Reply To: Working over 40 hours?

[J. Robert (Bob) Wainner]

Well….at the Dallas LA firm, I can recall putting in an avg. of 50 hours per month of OT…nearly every month or approx. 600 hrs of OT each yr.  So…..now that I’m looking back and crunching the numbers……but, looking at it conservatively, I know it had to be at least 500 hours per year.  I was in the office an hour before everyone else and often worked through lunch (pen in one hand – a sandwich in the other)….and then, there were many, many weekends.  More like, 15 extra hrs. per week.  Well, of course, I don’t have any records, so, I’m estimating here.

Also, I really do feel “we” as employees were (to some degree) being taken advantage of.      I remember being told by one Partner, there was a “salary ceiling” of $30k + OT. That’s part of the reason I was pulling so much OT.

Well, the more hours everyone put in, the more projects got designed, the greater amt. of billing. Well,  I did take with me….13+ very valuable years of LA design experience with me – which became invaluable to me in setting up my own practice.

With my own LA practice beginning in 1991….I can recall putting in 10 to 14 hour days, 7 days a week….sometimes for 2 months in a row.  I even had to give up mowing my own lawn….no longer had the time.

Well, I SHOULD have just expanded…..period.  I think looking back, I didn’t “balance” my time as well as I should have…but, when you’re “Freelance”, you have to be careful about turning down work – you could end up losing a client.  No regrets, just not sure HOW I really managed.  I have kept most of the original “mylars” of my projects since 1991….the largest was a multi-family community I designed in Columbus, Ohio….there were a total of (50) drawings in the LA set (24″ x 36″ size sheets)….all drawn “by hand”…and that didn’t include the sketches and preliminary color renderings I needed produce before I went to final contract documents.

One thing I believe LA students and young LAs need to understand…..there WILL be some very long hours in this profession.  Though, I know there are firms that operate within a 40 hour work week.  But, it seems like these days…LA firms are a bit reluctant to hire….so, if there is an over-load of work or a tight schedule for getting a project out…some LAs are going to be putting in OT.

One final comment on JOBS…for new LA graduates (an Internship job) would be a great way to get some experience.  But, I believe “legally”, interns must be paid….that non-paying internships are unlawful.