Recruiting In The World Of Architecture

Ireland is, quite literally, being shaped by an architectural revolution. There has been unprecedented growth over the past two years, and the demand for architecturally designed buildings and facilities has led to a clamour for expertise.

Right now, recruiting in the world of Architecture is an exciting market to be a part of, and challenging at every level. Demand clearly outstrips supply. The trend across the country reflects a significant shortage of technical expertise, both of qualified Architectural Technicians and of Architects who can offer a strong technical knowledge in the field. We are aware at Alex Harp that this skill set is difficult to source, resulting in an increased burden on those who can offer this experience. We have met the challenge by sourcing qualified individuals not only locally, but also worldwide. Our placements for 2005 show the following breakdown of nationalities: 25% Irish/UK nationals; 10% South Africans; 12% Australian/NZ; 8% Canadian; 43% European; 2% rest of world. Allowing for an initial settling-in period, feedback on our International appointments has been very positive. We are finding that our clients value difference in terms of style and experience in the people they bring on board. Creativity is also a major consideration for many firms struggling to find the right talent and vision for their projects. As a result, they have been happy to consider applicants from around the globe who can offer the skills and experience that they seek. Locally, experienced Architects are generally quite settled in their current employment, although there is some variation depending on the number of years in practice. We have noticed a reasonable amount of movement by experienced local Architects within the 1 – 3 year post-qualified bracket. There is little movement in the 5 – 10 year bracket, and even less movement at the higher (Associate/Director) ranks. Our clients seeking experienced local Architects at the higher ranks are hard pushed to find the right person directly. The options at these more experienced levels are sourcing people through referrals and “word of mouth”, or utilising our in-house headhunting division. Although headhunting is relatively new to Ireland, clients appreciate that targeted, pro-active recruitment is essential in a competitive market. This has been by far the most successful means of securing local Architects with the relevant levels of experience for our clients. Importantly, we do not headhunt from our clients that we do business with. The reasons people offer as to why they are looking to change their employment reflect the current state of the market. Many firms are taking on more work than they can handle. Major deadlines and significant levels of overtime are creating burnout for young Architects, who complain of work-commitments overrunning their lives. Another reason often given is that firms can “pigeon-hole” individuals in specific roles, thereby limiting experience and the practical application of a wider training. Some firms, depending on their structure, do not allow individual Architects to see a project through from start to finish – a source of much professional frustration. Surprisingly, remuneration is not usually cited as the reason for an individual’s wishing to move on. The world of Architecture in Ireland over the past year has been a busy one.

There has been a significant rise in the levels of recruitment in the industry and we are finding that International Architects/Technicians are now offering Irish experience to match their local counterparts. At Alex Harp, we are very positive about the future recruitment scene as we work to match our clients’ expectations and actively source individuals for their specific needs. If the market – and the landscape – continues its dramatic developments, Architecture, and the business of recruitment within Architecture, can only thrive in response.

(CD/SP)