Any areas in the country seeing growth / new jobs?

[Jay Smith]

Ryan, thanks for your encouraging words. I’m curious about the ‘showing up’ method though. Can you elaborate somewhat on how that worked for you? Did you show up unannounced to random firms? Did you know anyone in those offices? How was your unannounced arrival received? How many places did you visit in this fashion before someone showed a genuine interest in hiring you?

I’d thought about doing this myself, but I’ve been somewhat hesitant. I read in a forum last year for Landscape Architects about how many managerial types actually frown on people just showing up or even cold calling (I’ll try to find that link and post it). Many of these higher ups commented that they thought it was rude and unprofessional. Obviously it worked for you, so I can’t say they were right, but I’m just curious to know how you were received in these situations?

Thanks again.

[Trace One]

The only thing that has ever worked for me is just plain dumbass luck – the right place at the right time..it helps to be really good looking, but I have not been able to take advantage of that..that is all! I would apply for jobs in China or Dubai..seems like the onlyl sure thing to me, right now..

[Jay Smith]

Nick S, I agree with you about the alternative career thoughts. It’s something that I’m constantly thinking about. These cyclical swings that seem to hit our profession very hard are very unsettling. I’d like to think of having a family one day, and I’d hope that I wouldn’t have to worry so much about the next ‘big one’.

Nick and Nick, what are you guys doing right now in the meantime for income, if you don’t mind me asking? I’m looking to get into something new myself, at least while I continue to look for LA work. I’ve considered the allied professions, but to be honest, they aren’t fairing much better from what I’ve heard.

[David J. Chirico]

I did not read thru every reply, so if I am repeating something said previously I apologize.

We get resumes in the mail and in email we put them on file. The ones that impress us the most are the ones that research our firm, find out who is the person to talk to, and walks in the door to shake hands and express interest. Even tho firms are not actively hiring, if you talk to the right person you may find yourself filling a need they didn’t previously think of.

You have to connect to a firm personally to get a second look, especially as competitive as it is right now.

Also, I have a few neighbors who are engineers in the Navy. I know engineers are in high demand, but they are traveling to universities recruiting all kinds of people to do planning and drafting. If you have not tried the military option, you might want to consider it.

Best of luck in all your pursuits.

Dave

[Trace One]

And of course, as has been mentioned in these forums often before, definitely check planning jobs – LA is directly applicable, no registration required, and some of them can be even somewhat interesting, although as a planner one has to be political and reticent as to ones own opinions..
But one does get to review a lot of stuff going on, and in some situations you can really influence the design for the better..
That being said, the Planning Dept. I last worked for in Virginia was just folded into the Buidling Dept. – no houses getting built, no plan review necessary, no p lanners necessary – but also a caveat – don’t know if the layoffs actually happened….these gov. jobs tend to relocate their staff rather than lay off.

[Trace One]

I used to meet with the developers and draw up their site plan for them on trace, nrschmid, as well as their (natives only – my choice..) landscape plans – they would thank me..it was way out in the sticks..But you do sound like the normal extremely bitter planner… planning is extremely frustrating, and thankless….Nothing like a Planning Board meetings to kill any enthusiasm you ever had for democracy.. But I found planning jobs can be really low level, really low paying, and an LA degree is far more experience with plan review than other qualifying BA degrees….I don’t know, I think planning can be really local, in terms of how it is run..so it can vary enormously, as to what your experience as a planner it..Georgia is pretty bad – just check the list off for meeting all standards, then send it in for approval..
the building industry is fairly dead, though, and like I said above, planning dept. are actually closing, in some places..
When things are cooking though, in terms of construction, planners can be at the center of controversy and action..It is really good experience for an LA, is my last word on that topic..

[Trace One]

2.sorry, you sounded pretty bitter to me, and I was merely agreeing with the frustration of being a planner. I personally found it to be a really thankless job, for the most part..

1.And I was drawing up the plans in advance of their submission for these guys, so it was sort of fun as a new LA for me, so asa a planner, I was drawing up site plans for the developers to submit..Like I said, it was in the sticks..

