topic Re: Locating Jobs in Modeling

Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:27:33 GMT

Is there anywhere someone can look to see the firms that use ArchiCAD so you can apply or submit resumes to the correct people? I live in Nashville TN and if I just blindly put out resumes to every firm or construction firm or any potential AC client that would be over 400 resumes. At .42 for postage thats a hefty price to get your name out there.

I know the market is slow and not a lot are hiring but I would still like to get my name out there so when it does pick up I know exactly who to send my resume/portfolio to. I know the resellers have a list of clients but they have their own businesses to run and probably don't want to give out a list of names to people. (Which I don't blame them)

Just trying to figure out how to get my info to the right people.

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:30:17 GMT

P.S. with me also knowing Revit, I would hate to leave AC to go work for a Revit based firm just because i couldn't find out who to send my info to.

THAT would be a crime.

Re: Locating Jobs

Dwight — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:48:22 GMT

And you would probably like to know which of them have jobs available...

http://www.graphisoft.com/community/job_board/

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:57:43 GMT

Yeah I know about that board. Only like 40% of people actually advertise for jobs. I have always gotten jobs because of them knowing who I was before the hiring started. They always put you on file so when they do start they have a file to start with. That job board is lacking in my opinion.

Besides, sending your resume to people before hand with the specific skills one possesses may warrant a hire when they weren't initially looking. I just didn't know if there was a different route to look for people that use AC so they can be contacted if a need ever arises. (The two firms I worked for that used AC never post or check those boards)

I am putting off going to the Revit network for as long as possible because I wanna stick with what works. ArchiCAD.

Re: Locating Jobs

Richard Morrison — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:46:08 GMT

Wouldn't your local reseller be a good source of firm names?

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:28:06 GMT

JLKilgore wrote:
Is there anywhere someone can look to see the firms that use ArchiCAD so you can apply or submit resumes to the correct people? I live in Nashville TN...

Placement Support/Info for ArchiCAD users has always been limited.

Spare yourself the heartache...Do you have a current position in a firm using ArchiCAD? If so, do your best to hold onto it. Finding a position in an ArchiCAD firm, especially in your area, can be like "finding a needle in a haystack."

If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, your best option is to "hang your own shingle out" and start providing contract design and documentation services using ArchiCAD to any and all takers. In this economy, most firms are more likely to outsource than they are to hire new employees.

Good Luck in your search

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:32:37 GMT

If I could only afford to buy ArchiCAD to do that.

Remember me from SLC a few years back? Me, Scott Riggle and Rob Burkhart? Let's not forget David Larrew.

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:53:58 GMT

JLKilgore wrote:
...Remember me from SLC a few years back? Me, Scott Riggle and Rob Burkhart? Let's not forget David Larrew...

Yes sir I do, I hope everyone is doing well. PM me with some contact info and I'll get in touch with some ideas about how you can venture out within your local area.

Dan K

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:15:00 GMT

I think you are being a bit naive if you think you can pick a job by choosing a firm that uses only a certain type of CAD software.

To stand any chance of getting a job you need to be flexible and that means being able to certainly use Autocad, Revit, possibly also Microstation, but Archicad is a very low on that list. Autocad is the tool of choice for most and will remain so for the foreseeable future especially with the persent economic climate.

If you want to do fancy images learn 3ds Max. If you want to get a job as an architect you need to use Autocad full stop. Archicad is interesting distration but you wont get a job with a firm that uses it. I have worked for about 15 firms in my time and of those one used Archicad (but not the 3d bits), 1 used Microstation, all the rest used 2d Autocad. Admittedly things are changing a little bit lover the last few years but I have little evidence many firms at all use either Revit or Archicad despite what the salespeople would like to think. If you want to get into BIM modelling Revit would be a far better choice but BIM is still being used minimally in architecture today.

Do yourself a favour, learn 3dsMax, do some fancy images for your portfolio, learn Autocad, and take a project management course and you will find a job quick enough.

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:58:23 GMT

nats wrote:
I think you are being a bit naive if you think you can pick a job by choosing a firm that uses only a certain type of CAD software.

To stand any chance of getting a job you need to be flexible and that means being able to certainly use Autocad, Revit, possibly also Microstation, but Archicad is a very low on that list. Autocad is the tool of choice for most and will remain so for the foreseeable future especially with the persent economic climate.

If you want to do fancy images learn 3ds Max. If you want to get a job as an architect you need to use Autocad full stop. Archicad is interesting distration but you wont get a job with a firm that uses it. I have worked for about 15 firms in my time and of those one used Archicad (but not the 3d bits), 1 used Microstation, all the rest used 2d Autocad. Admittedly things are changing a little bit lover the last few years but I have little evidence many firms at all use either Revit or Archicad despite what the salespeople would like to think. If you want to get into BIM modelling Revit would be a far better choice but BIM is still being used minimally in architecture today.

Do yourself a favour, learn 3dsMax, do some fancy images for your portfolio, learn Autocad, and take a project management course and you will find a job quick enough.

good luck again and foremost, do not listen to this expert troll

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:10:54 GMT

And what an expert he is!

About 15 different firms from which at least 13 on AutoCad, the one program he praises the most.
Or he should be almost retired so I understand certain frustration with new technology or he's one of the most unreliable / malcontent / incompetent / ... workers I know of...

