Success Tips for Young Architects in the Present Era

Can you recollect the thoughts that pulled strings when you walked into the new workplace?

Well! Either positive expectations gave you a flush of energy, or the fear of ‘newness’ made you feel perplexed with this new journey. Plus, when you’re a young architect, there is a whole bunch of unexpected stereotypes that bombard you from the get-go.

And the challenge doesn’t stop there because you need to continually prove your worth by creating designs that will help you move up the ladder.

After all, it isn’t easy to improve your performance, and it surely doesn’t happen overnight.

But, if you’re on the right track, it helps you gain better control of the game by following few work ethics like- meeting deadlines and completing the assigned work with precision.

We understand that it can get challenging to rule out which tips to follow among a host of available options. To make it easier, we have put together a few success tips that a young architect can follow to achieve success in the present era.

So, without further ado, let’s get started!

Success Tips for Young Architects

1. Never stop learning

Getting a new job doesn’t necessarily mean that you stop gaining knowledge. And the habit of reading regularly comes with a ton of benefits; it makes you better equipped to tackle any challenge that comes your way. How you ask? Well! Reading offers you the opportunity to discover a plethora of information that can never be taken away from you.

For the best part, reading stimulates your mental abilities by keeping your brain engaged and active, which lowers the stress level. No matter how stressed you feel at work, in your personal relationships, or in the countless other issues that you face in daily life, all of that slips away when you read a good story.

A well-written novel is like a genie that transports you to other realms. While an interesting article can distract your mind from the present moment, allowing you to relax and letting the tension drain away. Amazingly enough, it works to stabilize the mood and improves short-term memory. How cool is that?

You should try to incorporate at least half an hour of reading time every day, and it’s best to opt for non-fiction books. Reading is going to have a positive impact on your architecture career by improving different facets such as- focus, concentration, creativity, patience, etc.

Plus, you can also invest your time and money in learning different software that is vital for the work of an architect. On the other hand, attending different seminars, conferences, and professional training on architecture related topics is going to widen your knowledge and efficiency to a great extent.

2. Stop complaining

If we had to pick one common thing that all young architects crib about very often, it would have to be salary. Somewhere down the career path, you’ll be compensated for your qualifications and experience, but to get to that position, it takes time.

The frustration is pretty understandable because architects are usually in graduate school for many years. And after the successful completion of their course, most of them start preparing for different competitive exams. But after the long process of getting their license, many of them land up in jobs that pay a little less compared to other jobs of the same level.

However, it’s important to be aware that you’ll be getting a pay package according to the value of your work. Plus, the only way to deliver designs that are up to the mark is by gaining more experience and knowledge in the architecture field.

You should also ensure that there is enough progress in your career, and you aren’t stagnant in one position. If you feel stuck in the role that is being played by you, start finding answers to where you want to be in the next five years. This will not just help in improving your career prospects, but also keeps you more satisfied with your job.

It’s important to figure out the solution to the challenges that come your way. After all, it’s never going to be easy to follow your passion, but all the hard work is going to pay off in the long run. So, you should be patient and positive at the beginning of your career with a greater focus on improving your knowledge and skill set.

3. Avoid taking advantage of your employer

In recent times, most companies offer a range of non-statutory benefits to the employee, and that’s the maximum that you should expect from your employer. Instead, there seems to be a belief that the workplace should be very exciting.

It’s important to understand that getting a job doesn’t mean that you’re winning a ticket to Disneyland. So, be grateful for the opportunities and aim to deliver what is expected from you other than keeping incredibly high expectations.

Plus, if you’re facing any challenges in the workplace, it’s best to try and sort it out in the organization without letting it affect your productivity. The employer is investing in their employees, so instead of finding faults, try to improve your performance.

And if you’re aren’t satisfied with what is being offered to you by the company, it’s best to sort out the issues. Avoid speaking negatively about the employer on an online platform. You should know that making any negative comments can invite more problems in your career. Therefore, you should try and control such situations around you.

Moreover, if you need to leave early from work, it’s important to ask permission from the employer other than just barging out from the office. While legitimate emergencies do come up at times, try to plan around the ones that you can control.

Overall, you should focus on being a more responsible and dependable employee because it will benefit your career. Some of the companies also provide compensation to employees for their improved focus and dedication at work.

4. Manage your finances

Wondering why this point tops the list? Well! One of the main reasons for young architects to be dissatisfied with their current pay is because of poorly managed finances. In truth, if you’re joining an architecture firm for the first time, it’s pretty much expected that your pay scale will be relatively lower than the others in the organization.

But, making a budget according to your income is important to help you eliminate unnecessary expenses. You should think before making an impulsive purchase to avoid wasting the hard-earned money. Moreover, spending your money on only the required things is essential for managing your finances by helping you make the right amount of savings.

Plus, in the initial years of your architecture career, the focus should be on spending your money in paying off your educational loans to avoid problems later in life. Also, try avoiding debts because it can disrupt your mental peace by having to deal with too many monetary issues.  

The other expenditure that you can avoid is to stop overspending on your rent. It’s more than sufficient to find yourself a commutable and comfortable apartment without having to overspend in a fancy residential complex.

At the end of the day, as a young professional, you must invest in enhancing your knowledge scale. Do what is required to be the best in the game; however, it’s not going to be very challenging if architecture is your passion.

