We Need Some New Blood!

I try to curb myself from universal-state-of-things comments because I read too much market conditions background info. and it’s scary. We may revive (economy and profession) but I don’t’ think it’s going to be any time soon…and LA can’t very well pull out ahead of the general background conditions by some magic formula. Of course “how to cope in the meantime” contributions should still be made, but I’ve only seen about 3 genuine “LA wanted” ads the last year in my whole state. There are bound to be a lot of courageous survival stories out there, but I suspect the individual sorrow levels and dashed expectations are pretty high also, and hard to spread on a board for the world to see. There is some value in just cross-confirming: if your situation is stressful, you are not alone or doing something “wrong.”

I graduated in May and was lucky enough to have one of my professors pass my name along to a long time friend of his who was looking for someone to join their design and build company.  I have been one of the lucky ones.  My fellow classmates have not been so lucky.  Of the 20 or so of us that graduated just a handful have been able to find employment.  Even though I was given this lead, it still took nearly three months before I started.  After the first month, I was given a week of “vacation” time since we slowed down.  I am back at work presently, but for how long?

My wife and I are considering this a learning expereince since whatever I make goes right to our nanny’s pocket!

Jake

you left out current students!

Can you please expand on the “healing garden” reference.  I think I am either missing something or paranoid.  BTW I love your sketches.  Great talent.

I thought he was referring to the duplicit position of firm owners working employees into ill health while designing “healing gardens” for hospitals and such. I often thought it was incongruous to try to design places that are relaxing and peaceful when your work environment has a bunch of stressed-out cad-monkeys going from one crisis to the next.  I used to think it was kind of important to be in the right state of mind to design.

On a serious note, some LA’s, myself included, have found themselves in other careers.  The firm I currently work for has a very small (6 employees) LA department and about 30+ environmental planners.  While I enjoy the environmental planning, it’s not the same a design work, and talking to the LA’s in our firm, the projects are getting fewer and farther between.  One final note, our IT dept. has blocked access to every social media site besides LinkedIn.  I know more than a few colleagues who have said that after spending 8-10 hours a day staring at a computer at work, the last thing they want to do when they get home is sit in front of a computer and read about how hard times are all over the country. Did someone mention bear spray? I might need some of that. 🙂

These are excellent observations in my opinion. I feel that I am lucky to be doing some of the most thoughtful work I’ve done to date due to the unique position I’m in–working from home (as well as in an office part time). Taking the stressful office tension out of the equation makes a huge difference both in productivity and quality and thoughtfulness of the work. Only problem now is that I make very little money.

It’s unfortunate that so many of the ‘old business models’ remain in place regardless of the evidence for it’s apparent shortfalls.