Architecture - what else can i do

[bmachine]

Hi All,

I'm a fully qualified architect and tbh I'm just really ground down with it. I've been applying for other architecture jobs thinking it was my current practice but tbh I just feel in the pit of my stomach that it will be more of the same and I need to change my life.

It's such high pressure, long hours, poor pay - It just doesn't feel worth it -especially now with a toddler - but I've spent so many years doing this (im 32 now) that its a bit daunting thinking about moving career.

Does anyone on here know of any architects who have left the profession and gone into something related (or unrelated) that they are happy with>?

Any thoughts appreciated

I know someone that became a planning officer for the council

Where are you in the country roughly?

@Sunalwaysshinesonthetelly I live in London and work in a central london practice.

I know someone that became a high flying HR director. Having the same qualifications as you OP.
It's a shame. But it's life.

Project management?

I think the problem of high pressure/ low pay is worse in London. Can you try and look for a job out of the city?
Or set up as a party wall consultant/ planning consultant?
Or set up on your own to do small domestic projects working from home?

My partner set up his own practice doing domestic work and earned the same in his first year working 3 days a week as he did in practice working ridiculous hours.

It’s definitely worked for him and his office is now just round the corner from our house and the kids school.

I agree, it’s an awful, un-family-friendly industry, especially working in practice in London.

What is it you don't like? Is it the work itself or the working environment? I'm an accountant and worked in 5 different accountancy practices - they were all the same, long hours, pressure, low wages, crap bosses, nasty work colleagues. After the 5th of the same, I decided to start up my own practice. I now choose my own clients, do the kind of work I enjoy doing, work the hours I want to work, and never really looked back - been self employed now for 20 years and would never go back to working for someone else. Yes, a lot of the work I do is "drudgery", simple accounts/returns, book-keeping and payroll, but that's fine because I'm master of my own destiny and choose not to get involved with high risk, stressful, highly technical work. Could you not do the same - start your own architecture practice on a part time/simple basis just doing relatively straight forward work such as extensions etc - the kind of bread & butter work your existing firm probably gives to the trainees and junior staff yet charges full whack for?

Hi @bmachine

There have been some great suggestions already if you are open to setting up your own business.
If you decide you definitely want a change I would start with really thinking about what you want and don’t want in a new role. A good exercise is keeping a list for a few days and writing down all the elements you like in your work at the moment (or outside work) and all the elements that you really hate and want to avoid as much as possible in the future. You can also add things you have experience in the past of course, not just in your current role. Then really think about what your ideal work would look like (in general terms). What would be your ideal hours, pay, commute, things like contact with people etc? Then work out your non-negotiables like minimum pay you need to make even a dream job work, maximum hours, travel etc. All this takes a little time but it gives you a good framework to evaluate ideas and opportunities further down the line.
You are doing a really good thing by reaching out to people and seeing what others have done. It can really open up ideas. You could also try places like Linked In or get in touch with people you trained with and see if any of them have changed direction. Maybe you can also speak to people who are now working for themselves and see how you feel about that.
This site might also give you a starting point to explore other profession related to architecture, but you really don’t have to limit yourself. www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/architecture
I know you put a lot of time and effort into your training over the last few years, but this means you also developed a lot of experience and skills you can take into other areas. Considering you will likely work at least into your 60s and maybe longer, you are only about a quarter through your work life, so plenty of time for career changes if you want to. As they say, your experiences and training so far are your springboard, not a ball and chain :-)
If you want any other exercises to try give me a shout.

Good luck