Unemployment Archive

  • The Unexpected Wait

    The Unexpected Wait

    Posted on April 11, 2010 | 1 Comment

    by Paula Griffith

    Paula Griffith first chronicled her unemployment in the Washington Post: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/story-lab/2009/12/dear_journal_my_days_are_no_ea.html

    Architect Paula Griffith - Photo Source: The Washington Post

    Time is the only thing that will release me from this limbo.  Ironically, time is the thing I am supposed to have lots of, but I seem always to need more of: to find the means to pay bills, to resolve issues and to make decisions on the next move.  I am supposed to be preparing for what comes next; it is hard to know what that is and nothing, except the first of the month, comes fast in this economy.  For the last ten months, my days have been filled with researching jobs and sending out resumes, doing my mommy duty, regrouping and answering collections calls (I am practically on a first name basis with everyone in my mortgage company collections department).

    In the ideal world, I would enjoy this time being a stay-at-home mom rather than an unemployed architect.  I would go to self-improvement classes, re-learn a language, fine-tune my skills, re-do my house and travel.  Unfortunately, depending on unemployment benefits means there is little income to take care of the basics far less take on new adventures.  So, I wake up each day, with the sole mission of finding a job, any job, not necessarily work as an architect.  Because, I am a single mom and the sole income earner in my family, I have to be pragmatic.  I have considered putting my daughter to work selling lemonade or coffee at a bus stop.  I have looked into renting a room in my condo.

    In this economy it is impossible finding even part time or consulting work in architecture.  And the reality is I have to assess what the future holds for me, June 2010 will be one year that I have been out of work.  The profession has changed so much that I don’t see myself working as I have been for over a decade.  I am redefining what I do; I am looking at my skill sets and discovering alternate professions to market myself to.  I consider myself a creative solution-ista: someone capable of addressing a problem and finding a creative solution.  But my question is: where will I fit in now?

    We can berate the unfairness of the profession and our situations while we try to exorcise our demons.  But in reality, change is a constant, and the profession is going through a major transformation.  Staffing requirements are uncertain, at the end of this period we really don’t know where we will stand.  And being a black woman in architecture, despite my strong abilities, I have always been at the low end of the totem pole.  Defeatist perhaps, but I cannot afford to fight the fight or take on the risks anymore; I have to dramatically diversify to survive and that may mean dropping the title “architect”.

    I firmly believe that I will eventually find the balance between the exhilaration I feel working in the creative milieu and my need to bring in a viable income.  As time goes on, I may not be presenting myself as simply an architect anymore, but the training and skills acquired in that profession will take me into my next chapter.  Only time will tell.

    _______

    Paula Griffith is a Maryland based freelance creative soul.

    Full Story

  • One Small Moment of Crisis turns into Opportunities for a Lifetime

    One Small Moment of Crisis turns into Opportunities for a Lifetime

    Posted on April 10, 2010 | 1 Comment

    by Aisha Densmore-Bey

    Some time last year, I was watching an online seminar by an architect who spoke at the 2009 AIA Conference. She provided a lot of useful information, but I especially remember one particular bit of advice, given in a kind of matter-of-fact way: “If you are going to be in this profession there are two things that are inevitable; you are going to get laid off and you are going to get sued. It’s just like death and taxes.” While I don’t really subscribe to what I think is a gloom and doom outlook, I did pay attention.

    Fast forward to November 2009: I was on a panel at an architectural conference speaking about African American women in architecture. After the discussion, a friend asked me a simple question, “How are things going?” I answered with my usual, “Great. I still have my job, knock on wood, so I’m fine.” Less than 48 hours later, I was laid off.

    Well, that’s life. Of course there was the initial sting of being let go, but within 24 hours of my notice, I had regrouped and was on a plane going to visit another friend in a warm, sunny part of the USA. I actually felt relief, but not because I hated my job – actually, it was quite the opposite! I really loved the company and the people I had worked with, but I woke up the next day feeling that the pink slip had just become an opportunity to begin focusing on myself, and what I wanted to accomplish, not just in a career, but in life.

    A month before “the layoff”, I had made a list of things I wanted to get done before the end of 2010. Looking back now, I’m wondering how I thought I’d be able to finish my “to do list” AND work a (MINIMUM) 40-hour job every week! So I guess an idealist would call my turn of events serendipity.

    We all know that things are challenging right now, and some firms are still laying off, or even closing doors altogether. But there’s one truth we need to face: It is what it is, and after it happens, the next day will be in front of us. That’s when the real work starts, with a built-in call to action for self-improvement. Time to revitalize and wipe the slate clean. We have to remember that things could always be way worse – if you doubt it, try talking to anyone in Haiti, Turkey, or Chile right now.

    Being free has given me the opportunity to do things that just last year I didn’t think I was ready for: like writing this article, for example; or entering design competitions and submitting proposals; or even helping to coordinate a national conference that is coming up this fall. As I work at the business of creating my own identity, I am much busier now than I ever thought I’d be. I particularly enjoy being connected to the variety of organizations within my profession, because they’re helping me to navigate the sometimes choppy waters of the current economic climate.

    Living in Massachusetts, I’ve heard that close to 40 percent of the architects in this state are unemployed. Despite the sad statistic, right now I think our focus should be on innovation. Architects are required to transform constraints into functional and even beautiful creations. That’s what we’re trained to do. So my question is: If we can do that for buildings and other objects, what are we doing to recreate ourselves?

    Today I relish the opportunity to re-brand myself – I’m looking 10, 20, 30 years down the road and starting to craft it now. As designers, we’re a group who’s constantly using our know-how to help others. Putting a new twist on that generous professional spirit, I’m taking some time to use that knowledge to fully engage and help myself, so I can be even better-equipped to serve those in need of my talent and skills.. When you think about it, that’s kind of hard to do when you’re focused on someone else’s vision as you move day to day through the typical work week.

    So I can truly say that I’m excited about the road ahead of me. Being in my early thirties, I’ve had enough experience to know what I don’t want and won’t accept; yet I’m still young enough to dream about what I can be. Losing my job was probably the best thing that could have happened to me because it’s helped put my life’s work in sharper focus.

    ________

    Aisha Densmore-Bey is an architect currently pursuing licensure. She is the Chair of the Museum and Exhibit Design Committee of the Boston Society of Architects and the Co-Chair of Marketing and PR for the 2010 NOMA conference. She can be found at http://www.aishadb.com.

    Full Story