Practice Management Member Conversations

David,

That is such a great question! I would be very interested in knowing what other experiences are like, but from the places I've been and people I have met, I haven't really seen it impact employment or be a factor for hire. This is all entirely based on my experience in my area though. 

Thank you for your time and help. My uncle is an attorney and where you went to school can be a factor in whether you can walk in the door. I believe presentation sets the tone for the attention to detail you give to everything else involved 

David,

That is such a great question! I would be very interested in knowing what other experiences are like, but from the places I've been and people I have met, I haven't really seen it impact employment or be a factor for hire. This is all entirely based on my experience in my area though. 

You're right there! I tend to ignore the school and concentrate on the presentation of how they hold themselves and how they respond to various questions. Some of my best people never graduated from an architectural school. 

Thank you for your time and help. My uncle is an attorney and where you went to school can be a factor in whether you can walk in the door. I believe presentation sets the tone for the attention to detail you give to everything else involved 

David,

That is such a great question! I would be very interested in knowing what other experiences are like, but from the places I've been and people I have met, I haven't really seen it impact employment or be a factor for hire. This is all entirely based on my experience in my area though. 

You're right there! I tend to ignore the school and concentrate on the presentation of how they hold themselves and how they respond to various questions. Some of my best people never graduated from an architectural school. 

Thank you for your time and help. My uncle is an attorney and where you went to school can be a factor in whether you can walk in the door. I believe presentation sets the tone for the attention to detail you give to everything else involved 

David,

That is such a great question! I would be very interested in knowing what other experiences are like, but from the places I've been and people I have met, I haven't really seen it impact employment or be a factor for hire. This is all entirely based on my experience in my area though. 

Over the years I have hired from all types of schools - ivy league and state schools. In regard to hiring for a promising designer or a solid generalist - there are terrific performers from both levels of school types and a few non-performers as well from both. 

On a bit of a tangent to this topic - I once interviewed and hired a Bachelor of Architecture grad from a state school who had a terrific presence, fascinating portfolio and some decent intern sketching and REVIT experience and he said he said he also wants to look into teaching at some point.  He became somewhat deflated when I told him most schools and colleges of architecture require a masters even for part-time instruction. This is still one of the architecture practice and architecture education disconnects.  So, a person with a Bachelor of Architecture can't teach at the school they graduated from.

Over the years I have hired from all types of schools - ivy league and state schools. In regard to hiring for a promising designer or a solid generalist - there are terrific performers from both levels of school types and a few non-performers as well from both. 

On a bit of a tangent to this topic - I once interviewed and hired a Bachelor of Architecture grad from a state school who had a terrific presence, fascinating portfolio and some decent intern sketching and REVIT experience and he said he said he also wants to look into teaching at some point.  He became somewhat deflated when I told him most schools and colleges of architecture require a masters even for part-time instruction. This is still one of the architecture practice and architecture education disconnects.  So, a person with a Bachelor of Architecture can't teach at the school they graduated from.

I look consider it very heavily when hiring a jr. level person (0-5 years' experience).  After that, I don't think it matters very much.  

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

Rebecca,

Thank you for your time and input. You echoed what I thought and it really is encouraging I'm going back to school for my degree so I can take the exam and get licensed. I'm over 40 and did not select my school based on merit of education as much opportunity and timing. I did that on premise that if and when I find myself seeking employment at a practice of any size I would be measured by the criteria you outlined that has been the impression I've taken without ever really asking until now. Thank you again for the help

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

David,

I graduated from my architectural masters at 40! I picked my program based on proximity and duration, not name recognition. In fact, mine was the first accredited graduate class at UNC Charlotte. I got a great education and loved every minute of it! Your pre-program experience will bode very well in this field. I've found that coming to the profession as a second career/later in life brings unique and valuable skills, many of which are quickly recognized and appreciated in firms.

All the best to you,

Rebecca

Rebecca,

Thank you for your time and input. You echoed what I thought and it really is encouraging I'm going back to school for my degree so I can take the exam and get licensed. I'm over 40 and did not select my school based on merit of education as much opportunity and timing. I did that on premise that if and when I find myself seeking employment at a practice of any size I would be measured by the criteria you outlined that has been the impression I've taken without ever really asking until now. Thank you again for the help

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

Rebecca, 

Thank you again for your time. It is refreshing to hear of people getting degreed in my age group. After 20 plus years as subcontractor contractor builder I turned 40 learned how to draw, learned Revit and studied architecture on my own with books by Ching until I got a shot recording existing conditions and drafting an as built for what became my mentor. Life has changed. I found my purpose and I'm thankful for every nail and screw along the way that experience allows me to see things in a totally different light. Thank you again you brightened my day I appreciate that. Have a great day and good luck in all you do.

David,

I graduated from my architectural masters at 40! I picked my program based on proximity and duration, not name recognition. In fact, mine was the first accredited graduate class at UNC Charlotte. I got a great education and loved every minute of it! Your pre-program experience will bode very well in this field. I've found that coming to the profession as a second career/later in life brings unique and valuable skills, many of which are quickly recognized and appreciated in firms.