5. Work at work

Many of the large organizations have implemented a few IT policies in the workplace that block certain websites. It’s pretty evident that the main sites to be blocked are all related to social media. With millennials being pretty dependent on social media like Instagram, twitter, snap chat, etc., they also tend to waste more time on checking their feed then completing their work.

You probably can’t name a successful architect who has been scrolling down the feed in-between their work hours. It not only reduces your productivity to a certain extent but also keeps you from being creative. You might say that it’s wrong for the employer to block out some of the social media websites because it shows that they don’t trust you.

On the other hand, it doesn’t make a difference if you can’t access social media on your computer because the smartphone is the game-changer. But, in the long run, you’re going to the receiving end because losing out on work time is no joke. It’s important to manage the time efficiently to avoid unnecessary loitering across social media.

As a young architect, you’ll need to spend long hours in the studio, getting your work done, and learning new software. But, if you start wasting time during work hours, it’s a major sign of inefficiency. Overall, you should focus on planning your day correctly and believe in your capabilities and make effective time management a priority.  

6. Seize the moment

When you start your career, it’s expected that you’ll not be getting the best of projects in the first few days, weeks, or months. You might be assigned some of the easiest design projects in the beginning. But, you should avoid complaining about it because you need to prove your worth to be taken seriously in every workplace.

To put in simple terms focus on delivering the best work, which is the only way to gain the trust of your employer. You should ensure that you’re entirely focused on improving your work quality, especially your designs and reports. Click here to use a plagiarism checker that will help to remove the red flags from your reports.

The only way to reach the top is by putting in enough hard work and time in completing every project that is given to you.

Moreover, it’s crucial to find ways to stay creative and calm for producing thoughtfully designed work. As mentioned earlier, try to invest in learning new design software and read books to improve your knowledge. The constant desire to seek out for more is like a reminder to develop your talent and skill set.

You need to be grateful for what’s on your plate, so that you can move up the ladder at the right time. Therefore, make the best of the moment that you have in hand to avoid wasting away the opportunities that you’ve got in front of you.

7. Networking matters

Architecture is a service industry, and companies receive projects based on their active networks. After all, building a strong network is like a bridge that not only fosters opportunities but also makes life way easier.

An architect should aim for networking connections that will help you in that field. With time and practice, you’ll be gaining confidence to ask more insightful questions by learning to express yourself more clearly.

This might not be a very easy industry for a young professional since you’ll be subjected to many daunting challenges along the way. But, if you learn to make connections with experienced professionals, it’s going to help you navigate through this rocky terrain.

As a young architect, you have an added advantage of being well ahead of the previous generations due to more knowledge concerning technology. For the best part, share what you’re learning at the present moment, whether it’s related to technology or some new topic. This helps to enhance networking skills and gives you more foundational knowledge.

Plus, you need to be specific about what you’re hoping to gain from the particular meeting; this helps to avoid wasting time for both parties.

You can build relationships in small increments; it doesn’t happen with casual one-time meetings. In most cases, relationships are built carefully over time, and it’s the mutual interest that helps you define the career path. However, building relationships is also a skill that takes time to master, and you need to practice it correctly.

8. Embrace failure

It isn’t surprising that we have all faced the tremors of failure in our career path. And failure is not a backward step; it’s a brilliant stepping stone on your way to success. If you don’t overcome the fear of failure, it gets pretty challenging to move out of the comfort zone. To make it have a positive impact, you need to acknowledge failure to help you learn from the mistakes.

We are always taught from a young age that failure should be avoided because it’s something to fear and be afraid about. Especially when you’re going after your big dreams and goals, challenges are pretty uncertain. But persistence and a positive mindset will let you overcome those fears. After all, what’s the worst that can happen to you if you fail in one task?

You can always get up and try again. Plus, the most progressive architecture companies are deliberately seeking for employees with track records that highlight both success and failure. Sounds perfect, right! It’s mainly because someone who can survive failure has unstoppable perseverance and irrepealable knowledge, which is born from overcoming hardship.

All in all, failure is an inevitable part of success, so you shouldn’t give up when obstacles come your way because it strengthens your character and makes you a better thinker. There is a lot to learn from failure, so don’t be discouraged; instead, focus on getting up and trying harder.

9. Seek mentors

Young professionals are always going to be the future leaders of an enterprise, but to be successful, it’s important to receive the right guidance and support. In truth, your fellow architects are not your competitors, but they are a resource to guide you on the right path.

When you’re new to the workplace, you’ll meet a lot of knowledgeable people. And you should find people who have the required skills for a particular role that you look up to. It’s hard to find a better teacher than someone with experience in the same field.

Mentoring helps young professionals to connect with individuals coming from both within their business and beyond. Moreover, receiving guidance from a mentor helps in safeguarding knowledge within any business that allows for a seamless transition when older employees retire.

Plus, when young professionals are connected with skilled and experienced staff, it’s a great way to improve productivity and ensure the long-term stability of the business. A mentor also provides honest feedback, which helps bridge the gap to make you feel more confident in taking up new challenges.

Final words

Irrespective of the chosen career field, we’re all going to make a ton of mistakes that we need to learn from. This helps in both personal and professional growth. Similarly, as a young architect, you’ll face a lot of highs and lows in your work life.

But finding a way out of those daunting challenges is the main thrill of following your passion for design. Now that we’ve come to the end of our guide, we hope it has helped you figure out the changes that are required for a better work experience.

Until next time!