To start off I recently turned 26. I have a bachelors of architecture (5 years) and a masters of architecture in urban design and regional planning (1.5 years). I went straight through those 7 years with out working so I can primarily focus on university and well I just did not want to work. After university I took a year off to relax.
After the year off I have been self teaching myself new programs and that will enhance my skill set. I have done internships completely unpaid and some with a small stipend in order to build my resume up. The whole point is to land a salaried position so I can move out of my parents home. (I had moved back after bachelors because pops was unwilling to support me bumming around, which is understandable as they paid for everything else).
Currently I am doing a stipend internship 2 days a week at 10 hrs a day for 15 weeks. Pay is $750. The principal paid us intern 200 half way through with the balance at the end. Half way through the principal asked if I'd like to work more hrs. I politely said no reason being 10 hr days are long with transportation it is 13 hrs. Besides doing all the office management tasks would fall on the interns. I need the time to go and further my skill set, apply for jobs etc. of course I did not say this and just politely said no.
The other interns are all students and most by now dropped out of the internship because juggling school and work is hard. The principal offered me a position at the firm after the internship is over. Speaking with other employes all of which were interns at one point I knew exactly his hand. 10$ an hr 2-3 days for a year. I thanked him but did not take him up on the offer to think about it because I have 8 weeks left of the internship.
well I had an interview at a boring residential firm. And got the position of junior architect. I did not have the required experience for the job posting but I applied anyway. I worked my salary numbers to undercut other potential applicants but still great pay considering my limited experience. I immediately tell the principal in person( all the interns that dropped just emailed an associate and never showed up again) that I am going to have to leave the internship shortly after Easter.
He calls me unprofessional for even going on interviews with out telling him. He then berates me saying I'm young and stupid and made the wrong mistake. He goes on about all the large scale various projects he does vs the residential I would be doing and how I just wasted my career. The whole time i kept my head high with a smile on my face. in my mind i was thinking all this man has is a 20 year jump start on me. hell i have a more impressive educational background then he does. He then says i wont match your salary out of principal. i then told him i never expected you to as i already took the offer. He then asks if I could give him 2 weeks. I said no I can give you the week and a half. I don't see what the big deal is I only work 2 days a week plus the internship ends in 5 weeks.
Now I don't see anything wrong in my actions. Myabe its a generational thing. i was trained never to settle whenits about your career. to always move on to bigger and better and never feel complacent. i remebr reading a GQ article that said modern men can not and should not stay and work in the same place for more than 3-4 years. Is it not expected that internships are just a means for one to get employment. It's one thing I guess if your a salaried employee but I can't be expected to be held hostage when you don't pay me squat. I surely won't put this on my résumé but it was not a waste of time as I met some pretty girls my age and made friends.
Sorry for the long post. Please post your feelings as you see fit, I have thick skin. I will follow up with some shorter questions later.
After the year off I have been self teaching myself new programs and that will enhance my skill set. I have done internships completely unpaid and some with a small stipend in order to build my resume up. The whole point is to land a salaried position so I can move out of my parents home. (I had moved back after bachelors because pops was unwilling to support me bumming around, which is understandable as they paid for everything else).
Currently I am doing a stipend internship 2 days a week at 10 hrs a day for 15 weeks. Pay is $750. The principal paid us intern 200 half way through with the balance at the end. Half way through the principal asked if I'd like to work more hrs. I politely said no reason being 10 hr days are long with transportation it is 13 hrs. Besides doing all the office management tasks would fall on the interns. I need the time to go and further my skill set, apply for jobs etc. of course I did not say this and just politely said no.
The other interns are all students and most by now dropped out of the internship because juggling school and work is hard. The principal offered me a position at the firm after the internship is over. Speaking with other employes all of which were interns at one point I knew exactly his hand. 10$ an hr 2-3 days for a year. I thanked him but did not take him up on the offer to think about it because I have 8 weeks left of the internship.
well I had an interview at a boring residential firm. And got the position of junior architect. I did not have the required experience for the job posting but I applied anyway. I worked my salary numbers to undercut other potential applicants but still great pay considering my limited experience. I immediately tell the principal in person( all the interns that dropped just emailed an associate and never showed up again) that I am going to have to leave the internship shortly after Easter.
He calls me unprofessional for even going on interviews with out telling him. He then berates me saying I'm young and stupid and made the wrong mistake. He goes on about all the large scale various projects he does vs the residential I would be doing and how I just wasted my career. The whole time i kept my head high with a smile on my face. in my mind i was thinking all this man has is a 20 year jump start on me. hell i have a more impressive educational background then he does. He then says i wont match your salary out of principal. i then told him i never expected you to as i already took the offer. He then asks if I could give him 2 weeks. I said no I can give you the week and a half. I don't see what the big deal is I only work 2 days a week plus the internship ends in 5 weeks.
Now I don't see anything wrong in my actions. Myabe its a generational thing. i was trained never to settle whenits about your career. to always move on to bigger and better and never feel complacent. i remebr reading a GQ article that said modern men can not and should not stay and work in the same place for more than 3-4 years. Is it not expected that internships are just a means for one to get employment. It's one thing I guess if your a salaried employee but I can't be expected to be held hostage when you don't pay me squat. I surely won't put this on my résumé but it was not a waste of time as I met some pretty girls my age and made friends.
Sorry for the long post. Please post your feelings as you see fit, I have thick skin. I will follow up with some shorter questions later.