All the best to you,

Rebecca

Rebecca,

Thank you for your time and input. You echoed what I thought and it really is encouraging I'm going back to school for my degree so I can take the exam and get licensed. I'm over 40 and did not select my school based on merit of education as much opportunity and timing. I did that on premise that if and when I find myself seeking employment at a practice of any size I would be measured by the criteria you outlined that has been the impression I've taken without ever really asking until now. Thank you again for the help

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

You'll be fine. IMHO, the school does give you some evidence of the intelligence of the candidate, but this is tough to balance - for example, I'm pretty sure that Harvard grads are intelligent, but unlikely to want to move to my town and commit to years with my firm, so I'm unlikely to interview them. For experienced folks, I'm looking for provable experience, not the education (which is probably years in the rear-view mirror). For new grads, a brand name school will help me look closely at the resume. With your background, I'm sure you'll do fine. 

Rebecca, 

Thank you again for your time. It is refreshing to hear of people getting degreed in my age group. After 20 plus years as subcontractor contractor builder I turned 40 learned how to draw, learned Revit and studied architecture on my own with books by Ching until I got a shot recording existing conditions and drafting an as built for what became my mentor. Life has changed. I found my purpose and I'm thankful for every nail and screw along the way that experience allows me to see things in a totally different light. Thank you again you brightened my day I appreciate that. Have a great day and good luck in all you do.

David,

I graduated from my architectural masters at 40! I picked my program based on proximity and duration, not name recognition. In fact, mine was the first accredited graduate class at UNC Charlotte. I got a great education and loved every minute of it! Your pre-program experience will bode very well in this field. I've found that coming to the profession as a second career/later in life brings unique and valuable skills, many of which are quickly recognized and appreciated in firms.

All the best to you,

Rebecca

Rebecca,

Thank you for your time and input. You echoed what I thought and it really is encouraging I'm going back to school for my degree so I can take the exam and get licensed. I'm over 40 and did not select my school based on merit of education as much opportunity and timing. I did that on premise that if and when I find myself seeking employment at a practice of any size I would be measured by the criteria you outlined that has been the impression I've taken without ever really asking until now. Thank you again for the help

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

While I agree with you, Rebecca, I feel that I have always underestimated the value of a pedigree (including the connections that come with it) and overestimated the level was of the playing field / equality of opportunity where your greatness will bring you to the top. Unless you truly are abnormally awesome and a good door-opener, the right diploma can help tremendously with giving you entree and access though your skills must still carry the day.
I notice David Sison's reference to Harvard grads and recall that when I worked in Texas some peers commented they would never want to interview an ivy leauger so I guess it can cut both ways - but my impression is a much higher percentage of Harvard GSD grads have become well known architects than from other schools.
All that said, everyone should only hire Virginia tech graduates because we Hokies are truly the best. 

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

I agree with all of the previous responses. Your years of practical builder experience will serve you well especially if your architectural work correlates with your builder experience. I too switched fields into architecture when in college and worked full time for several years as a jr. draftsman before committing to the full architectural degree education. My work experience was on small projects so I saw many of them design through construction, the entire process. Luckily my boss taught at an architectural school and was a wonderful mentor. I can definitely say that those added years of hands on experience and the added years of personal maturity was very beneficial in my tough school years and served me well in my early working career because I could get right off the line with very little learning curve.      

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

From my experience, personal skills come first: how you present yourself, ability to communicate, projecting competence and confidence, etc. Second is the quality of your portfolio and its contents. Finally, comes the architecture school. I'm sure every firm is a bit different, but these are the three pillars of hiring review. 

David, I would consider your background in construction highly valuable to any architecture firm (assuming you can perform the architecture tasks); probably more so than what school you get your degree from. 

Agree with many of the sentiments shared.  Brand recognition of a school can definitely be a factor and help you get your foot in the door, especially if you are "cold calling" a firm and don't have any other connections/references.  It's also more helpful for younger professionals who are just starting their careers.  But beyond that, what really counts is your real-world experience.  Some of my best mentors never went through a formal architectural degree program.  A background in construction is incredibly valuable and puts you light-years ahead of others who have only absorbed theoretical knowledge but never had to put it into practice.

David, I would consider your background in construction highly valuable to any architecture firm (assuming you can perform the architecture tasks); probably more so than what school you get your degree from. 

David, I would consider your background in construction highly valuable to any architecture firm (assuming you can perform the architecture tasks); probably more so than what school you get your degree from. 

Elizabeth,

Thank you for your time and dually for the encouraging words. I have been fortunate enough to have had a great mentor. He has a solo practice and I worked under him for roughly two years before I ever enrolled in school. The experience was priceless and extremely beneficial. At this point what I benefit most from in college is the resource and learning how to learn to use them. Thank you again your input as well as everyone else's in this thread has been pure gold. Thank you 

David, I would consider your background in construction highly valuable to any architecture firm (assuming you can perform the architecture tasks); probably more so than what school you get your degree from. 

This topic has certainly driven a lot of great discussion.  I'm going to add my two cents.  Is the school you graduated from important when hiring (as may hold true for other professions)?  I have interviewed and hired a lot of people and the answer is "yes and no".  My firm doesn't really care all that much about the school.  We do care a lot about the person and the skills they bring.  Depending on the person and what they want out of this profession, some schools will provide them with better skillsets.  There are schools that are stronger in design process/theory, those that focus more on practice and so on.   Good people come from all over, but as someone out there hiring, I do see trends with graduates from certain schools.  In terms of hiring, when we are interviewing people with 3+ years' experience, it's the professional work that matters most.