What are hiring managers looking for?

[Cara McConnell]

They must’ve lied to you, Bob.”Writing” memos and editing “details” are not your strong suit.

 

 

[Cara McConnell]

Most of these responses were from 2009! I wonder if these people are still employed by the same firm.

[michael damico]

I agree. I like to hear the aforementioned comments, but I, like so many others get discouraged after years of discouraging news; changing approaches to interviewing, approaching firms/employment, etc. just contributes to confusion and does not help personal confidence. 

Hopefully there are more encouraging stories out there…

[alland]

What do firms look for? WORK. For, if the firm has no work, then you have no work. They will push and pull employees to accomodate how much they have. If you are productive and they have enough work, you stay. If not, you go. Everything else is semantics and BS, despite what is taught and what you have heard.

These are the facts boys and girls. Spin it in sunshine or roll it in the macbre.

You want to up your value in a design firm?

Bring in some work.

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Let’s not forget that one of the biggest things, if not the biggest thing, that will put you over the top is if you have contacts, connections, or any demonstrated asset which indicates that you can bring in new work. Not a skill set that can do new work, but actually bring new prospects to the office.

 

Obviously, that is not going to help entry level people, but some of you are not entry level. If you are currently employed, make sure to build connections with people so that you build up some potential in this regard. … especially true if you are working in a position outside of an LA office.

[earthworker]

They are looking for kids with little to no experience who will work for little pay, put up with crap and are human pencils for principals who can’t run cad.  (If you are attractive, that is a bonus.)  Years of experience, extensive knowledge of plants/materials/planning/engineering don’t count for squat right now.

[nca]

This post was started a long time ago, but I’ll circle back and agree that CAD and technical ability trumps creativity, knowledge of materials, plants, construction in the vast majority of cases.

Remember, as Mitt said, corporations are people too so whatever you can expect a potential hire to do you can expect the same from many employers, ie willingness to work for far less than survivable wages, overextension of skills and services, etc.

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

I think it comes down to the fact that one or a few people can produce the creativity and apply much of the knowledge on projects that require a larger number of people to produce the deliverables on. The creativity part is what we all get into this profession to do. I’m not sure that too many of us would be any more eager to hire people to do that part of our work. Instead, they find that they can do more and more creating by having others produce the boring time consuming parts of the process.

 

If you or I could have an assistant would we give that person the creative part of the job or the production part?

 

All I can say is that whomever has the total skill package should be competing with these firms rather than looking for a job from them. There is not a ton of overhead necessary in this business.

[nca]

All I can say is that whomever has the total skill package should be competing with these firms rather than looking for a job from them. There is not a ton of overhead necessary in this business.

 

*like.

[landplanner]

Let’s cut through all the fog and veil of what is really going on here.

Hiring managers, are now asking for whateever they can get away with. Superman superlatives aside,

they want the following, and then some:

 

• a Zen master of design creativity and inspiration in on-going and subservient learning status (as long as it does not interfere, replace or dominate their own presence and imprint)
• A digital master of all programs that they themselves do not have the slightest idea or understanding of (just make them look good)
• A multi-facted design professional who can do it all, in any season and under any circumstances, under budget and meeting unrealistic and thoroughly unappreciative client expectations.
• A multi-degreeed and certified professional who will far exceed their own credentials and standing, but will, again, purportedly help in attracting new work
• and yeah, you need to go out and get your own work for the firm, in order to assure your own sustenance and presence into the next business quarter (that is far as we go these days)

Differ with that stark assessment, Speak out.

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

I have to believe that anyone who can do all that in a big firm can make a living without the firm.

[landplanner]

Russell:

 

A compliment from you I consider a badge of honor and will wear it proudly. Based on that rare stroke, the tickets are free.

[Trace One]

I don’t know, I think you guys are missing a huge element of hiring – people want good looks, enthusiasm, a willingness to work, and the right balance with the rest of the company..and if you look good enough, they won’t notice if you are falling short in other areas..

that is why it is so hard to get hired if you are over fifty…You can’t complete on any of the above, if you have lived at all…

: )

[Leslie B Wagle]

I got amused (?) reading this from a magazine table at a restaurant recently while waiting for the food and just found it on line (although you have to go to page 2 for links to all the parts). The points were taken from a survey of real HR people in real businesses. 

http://www.rd.com/money/what-hr-people-wont-tell-you-about-the-job-…

[Leslie B Wagle]

Yep, and strange things can happen to that “enthusiasm” and “willingness” due to the slings and arrows of reality somewhere between 30 and 50 and they know who does it to who; so fresh organic material is required. 🙂

[Author]

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