Well, paS2K got downsized today Being a member of the management team (but not an owner) was no protection when the cost-cutters were looking for ways to reduce the overhead in my 100+ person design firm. It seems that the ownership has decided that my Opns Mgr job can be parted out to several other senior people in the firm. Decent severance pack gives me a few months of salary & healthcare coverage... Modest lifestyle and money in the bank, so I won't need to sell the S

Tomorrow will be my last day, but I get to clean out my office over the weekend (less embarrassing ). My wife is amazed that I'm taking it somewhat calmly, but I did see the possibility looming for a month or more... I'm probably in a little bit of shock

So....good friends....what sage advice? What books to read? What roads to travel ?
What new directions should a middle-aged architect seek

 

Start your own practice again Jerry. Revenge is sweet.

 

I'd also recommend a book called "Do What You Are", by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger

 

here! here! what do you specialize in? i'm a re-tread, and as the worn out saying goes: "that was the best thing that happened to me!"--ml

 

That sucks. Spread the word, networking seems to be one of the most effective ways to get re-employed. Good luck.

 

Sorry to hear the news but there's probably a silver lining in there somewhere. You can now do some of the things you've always wanted to do and being the frugal person that you are, you'll probably get even more creative and end up having fun while you're at it, whatever it is. Plus you'll be able to post your "smart-alecky" comments more often. Uh-oh, that may spell trouble now that I think of it. On second thought, find another job quick, anything! j/king. I'll probably be your #1 target.

Serioulsy though, just know that your cyber family will be here for you, come what may.

 

Jerry

What an opportunity. Get back to the basics. Start a small architecture firm, you know, the kind you used to have before your firm grew big and the money got in the way. Stay small, have some fun, do the architecture that you wanted to do before bigness got in the way of your dreams.

Maybe spend some time teaching architecture. I had an old, highly respected and accomplished accountant as a professor for advanced accounting. When I asked him why hes teaching after the stellar career he had he told me that, "Accounting has been so good to him, it was time for him to put something back." Substitute the word architecture for accounting and think about it. I think you'd get as much out of it as you put into it.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ralper
Jerry

What an opportunity.

 

Jerry,

I don't know you, but I know your situation. I've been there.

Design skills can be recovered in a couple of months. Laws of physics haven't changed much in 10 years.

You know more people than you think right now. You have investments, you have former clients, your old partners know people. Once you begin to tap in, you'll be amazed.

Books are a wonderful thing. Wish I had a suggestion for you. They keep your head on straight. But so do your friends and associates.

So there are 200 firms in Philly? I'd guess at least 180 of them would loose a customer to someone who paid more attention to their needs..........

Determination wins. "No" means "not now". It does not mean "never".

Do what you like doing. Add some passion and voila...success.--ml

 

Sorry about the bad news. Have you thought about doing something completely different. Sometimes managers without the particular skill set involved can be very effective because they actually manage rather than micro manage....