Two more weeks. One of classes, one of finals. Finals for a senior Urban Planning student = time to job search more.
I was walking around campus yesterday with my wedding photographer, get engagement pictures taken care of, and he said he didn’t go to his commencement. He went to his college’s ceremony, but not the university wide gathering. He is a Ball State Grad. I was thinking, how upset would my mom, grandma, and fiancé be if I skipped commencement?
But I am looking forward to it. I think it will feel good. It’s kind of a symbol of what I’ve accomplished. And hey, I will probably get dinner out of it.
After next Saturday, I will have one month to think about the wedding. Five weeks to tie up all of the loose ends of planning. 35 days to try and calm Liz down. 840 hours to… well, my mom will never get over it.
I could only be happier if I had a job. I have been furiously looking since late January, and have not had as much as an interview. I really hope someone starts the hiring process again soon.
I would be curious to see a poll of the methods by which employees were hired. Across the country, would you expect more people to be hired through friends, contacts, etc. or through blind application? I would like to think that if the market weren’t so terrible, the contacts I have would be giving me more tips. But right now, the word on the street is, “I wish I could help, but I don’t know of anything right now. I don’t envy your position.”
I am better off than some people, and I have to be thankful that I at least my parents have a home for Liz and I to go to.
-Tim
Graduating 1982 ~ Graduating 2009
There probably are many differences however, in one manner one thing is the same. The economy is in a very low period.
I graduated with a BARCH and BS in Environmental Design in ‘82(where did time go?). The economy was in a very low slump most places. A difference then is the south was not as hard hit. At the time I wanted to start my architectural career Boston. In late winter/early Spring in subscribed to the newspaper (Boston Globe), ha,… there was not internet then. The purpose was to become familiar w/ the area and try to get a view on the employment opportunities in my profession and across the board. At about the same time I crafted the resume’ a cover letter and sent about 20 out. By April, a few “sorry” letters came in. Such response didn’t derail my plans, I collected information on as many Boston firmsI could – their location/address, the type of work they did, names of principals in the firm, etc.
I left Munice, stopped at home (Rome, NY) for a week, collected myself, portfolio, resume’s and lined up a room for a couple weeks in Boston.
I headed to Boston in early June. Spent 2 weeks, setting a plan each day, grouping firms in a particular location and went out “cold-calling” on firms. Knocking on doors, shaking hands, looking to have someones’ time to introduce myself and show my portfolio. Many firms said “Sorry, we just laid off “x”(number) people last week”, etc. Such a statement while disheartening, didn’t stop me from asking if i could talk w/ them and show them my portfolio. Often they had the time as their business was slow. It was good practice for me to present myself and my work. And one NEVER KNOWS,… a colleague of whomever i talked with might contact him had have interest in looking for a young, aspiring architect/intern. Connections can me made, a door may open.
Moving towards the end of this story, I went to 95 (+/-) firms, knocking on doors, shaking hands. A good day was if i could present my work to ONE or TWO people a day. I was there for 2 weeks. Finally, i went back to upsate N.Y. to consider my options.
Through the summer i kept in contact w/ a couple firms who had interest but where waitin to see if that 1 project might shake loose and begin. Meanwhile i was thinking so if i did get a job, what would i be doing ? Possibly more meager tasks of that era – running blueprints, etc. And, i could easily be laid-off in a week or two. So, i reconsidered my choice location, Boston. Then replanned to try Dallas. I had worked the previous summer in Houston and did NOT want to work there. However i had visited Dallas and thought it was a possibility, he economy and constrution climate where more healthy there and I did know a couple graduates from BSU the previous year that were living there.
Late September i gathered a car load of possessions and moved to Dallas, staying w/ a friend for a month, secured 2 job offers in 1 1/2 weeks and started work.
A catch to this, even in the better work enviroment of Dallas, the position i took, came to a halt in 6 weeks when a client was not paying so the firm pulled the clients work and laid 2 of us off, me included; argh ! However, i went back to the smaller firm i had turned down, where they informed me they had just hired a young guy. As it was a smaller firm i was depressed, as how could they need another entry level person. However, they looked at my work examples and hired me, where i worked the next 4 years.
Dallas never did grow on me as a place i wanted to spend the rest of my life. After 4 years, in ‘86, i moved to the mid-atlantic area (Washington, DC) and have been here ever since.
Moral of the story ? Don’t give up. Be positive even when you feel like giving up. Be flexible – on location, type of work, etc. Plans may have to be adjusted. Time will pass. You will grow; grow in ways you may not have thought.
And, yes, often it is who you know and the connections you can make that get you hired. However,… so does hard work by continuing on your own to make contact. Best wishes in your endeavors and continued growth !
-Steve