Life after graduating from architecture school - what lies ahead?

An article by Jade Tan

LinkedIn

Introduction

So, you’ve graduated, congratulations! You’ve just completed one of the most crucial and life-changing stages in your early adulthood, and what’s more, on one of the hardest educational journeys you could ever embark on. However, what lies ahead seems even more uncertain. This article will show you some ways that you can expand on the skills you have gained in architecture school and ultimately reposition your perspective as a fresh graduate.

Being in limbo is not a bad thing

Having this time for some personal introspection is precious. It is important to remember that this is the best moment for you to ‘design’ the kind of career you want to have as an architectural professional.

The first thing you can do is to ask the critical questions: what kind of projects do you see yourself working on? What scale or type of studio would suit you best? Or even yet, are there other career pathways to explore? As you begin to research the job market, do not be afraid to consider other possibilities and choose the path you believe suits you best.

Here are some steps you can take to feel more confident about the job search:

1. Make a brag sheet. Write out everything you’ve learnt from every internship, school project, or extracurricular activity, and seek advice from your peers on what your strengths and weaknesses are.
2. Keep an open mind and have genuine interest in what other people do. Don’t expect anyone to offer you all the answers; instead, it helps to stay curious and consider how you can contribute back to the industry.
3. Take your time to craft your portfolio, but it doesn’t need to be perfect. Accept that it will be a work in progress for life. Getting your foot in the door is more important than having the most beautifully laid out portfolio.

Be patient and remember that becoming an architect is not something that happens overnight. Treat every interview and encounter as an opportunity to learn more about the industry.

What to expect in your first job

If you do join an office, you will find that your peers can become a great source of support. Being an architect is all about being a team player. Being in the real world may feel different from school, but taking the initiative to learn things by yourself or from your peers is something that remains constant throughout your career.

Secondly, you might encounter moments of self-doubt. In my first internship, I certainly felt like sometimes my opinion might be less important, given my limited experience. However, I soon found that asking questions and being active in meetings is all part of the job. What I found helpful was to set some personal goals for myself:

1. Speaking up at least once in group meetings and design reviews, until I got more comfortable with sharing my ideas
2. Keeping a logbook. Regardless of whether you seek to get qualified, keeping a diary or sketchbook keeps your mind organized. Having separate logbooks for technical skills, practice management, or construction documentation allows me to constantly look back on and keep track of my progress
3. Lastly, don’t be afraid to try new things in the office, and immerse yourself fully in the culture. Show an interest in your colleagues and try to help in projects any way you can.

Trial and error will be your best teacher

Your first job might not be suitable for you right away. Nonetheless, don’t give up straightaway. After all, it is far too easy to experience burnout in this demanding career. To take a step back and prioritize the most important parts of the project or reevaluate how you approach a problem will be vital. There will be times when weeks or months have been poured into a project only for one to hit a dead end, but ultimately, to see something you have dedicated so much energy into get built is immensely rewarding.

Always keep in mind that this profession will keep changing. So don’t fret if you don’t know something right out of school. What architecture school prepares you for is to solve problems quickly and teach yourself how to learn something new from scratch.  

Life is more than architecture

Architecture is one of the most broad-based, lateral thinking careers one can pursue. The most valuable skill that you have acquired from school is perhaps the ability to communicate ideas and expand on your imagination. There are countless avenues for you to apply your design-thinking skills, if you are willing to put in the work to craft your own career. So don’t be daunted by the future, you are about to begin an exciting new chapter!