said:
My girlfriend, who is a well-establsihed architect with 25 years of experience and earns like a bus driver with a little seniority, suggests that you look on a website: www.world-architects.com.

Good luck to her, and good luck to you if you have to live with or marry an architect!
Click to expand...

Hi Paul, thanks for the website tip. It definitely seems like one of the more painful careers out there, and one of the most undervalued given the qualifications and work involved.
 
mcai7et2 said:
Hi Paul, thanks for the website tip. It definitely seems like one of the more painful careers out there, and one of the most undervalued given the qualifications and work involved.
Click to expand...

Its a very sad state of affairs here I'm afraid, made worse throughout the country by the almost blind acceptance (by the majority of the home buying population) of poorly designed, low spec housing set in poxy landscapes where the only consideration is how to get your car as close to your front door as humanly possible.

Most volume housebuilders won't get out of bed unless making 25-30% profits and are quite happy to spill out 1980's pattern book house types with no consideration of placemaking or local relevance and use the minimum of designer input to squeeze a permission out of the local planning dept.

Contrast this with northern EU countries where architects are still respected and reasonably well paid and where individual, bespoke house builds are commonplace. Its happening here but very slowly.

My recommendation would be to get in with a smaller local firm specialising in new build sustainable architecture to gain experience, and preferably one which is supporting self builders, and small scale quality house builders as this is the way forward IMO.

Offering to work for free for a few months is commonplace but can lead to more permanent work in the longer term.
 
I work in Building Control and also undertake some freelance Architectural work in the UK from time to time. Nothing too major mainly extensions , loft conversions the odd new house and some minor commercial stuff. Right at this moment there is a real lack of staff carrying out the Building Control function. Now I would not recommend this as a long term career switch but she may be able to obtain a position in this discipline relatively easily. A couple of years doing Building Control would give her massive experience from a different perspective. A good grounding in in the UK Building Regulations and associated legislation, a good understanding of how Buildings are actually put together. Develop real problem solving skills and be dealing with a lot of other professionals within the industry be it clients , builders Architect Surveyors , Fire Prevention Officers Structural Engineers etc. These are skills which do seem to be at a very high premium with a lot of Architects / Architectural Technicians. I would suspect that with her qualifications supported by the Building Control experience she would have a very desirable skill set for a small to modest sized practice or indeed should she wish to go it alone in the future.
 
I just hope any new young aspiring architects don't end up as deluded as this guy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29376759

I think the last part of the feature pretty much explained how it fails so completely - you can't even get it in the house!
And imagine going though all that just to put the kettle on. A kitchen for people that don't use the kitchen I suppose. I wonder why no-one told him at the outset that he was wasting his time?
Don't give this man a job.
 
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