Once you have gotten to a position you enjoy at a firm you want to work at, you are all set, right?
Well… this can be a mistake. You must always keep your eye on the prize. What is the prize?
Your self-fulfillment and attaining what you want out of your career. How do you know what you want?
Well we have created a list of 5 key ideas that you should always keep in mind throughout your career to make sure you know where to go next with your career.
1.) Take notes of the Professional experiences you Enjoy, and those you DO NOT
Once you have finally started getting comfortable in your new position at your new firm, it is important to always take notes of your Professional experiences, and how you can improve. You are also note taking to track which experiences you enjoyed, and which ones you would prefer not going through again. This distinction in your Professional life can help you to define where you want your career to go, instead of where the firm wants your career to go. Ideally, both you and the firm are interested in the same goal! You must find this out to know first. A great resource to learn more about Career Paths, besides our incredible blogs, is The Architect’s Guide.
2.) Always keep an eye out on the position you want next
In order to make sure you have a plan in place before making your next move, you should always keep tabs of other professionals that are in the position you would ideally want to be in. So for example, you are a Junior Architect at a firm and you are finishing up your 2nd year. Yet you have noticed that you are stuck in the same projects, and that you are no longer being challenged. You have a friend that made the transition to BIM Specialists, and realize that you enjoy taking on many projects and working with many people, rather than just one. You could connect with your friend that made the transition to see if it is right for you.
Your career path is never going to be straight. You must understand that you are testing new ideas and ways of working, and there will be mistakes that you will learn from.
3.) Try to think of new responsibilities you can take on at your current firm
This goes the last point, that you must always be logging what responsibilities and roles you enjoy, while also looking to take on more. Firms look for talent that can put on many different hats, and if you know which hats you can put on to solve the problem in front of you, then that is a very valuable trait.
Make sure you are proving to your firm that your role is fluid and provides them with the flexibility they need to address different problems and client concerns.
4.) Understand the ceiling that may exist at your current firm, and how to lift it
The ceiling at your firm is not a negative, it is important to understand what your firm can offer you, and if you have aspirations to work at a large Architecture firm, but you are currently at a small family owned firm. Then you are probably due for a change of scenery. The only way to know what you want is to ask yourself what drives you? What are the factors and actors that are limiting you from reaching your true potential?
These are questions you should be asking yourself as much as possible!
5.) Find a mentor that is not dependent on your current firm, but can transition with you through life
This might be the most important point of all. Find a mentor! They do not have to be in the same professional field as you. They just need to inspire you, and can be your confidants when you are thinking about your next move or what you want out of your career. The best situation would be one where the mentor is not tied to your firm or work, but rather someone that is able to separate themselves from your professional career and look at your situation with less bias.
You never want YES men or women around you. You want, NO, maybe you should look at this situation in this way people.
Join the Architect-US family, and take advantage of the information and insight we have for you for free. DO NOT FORGET THE Portfolio Plans to Career Advice. 🙏🙏🤓👌 Our Selection Committee of architects and designers with 10+ years of experience are a highly-qualified resource for you to take advantage while planning your next steps. Let us know where you stand in your career!
