I'm an Architect in the UK and I started a job at a new practice last September.
At the interview I was clear about what my limitations are due to only have become a registered architect a year ago. I explained that I have experience working at another practice prior to this (mostly as an assistant) and as many people at my stage, experience and exposure to certain type of work can be limited.
This is a place where the smaller scale of the projects mean that there is a faster pace, and every architect is managing a higher volume of projects than I'm used to. I have communicated that time management is something i might need training on and getting used to the processes they have in the company.
Fastforward 3 months and I have my first review, where these comments were made by an English director:
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do you have problems understanding english (I have been living in the UK since 2008 and have studied here for high school and university)
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are you an Architect? (said this after a couple of instances where I was not meeting expectations due to lack of experience. He repeated the question a few times until he got a yes from me)
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you are flat (I don't know if they expect me to be buddies with them? I have a very straight on attitude with directors and feel no need to share my feelings or emotions with them but that seems to be a problem? Anyway how is this even related to work?)
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don't ask your colleagues for help (they named two in particular who I have a good relationship with. Apparently I shouldn't ask them questions because 'they get things wrong'???. They have the expectation for me to only ask for feedback from associates or directors. Mind you that I had been told before to ask questions to my colleagues before as we 'are a team'.
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we don't want to hear any excuses (said after I try to give them the context of my adaptation due to coming from a practice from a different sector, lacking experience in certain tasks and taking time to adapt to this practice's pace.)
This is just to name some of the comments I have received.
Fast forward again a couple of months, and I am having a meeting with the director about a project.. and he brings up the question again 'Are you an architect?'. I have studied for 8 years to become an architect. A lot of sweat and tears in the process and it touched a nerve that he had said that again.
Mind you, there is this insistence in this office that the staff membets should constantly be pursuing the directors for meetings. Most of them unnecessary in the opinion of every staff member and this just delays our projects further and many times it brings nothing new from the previous meetings.
At the end of this meeting, I tried to compose myself and I came over to his office. I told him if he wants me to come to him for feedback then I expect him to not be condescending towards me.
The director proceeds to look at me with raging red eyes and screams 'GET OUT OF MY FACE. HOW DARE YOU CALL ME CONDESCENDING'. I look at the other director just to my left and I get nothing but a blank stare. I was baffled by how this is being acceptable behaviour. Trying to act more maturely than this man I tell him 'if you will I can explain myself'. But he keeps going 'LEAVE THIS ROOM IMEDIATELY BEFORE I EXPLODE'. He was screaming his lungs out with bloodshot red eyes. Pure rage. I bet that if I didn't leave he would get physical with me. Everyone on the office heard him and I have not heard a single apology from him yet.
This was on Valentine's day and I ended up having to take my girlfriend out with this on the back of my mind. My colleagues have been trying to convince me to stay as despite the directors this is a good place to develop as an Architect due to the amount of exposure we get to work stages, which I agree with. But the treatment I've received, coming from years of abuse from my previous job where I had to file formal complaints against a director too.. all I want is some respect but it seems it is too much to ask for.
What would you guys do in my position. I've been told 'try to suck it up' but I'm not the type of person to let anyone walk over me. I don't care if you're a director you shouldn't be treating your staff as I've been treated. Unsure whether my next step should be to stick around and try to learn more or move on to another job.