Getting Employed

[Shawn Boyd]

I’ll check out the mentor option. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

This will be unpopular, but I’m going to venture off here and say: f*** it, get out of LA. Try urban planning, or resource management, or anything that utilizes your LA training. Reality is, you’re either not competitive or you’re unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to be successful. IMO, getting out of the narrow focus of LA can be just fine.

[Chris W]

My advice is to network. When I moved after university, I didn’t know anybody, so I got in touch with the local landscape architecture board and asked if there were any upcoming events or lectures that I could attend. I joined garden clubs, a drawing club, and a local network to get children in nature. I also followed local design projects online and social media and contacted firms where I had a shared interest with what they were doing. I would ask if I could meet for coffee, or attend community consultations or volunteer. A lot of the firms in my area don’t advertise when there are positions available, when they’re looking for new employees they often rely on recommendations. I made sure that I was known to the firms before they were even looking. I ended up getting a job with a firm with no previous work experience but I showed initiative, professionalism, and an eagerness to learn. In addition, I also showed that I was willing to communicate and follow through, both critical when dealing with clients. The firm,agreed to try me out for 6 months to see how I would do, I’ve been there 1 1/2 years now and am starting my LAREs. Everyone starts with no experience at some point. If you can’t take an AutoCAD class, follow tutorials online. Hope that helps.

[Keith A. French]

I suggest you go on-line search for an purchase ACAD 2013 and ACAD for Dummies and /teach yourself.

if you have had basic drafting you can learn fairly quickly. Ask freinds if they have some non beginning drafting examples.

I taught myself and consider myself to be an “expert”.

Go for it.  

[Shawn Boyd]

What about Autocad LT? does it matter?

[Chris W]

That’s what our firm uses. It works fine. You just can’t draw in 3D. We find sketch works great for 3D anyways. I think there are some other minor perks with full but for the price, Lt is fine. Some firms around here use vectorworks too but AutoCAD is the standard.

[Shawn Boyd]

Anyway suggestions for purchasing the LT version or an older version (including regular CAD if possible) at an affordable price? The free LT version is the typical 30-day trial and Autodesk charges 45/month or 360/year. The problem I always run into is having a program for a short amount of time or paying a hefty price for it. I saw an Autocad 2016 book at Barnes&Noble with exercises and a software download. What was stupid was that the software was good for 30 days. So I guess if the CD expires you can’t finish the book.

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Look at Bricscad or other Intellicad options. They are clones of AutoCAD, but at much more affordable pricing. The commands are nearly identical to AutoCAD, so the AutoCAD instructional books should be fine. They have “LT” versions and you can buy them rather than lease.

There are several brands of Intellicad  – Accelicad, Cadopia, CMS, Progecad, …

[Keith A. French]

There are limitations, buy the full ACAD13. I would say that 90% of companies using ACAD have the full version.

[Keith A. French]

Shawn I just googled: AUTOCAD 13 free download (they will provide a disk if you request one). Cost $210

I don’t recommend other programs because ACAD is the default program, and if you move from office to office you will need to know ACAD. After learning ACAD learn Photoshop, get Sketch up and you will become a STAR.

Have a great weekend.

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Try a free demo of any of the Intellicad options out there. They are AutoCAD clones. They are certainly more relevant than AutoCAD 13 (unless you mean AutoCAD 2013).

[Shawn Boyd]

Can you send me a link for Autocad 2013?

[Keith A. French]

I went on-line a few minutes ago and found that the link had been eliminated.

Now the cheapest link is $598. I believe that Autodesk must be watching these posts. If you had followed the link yesterday……

The next best thing is AutoCAD LT No 3D but still something you could teach yourself. Google AutoCAD LT and check that. Sorry.

Again there are ACAD Clones but I do no recommend that option.

[Tosh K]

I’d say take a look around and see if you can find the disk version of an older AutoCAD (even back to 2012) – while some things have remarkably improved in recent versions, the basic command set for putting a drawing set together hasn’t changed all that much in 10 yrs. 

Once you get familiar with the software you could ask some more experienced person to help you understand how drawing sets are structured and try to replicate details and drawings from something like the Landscape Architecture Graphic Standard.

For job searches: reach out to landscapers and nurseries too, some offer ‘design services’ which they farm out.  It may be commission based, but it can be a place to start.

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