re: Who here is an Architect?

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alternative career paths open up (ex: facility directors, etc).

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I'm an architect and this is what I do. Most retail corporations (banks/restaurants/etc.), municipalities, hospitals, universities, school districts, etc. have people or a team of people that are in charge of new building, renovations, and repairing their facilities. I hire architects and contractors to preform the work, and I mainly manage the budget and schedule.

I work little to no overtime compared to when I was in private practice. I may have to answer an email or two occasionally after hours, but that typical for most jobs these days. I do miss some of the creativity that comes with being an architect, but I'll sometimes sketch over a drawing I get from an architect or put an initial design down on paper to send to an architect or contractor. So, I occasionally get to scratch that itch.

The company I work for does a good bit of high profile projects and when I tell most people where I work and what I do, they have a ton of questions. The downside is that there is a lot of pressure to make sure it goes smoothly.

I make a good living and really enjoy what I do. I sure a principal at a firm makes more than me, but I don't have to worry about downturns in the economy and working long hours.