Recession for Architects

It doesn’t take long (in the profession of architecture) to learn that Architecture is one of the first industries to be hit by a recession. All business – is in business – to make money. And every business wants to make more money than they did last year. So to make more money, they have to expand their business. How does a company expand their business? Hire an architect to create another (or larger) facility in which they can increase or expand their bottom line.

So when businesses in large numbers decide that they can’t expand because of a short money supply or won’t expand because of fear of a short money supply, then Architects are the first consumers/business to feel the effects. From there, the effects trickle down into every aspect of the construction chain. Developers; contractors; sub-contractors; material suppliers, and in each group, all the sub-chains of economic distribution right down to the individual employees of every company. But it doesn’t stop there – every person affected will have less money in their pockets to buy other products which are not even remotely connected to architecture. Their food, fuel, newspaper delivery boy, charitable contributions and everything else that can be purchased or paid for – all will be affected.

Of course, we know all this. This is economics 101 in the capitalistic society that we enjoy so much. Of course, it hurts when recession hits our profession (or any profession). It’s susposed to hurt. If it didn’t, it would mean that there was no risk. And with no risk – their is no reward. This recession was inevitable. Just as was the last one; and just as the next one will be. It’s part of our chain of life. ((que circle of life music))

As I sit here, unemployed and filling my time blogging, I am reminded of something else that we all have or should have learned by now as well. Just as Architecture is the the first to feel the effects of recession, it is also the first to feel the effects of recovery. So we must be ready to take advantage of that recovery when it begins. Those of us that have found ourselves in the unemloyment line may actually have an advantage, if we use our free time wisely. Writing a book; completing architectural exams or other certifications; setting yourself up for a consulting practice are great ways to spend our time (in addition to job searching). Time, that we wouldn’t have if we had not been given that pink slip.

So I would like to say thank you to my former employer for allowing me this opportunity to better myself and to fully prepare for the next wave of my career. And you best beware, the employee you had to let go yesterday, may just be your biggest competition – tomorrow.

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Posted by Michael E. on Apr 7 2009. Filed under Economy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry