Before you can do any of this, you will have to complete a degree in architecture, as no company will simply hire someone off the street. When doing so, make sure that you choose a reputable school. This will ensure that your professors will have industry contacts, which can provide you with some leads to architect job openings in the future. If your school has produced some successful architects in the past, you will be able to use them as contacts as you search for architect jobs. In many cases, former graduates will keep in touch with faculty members at the school and will provide them with job leads to help out those in search of architect careers. This is always a great way to track down jobs, as it will give you the chance to take advantage of the people that your professor has trained in the past.
As was mentioned before, most large companies will have architect job openings. This means that they are the best place to search for entry-level employment. Homebuilders will often use their own architects and will have a department devoted to this area. Therefore, this is a great place to look for architect jobs, as there is never a shortage of jobs available in this industry. Keep in mind that you might have to work weekends when starting out, since these companies cannot slow down for the weekend. This will only be temporary however, as it is simply meant to be a springboard for those looking for other architect careers.
If you still struggle to find work, you can contact a temp agency and see if they have anything for you. This agency might be able to find you a job within an architecture firm, especially if you have the right educational background. If nothing else, taking one of these jobs will give you something to put on your resume, which will give you an advantage over other people. You might not be involved in the actual architecture area of this company, but being able to put the company's name on your resume will give you a chance at other architect jobs in the future.
There are always social events in this industry and you can attend most of them, as long as you know someone within the industry. Once you get your foot in the door at one of these events, talk to as many people as possible and make sure that all of them know that you are looking for a job. Manufacturer's reps are usually the best people to talk with, since they will be looking for people to come in and help with the design of new products. Even if they are not looking for someone themselves, they will always be aware of companies that are in need of some additional help.
Many who now have architect careers started out by working free, so do not discount the idea of working as an unpaid intern. In many cases, companies will hire these interns after about six weeks, so working free could definitely pay off in the long run. You will also gain experience by doing this, which will give you job opportunities with other companies in the future.
While searching for work, make sure that you further your education as much as possible. Go back to school and add a few more courses or an advanced degree, as this will make you more valuable to future employers. Many different options exist, so explore all of them and make sure to give yourself a better chance of being noticed.
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