Why isn’t your next job posting like this one?
A while ago I saw a job posting. Here are some highlights. If you could hire someone tomorrow, would your job posting look like this? Why not?
Small, award-winning firm seeks licensed Architect/Project Manager. 60% multi-family housing, mainly for non-profit developers of affordable housing. 40% single family residential, commercial and institutional work. 100% thoughtful, beautiful design. Our work is varied, exciting, and creative. Everyone from drafters to the Principal use BIM (ArchiCAD -not AutoCad- on Macs) to design in 3D and to produce presentation drawings and construction documents, always pushing at the edges of available technology to explore architectural design. As a small firm, everyone must “work up” and “work down”, doing everything from marketing, to CD’s, to dealing with clients. It’s a great opportunity for taking responsibility and broadening your experience. We completed a LEED-Platinum affordable housing project last year, and incorporate sustainable strategies in everything we do. We also have a commitment to Universal Design in every project we undertake, and are experts in it. Our design work is meticulous and our office environment is creative, and offers great growth for the right person.
There’s a lot of nice statements in there, but the two highlight passages, in my estimation, are super critical to a healthy, engaged, forward-thinking firm.
What do you think? How does your firm measure up? What are you doing to make both of those statements a reality?
If you’re a sole practitioner, do you do a good job of working up and down? Or do you avoid one of those directions?
Scott Newland
If I were out of work looking for a job I’d jump at the chance to interview at that firm, especially if I were young. I’m starting my 11th year of mentoring architecture students at the U of M and one thing they’ve all had in common is, of course, the burning designer to work in a firm that will give them a variety of experiences and help them with computer skills. I’ve emphasized the importance of learning BIM to each of them and have shown them how I use ArchiCAD – not AutoCAD!
Jared Banks
Last year was my first year mentoring at the U of M. I was shocked with how little interest my mentee had in computers, BIM, etc. Since I do so much with ArchiCAD, and was just starting Shoegnome at the time, I was a bit hesitant to get on my soapbox. But I think this year I’m going to stress the importance of BIM more. See you at the convention!
Eugene D. Ninnie, P.E.,R.A. LEED AP
We had over 30 employees at one time when the economy was doing well. I wrote and advertised similar to the above. It is well written and embellished to provide the “hook” to get prospects to the interview table. But the reality is that that job is slightly different than advertised. It is a BIM office utopia perhaps existing in the future about 10 years from now. The true reality is that not a lot of work exists and out of that work only a small percentage is BIM related , Don’t get me wrong I am a strong supporter of BIM and use it where specific clients want it, some clients do not because they have not grasped the savings potential and efficiency of BIM. We all try to incorporate Sustainable strategies in our work but the reality is that most if that is client driven. We all like to think we are “experts” but based on what standard, besides our own corporate ego. We try to take what projects we have done in BIM and show the cost savings derived from it and roll it into our marketing to educate new and existing clients to the benefits. That way we can continue to increase our use of BIM and try to get to the description you have provided. In addition, our sub-consultants are also trying to ramp up and use BIM and struggle with what everyone has, continued education of BIM with our current employees, which costs money, and in these lean times is difficult to say the least. It will take a while before BIM is fully involved within the A/E industry to produce the “ Firm” described in the job posting you provided. But the maxim here is NEVER QUIT eventually the market will turn around and continued efforts with BIM and our clients will help get closer to the office objective you have posted.
Jared Banks
Well said. Like I’ve mentioned elsewhere on the blog, we’re all on an Endless Path of Improvement. And I’d add that once the market turns around those closer to the ideal mentioned above will be the firms that rocket ahead of the pack.