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Advice for a young Architect

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“Re: Advice for a young architect”

That was the subject line of one of the emails that came in over the weekend. Normally I don’t respond to the newest emails first (especially since I have about 400 still left to answer) but this one caught my eye and I decided to respond because the subject line had almost all of my trigger words. I should confess that I didn’t realize when I started writing this blog 7 years ago that I would spend more time answering emails than actually writing articles for the site. To be honest, I have hard time keeping up with the volume and I’ve undoubtedly disappointed a lot of people who didn’t know just how hard it is to answer every email (nobody asks “yes” or “no” questions) and all they really want is for someone to help them – maybe provide some guidance or insight.

That doesn’t so unreasonable, does it? I didn’t think so either. So every now and then, I decide to turn those email responses into a blog post so that I can direct people to it rather than coming up with the same information time and time again. To that end, I received an email from a young man who recently graduated and wanted to know if I had any tips or recommendations for him as he starts his career.

Uhhhh … do I have any tips? It’s like he doesn’t know who I am because I am full of unsolicited advice. There are about 200 articles or more on this site would be perfect for him, but he specifically wanted my top 10 tips for a young architect just starting at their first job. Who am I to deny this young man getting off on the right foot?

You have email

So, in no particular order (other than this is the sequence in which I thought of them), here are the ten things I wish I knew when I walked into my first day on the job. In some instances, there is a complete article that I’ve prepared on the subject and I’ve included the link so that you can read it and then “wow” your friends at your next cocktail party.

1.) Don’t send an email for everything, it will live forever and get sent to people you might not have intended to read it. [For more thoughts read You’ve Got Mail – September 2015]

2.) Be wary of moonlighting “opportunities”, there’s a reason these folks aren’t coming in the front door. [The Pro’s and Con’s of Moonlighting – April 2010]

3.) Perception is reality – it doesn’t always matter if you’re right or not. [Perception versus Reality – March 2011 … and as a bonus, you can see a 1990 version of Bob Borson]

4.) Pay attention to what’s important to you, learn who you are, not who you want to be.

5.) Your supervisor/boss doesn’t care why you didn’t do what they asked … “excuses” and “reasons” sound a lot alike.

6.) If your firm justifies long hours as “part of the training process for interns” you should look for a different firm.

7.) Your school portfolio doesn’t have the value you think it does and once you have a real job, expect to leave it in the closet forever. [Architectural Portfolio’s and their True Purpose – May 2013]

8.) Learn how to speak well in public – take a class if needed. [Presentation Skills – Tips and Techniques – October 2013]

9.) Volunteer some of your time to charity – any charity will do. Let others take advantage of that exceptional education.

10.) Hand drawing is not a gift, it’s a skill, and it has value beyond creating pretty pictures. [Sketching – various]

Bonus

11.) You need to realize that the person who can sell work has more value than the person who can design the work

Funnily enough, I still work with the guy who hired me for my first professional job post-college. He is the “Malone” in “Malone Maxwell Borson Architects”. I should ask him how many of these things I had figured out when I first worked with him … he might say none of them, but I know for a fact he’d agree that #3 was particularly off my radar. In fact, I already wrote a post on this subject and he is the “Boss” I mention in Perception vs. Reality. If you haven’t already read that article, I know how you should spend the next 3 minutes of your day.

Cheers,

Bob-AIA scale figure

even better stuff from Life of an Architect

  • Claire

    I am currently a civil engineering student in my second year. However I’m thinking about studying architecture. My fear is that I will enter the architecture field and find out it’s not what I thought it would be and that my passion for it will disappear. Any advice for my dilemma?

  • Mya Pann Che

    If I love architecture, will I love being an architect?

    • sure – why not? At least your odds are better than if you did not like architecture and wondered if you would love being an architect.

  • Brad Feinknopf

    Bob, this is NOT good advice for the young Architect, this is good advice for anyone, old, young, architect, non-architect, anyone. Though I know all these things and I am not an Architect, it certainly does not hurt to reread them and not forget some of these simple tenants. Thank you!

    • Thanks Brad – I think when you get to be our age, you either know these things or you don’t. They’re fresh on my mind because I have a 12 year old daughter that is just starting to think about these sorts of things.

  • Mark Mc Swain

    I’m feeling particularly jaded and cynical right now–my advice to young architects would be to just go ahead and go to law school.
    An intense study of forensics–the ability to contend using language precisely will never hurt an architect’s career.
    Being able to sort through Municode will also not go amiss.
    And the ability to create critical analyses dispassionately will also never hurt (we sometimes need to be able to take up a contrary position without becoming argumentative).
    But, that’s the present bitter 2 cents I have; for coffee you’ll need around $3

    • I feel you – but law school? I have three people very close to me that went to law school and they all hated it so much that none of them actually practice law anymore. I think this is one of those “grass is greener” areas – if you thought architecture at any point was the right fit for you, I can’t imagine that practicing law would be a suitable alternative.