.3..And planning jobs CAN be very low level! I certainly did not say they ALL are, but, but man, if you are going to review plans for Gwinnett county in Georgia, you can be hired at a very low level..Of course it goes right up to the top, planning can also be found with top level jobs, but I cannot beleive you do not think they don’t hire newbies to review site plans..That is my experience.. By saying planning is local, I was just trying to state that there is a vast range of influence or lack thereof, depending on the state, the level, etc..

3.2.And I am also saying that for the NEW hire, an LA degree is very good experience, compared to other BA degrees, who will be hired as planners (I have seen it..).

I don’t know why you want to limit a discussion of planning to only long-range..seems irrelevant..

Calm down! You have taken all my statements to extremes..!!

There is no need to be defensive about anything..!

[Jay Smith]

Thanks David. I’ve often felt the ‘cold contact’ approach is worth pursuing, so it’s good to hear. Going door to door is really the only thing I haven’t tried, so it looks like that might be my next step (although I’m somewhat limited to only doing that in my area, as travel is expensive). How often do applicants show up at your firm unannounced?

I think finding the key person to make contact with is one of the biggest challenges. It’s not always the president of the company, so you can’t necessarily count on that. And 99 times out of 100, the secretary (gatekeeper) won’t say. So often times it’s an educated guess as far as what name goes on the resume.

Interesting about the Navy, I’ll look into that.

Thanks again.

[David J. Chirico]

We have had very few in the 5 years I have worked here, maybe 3 or 4. I think it is a very underutilized way of finding a job. And every one of the people that have walked through the door that we called to come back for an interview we could not hire, because they had already been scooped up by another company.

Use whatever resources you have at gaining information about a company, don’t rely on the secretary. Internet, phone calls, news articles, sometimes calling the admin person or human resources on the phone will get you way more information than walking in and asking questions. You should have your information all ready to go before you walk in the door. That way it seems like you were expected, or had met with someone previously and you won’t seem like a vagrent.

And just for the record, I think nrschmid is a bitter person (insert sarcasm here) 🙂

[Trace One]

friend of yours..?

he’s not bitter..it is just planning, in my opinion..very difficult, and no cookies at the end like some nice plans with your stamp on ’em..just my opinion…

[nca]

Nice tangent conversations going on here.

I’m finding a very receptive response to some feelers I’ve put out. I think a lot of people in related professions are eager to explore new options and approaches.

Regarding knocking on doors-My former employer had ‘visitors’ at least a few times each week and it was a very small practice (only eight of us). The hiring manager was always very receptive, but I gotta think just about everyone and their brother is at or past the point of knocking on doors.

[Jay Smith]

Good to hear about your responses Aceto. I’ve been looking at some of the allied fields myself. But so far I haven’t found anything.

Yeah I’m just not sure about the unannounced visit approach. I always hear a lot of pros and cons to that approach, so who knows (nothing to lose I guess). Right now I just need income, so I’m probably going to hit some employment agencies in my state next week and try to find anything just so I can put an end to this ridiculous (and embarrassing) gap I have on my resume.

[David J. Chirico]

no, I don’t know him, just thought I would bust his chops…

[Jennifer de Graaf]

I’ve seen (and heard) nothing regarding growth. I spoke with a friend earlier this week who still has a job and she said they’d sent out more contracts this month than last, but hadn’t had any come back signed. This is also a bad season for growth in our industry, clients are thinking of other things – the end of the year, taxes, holidays….

I would also wonder about sending out 150 resumes like that – but because out here in the Bay Area, many of the firms that existed a year ago don’t now. They may still have websites up, but they’re not there anymore. Too many companies have disappeared, merged, disbanded, to know if you’re even sending your resume to a person or a wastebasket.

In addition, (especially out here?) just about everyone who has been laid off in the last 12-18 months has set up a website, started looking for freelance clients, re-vamped their resume, gotten new certifications. When things start picking up, I believe it will be a whole new world with completely different companies running the show.

p.s. when things do pick up, everyone has contacts that they’ll call first – I know I am on the short list for a company or two, so I’d work your personal network before cold calls.

[Jennifer de Graaf]

oh god – every firm I’ve worked for HATED drop-ins. That never worked, and it happened all the time.

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