I'm still waiting for his first founded criticism

Re: Locating Jobs

Dwight — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:48:37 GMT

I know that for an Archicad forum to accept that our colleague has given good advice might seem outrageous, but I feel he is right.

To advise ANY young person about their future would include:

— broaden your skills to include other software and management ability.
— don't rely solely on Archicad skills, learn how to assemble a building.
— if you are artistic, 3Ds Max skills are a great asset.

Re: Locating Jobs

Steve Jepson — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 17:18:14 GMT

on a similar topic,

Why is it that so many ArchiCAD fims do not want to use someone working from a remote location? All I can see are the advantages.

Any computer in the world can be as close as the screen in front of you.

Re: Locating Jobs

Erika Epstein — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:12:45 GMT

Steve wrote:
Why is it that so many ArchiCAD fims do not want to use someone working from a remote location? All I can see are the advantages.

I think many of us underestimate the comfort zone of others. Working remotely may seem like second nature to many of us. But, for those who haven't employed someone who works remotely they are working in a new way and unable to supervise this work as often and in a way (live and in person) that they are used to doing.

Part of our job then is helping these potential employers become comfortable with this process.

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:46:37 GMT

Steve wrote:
on a similar topic,

Why is it that so many ArchiCAD fims do not want to use someone working from a remote location? All I can see are the advantages.

Any computer in the world can be as close as the screen in front of you.

Depends on the firm. I will soon be looking for a couple of ArchiCAD freelancers who basically have to be remote. I have not finalised my requirements yet but I will post on the job board when ready.

Re: Locating Jobs

Steve Jepson — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:55:08 GMT

Does anyone have experience using Elance ?

http://www.elance.com/p/landing/provider.html?source=index

I signed up today and have bid on two jobs already.

Re: Locating Jobs

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:04:47 GMT

Steve wrote:
Does anyone have experience using Elance ?

Thanks for the heads up

Re: Locating Jobs

Steve Jepson — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:10:41 GMT

before you sign up research "Elance promotion code"

also, be very careful.

http://www.allfreelance.com/freelancing_blog/2007/07/26/should-you-use-elance-to-sell-your-freelance-services/

oh... and if you see me bidding on a job, leave it alone

If you could collect your pay in US dollars and live in India you could live like a king.

http://www.payscale.com/research/IN/Country=India/Hourly_Rate

this web site says that the average pay for an architect is Rs 75/hr ???

Rs 75 = $1.55 USD

Don't expect to win many bids on Elance if you are living in a western country.

Shot at 2009-07-22

Ever been to Shimla? Looks like Oregon to me.

http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/319321.html

Re: Locating Jobs

TomWaltz — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:03:51 GMT

Steve wrote:
Why is it that so many ArchiCAD fims do not want to use someone working from a remote location? All I can see are the advantages.

Any computer in the world can be as close as the screen in front of you.

In a vacuum, yes, that's true.

In the real world, you have to deal with who is signed into the model, sending and receiving from remote locations, coordinating library versions/changes, coordinating linked files,, and managing quality, which is hard enough with people physically in the same location.

It might work on a small project, but projects of any size are much more difficult to do with anyone outside the firewall.

Re: Locating Jobs

Steve Jepson — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:48:14 GMT

TomWaltz wrote:
Steve wrote:
Why is it that so many ArchiCAD fims do not want to use someone working from a remote location? All I can see are the advantages.

Any computer in the world can be as close as the screen in front of you.
In a vacuum, yes, that's true.

In the real world, you have to deal with who is signed into the model, sending and receiving from remote locations, coordinating library versions/changes, coordinating linked files,, and managing quality, which is hard enough with people physically in the same location.

It might work on a small project, but projects of any size are much more difficult to do with anyone outside the firewall.

But the problems you described are not any different no matter how far apart the computers are.

I have worked in offices with a dozen or so cubicals, and on sperate floors. You can't see the people your working with anyway. We used the speaker phone, an instant messenger, and web cams. When we did meet together it was for the most part counter productive. I have worked for days thinking the guy two cubicles away was in the office, only to find out when I stand up to talk over the cubical wall that he has been gone for a week! He was working on site, down at Starbucks, at home, his hotel, etc...The truth is that if we work from a computer, we are working from a remote location.

Keeping the employees around just to decorate the office is probably a more important reason for why so many firms do not want the work done out of the office than will be admitted. Image is everything to some.

We need an impressive building, filled with lots of staff moving around to show the client why our overhead is $100.00/hr before we add anything at all for design fees.

This would be impossible if all but a few were working from their own office all around the country.

Don't you think that any firm with employees could have at least one employee that works from a remote location, most of the time?

Perhaps you can get a carbon tax credit for each employee who works at least 90% of the time from a remote location and does not require transportaion ?

How long do you think it will be before every business is audited for their carbon foot print and will be looking for ways to use the technology they already have to use more employees working from a remote location that does not require transportation?

Just arround the corner is the government monitoring of the individual carbon footprint. This is also going to stimulate more work being done from a remote location.

You will no longer be able to build, buy, or sell a home without an energy audit and carbon footprint report.

You will be monitered by the government and taxed by the mile for driving your car.

This will also generate a need for more work to be done by employees that do not require any transportation by vehicles using carbon fules.

"Green" politics will change the way we work, and where we work.