      • Mark Mc Swain

        Freely admit to burr-under-saddle syndrome here. But, I was more thinking law school as a way to learn ways to learn about learning and expression.
        The actual practice of law is as lumpy a thing as the practice of architecture. Something like only about 20% of law school graduates actually practice law.

        • wow – I’ve never heard or seen that practice stat. I wonder where their 20% figure falls relative to architecture graduates …

          • TX Architect in LA

            Bob, since I work on big commercial and governmental work through-out my career, I say that a minor of law would be good. Contracts and later WHEN you are in litigation. Learning what the documents become to the lawyers is important. It changes how you think about your documents.

          • I would imagine a certain amount of knowledge in the area of contracts would be worthwhile skill to have – but surely there’s an easier way to gain that knowledge than going through the educational process of becoming a lawyer. Maybe an expansion on professional practice courses would be a good thing. I know I could have benefitted from an expanded form of practice knowledge while I was still young(er).

  • Sun Bell

    “to turn those email responses into a blog post” – great solution, because it’s really interesting to know what people are interested in/struggling with/asking about etc and your personal thoughts about it, your advices… sharing it with wide audience really can help someone.

    Also it creates cool subjects for content and … just great that you spend so much time with your audience. It’s wonderful job

    Thank’s

    • I will confess that I am always taken aback by the amount of people who find me and want to ask a question – typically a serious one involving very personal matters (like their future) – when I view myself as a regular person. I just happen to have a site that attracts people and I have decided that a certain amount of responsibility comes along with that … but that doesn’t mean my advice is any good!

      Thanks for leaving a comment – I appreciate you taking the time to chime in.

  • Gene

    Anyone in or just out of school needs to understand that getting a BArch is about the same as getting out of Kindergarten on the path to being an architect. It’s a long path of learning, job, license, better job, maybe your own practice, on an on. They still have a lot to learn an at some point will understand that there is no end to the process. That’s the best and most fun part or being an architect.
    After being on both ends of seeking and giving jobs; I’d advise anyone looking for or starting a first job is be prepared for a reality check akin to a 2×4 up side the head.
    Regardless of past experience and what you think about yourself; you are NOT the best organizer, presenter, “designer”, writer, ACAD or Revit user, etc.
    With an open mind and lots of hard work in time you might become as good as you think you are.

    • thanks Gene. It seems there is always something new … at least if you’re doing it right.

  • Michele Grace Hottel

    Is that really you on the right in “Perception vs. Reality”?

    • yes – that is me on the right and the left … but I’m wearing a wig in the picture on the right. This was right after my time spent going to school traveling around Europe (and paying for razors was outside my budget) so I grew a beard – before it was cool as a college kid to have a beard. Upon my return, a friend of mine just happened to have a wig in his apartment that was the exact same color as my hair. The rest is history.

      • Michele Grace Hottel

        well, now that that is cleared up. i think #5 is the most important. a couple months ago i was at my friend’s class doing crits and one of the students had decided not do a couple of the drawings that were required for the presentation because they didn’t think they were necessary and i said, “well, what do you think your boss would say to you if you decided to not do a couple of the drawings they asked you to do?” and one of the other students said, “i’m not going to have a boss because i am going to work for myslef” an di said, “well, you will have to work for an architect in order to become an architect and i can pretty much tellyou that if you said that toyour boss, they would say, “i can find someone else to do the drawing and they will be taking your seat”.

  • Kerry Hogue

    for #2, a lot of people don’t understand that they have liability when they do moonlight work, and strong consideration on getting insurance should be given.
    for #8, while in high school, my mother mandated I take a speech class. Some of the best requirements that has paid dividends over the years.
    good stuff Bob.

    • there are a lot of moving parts to moonlighting work and if people really understood the exposure, my guess is that they would reconsider some of these “opportunities”.

      Interestingly enough, I took a speech class when I was a freshman in high school. I was the only freshman in the class – everyone else was a senior. I don’t know how I ended up in this particular course but everyone else were the most popular seniors in the school. To my way of thinking, just being in a class full of senior cheerleaders, quarterback of the football team, drill team captains, etc. was nerve-wracking enough, but having to stand up in front of them and deliver speech after speech? Ugh – it cured me of my fear of speaking publicly. (it also might have helped my school cred just a bit when one of them would say hi to me in the hallway)

  • architectrunnerguy

    And a valuable thought worth restating from some guy down there in Cowboy country….

    “Architecture is not a trade, it’s a craft … and to become any good at it, you are going to
    have to get it wrong for awhile”.-Bob Borson

    • you know what I want to ask that guy? Just how long am I going to have to be getting it wrong …

My “Serious” Disclaimer

The complimentary advice provided on ‘Life of an Architect’ is based on an abbreviated examination of the minimal facts given, not the typical extensive (and sometimes exhaustive) analysis I conduct when working with my clients. Therefore, anything you read on this site is not a substitute for actually working with me. Following my casual advice is at your own peril … if you want my undivided attention, I would recommend hiring me. Cheers.

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