Pathfinders | Career Change Success Story | From Economist to Design Architect

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From Policy Economist to Design Architect

October 20, 2009

Hi Anthony,

Just needed to let you know that I had the first examination in my major design class. Apparently I have a talent for spatial design :)

I got a shower of praise for my incredible progress in just 8 weeks and was told that their expectations have become very high regarding my work. So all the hard work with you seems to be paying off. I have found something I enjoy and am good at. THANKS!!! It has all been SO worth it.

From my class of 19 students, 4 people already have disappeared because it was not what they were looking for. Several others are finding they have problems in spatial thinking, which is major handicap for an architect. I'm just having a blast building maquettes, making movies and playing with technical drawing software.

Hey, in case you have any potential clients wondering whether to get your help to find their own path—versus taking a random stab in the dark—the investment is worth every minute of it. Making a radical change is difficult enough, I can't imagine the disappointment of [people who go back to school, and sadly, end up] taking the wrong turn.*

(By "wrong turn", Mari is referring to the large percentage of unhappy professionals who go back to school and make the same mistake twice, they invest a lot of time and money and end up with a graduate degree that still doesn't fit their talents. She noted that a third of the architecture students in her class dropped out or are flunking out for this reason.)

Thanks!

Mari

Mari's career change story

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September 2009

Just wanted to let you know how things are going here.

Last week I finally started my training as an architect at the art academy. I've got a very full schedule since I'm doing the full-time program on top of working part-time. It is so nice to be around similar people, all are creative in many different ways. Funny to suddenly be "normal" instead of being the exception :)

I also had my "oh my god what did I get myself into" moment—when I had to make 8 drawings on a Saturday morning, after being completely exhausted after a first week of classes and working. Anything starting with such a moment always turns into a great experience! Once I got to the spatial objects we had to make based on the drawings, I was losing track of time. Again a small reminder that I like 3D :) It will be interesting to see if I get more into the drawing aspect when I get to do more 3D stuff.

Things at work are also going really well. I'm involved in a lot of strategic long-term decisions and processes, it's something I do naturally and my boss is a real people-guy who is great at using the strengths of everybody.

So all in all things are going really well. I'm happy to know where I'm going and why this is the way for me. Hope you are doing fine as well.

Cheers, Mari
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February 2009

Dear Anthony,

Hope this email finds you well. Just wanted to let you know some good news - I passed the entrance exam at the art academy of my choice!

I'm really relieved that my hard work of the past months has paid off. I spent months pulling together all my art designs in a glossy portfolio which managed to impress the committee. The really easy part of the exam was the letter of motivation. After all our career design work together last year, it was easy to describe how I would see myself work as an interior architect. :)

The art academy offers a unique 4 year program. It's an intense program with a small group of other mid-career students and I'm really looking forward to getting started in September. The reactions at the art academy to my longer term career plans for combining [behaviorial] research and design were very positive, way out of what they are used to themselves but it immediately appealed to the people I talked to. So I'm on track with my new career vision!

I'm now going through a kind of career choice process again (a 'light version') to see how I can make my current economics work best fit my talents and interests while I'm still there. It is actually fun to figure out together with my boss how we can make the most of my talents while facilitating my studies.

So the year has started really well for me. I feel all bits have fallen into place and I'm taking some time to rest and enjoy it all.

Thanks again for your guidance and support, going through your career-change-program has already had a big positive impact on my life and I'm looking forward to many more good things in the near future.

Mari

The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.

~Frank Lloyd Wright