Practicing ArchitectureKnowledge Communities

By: Jonathan Scaggs, Assoc. AIA

Facebook, we’ve all heard about it (and some are on it) but its far reaching power is often left untapped. As the site and society keep evolving; how can it be better optimized in the A/E/C industry?

From being a photo sharing site for college students to co-hosting one of the 2008 Presidential debates alongside Charles Gibson, it is a force unlike any other. Sites like Myspace are often seen as a “fun” social site and others such as LinkedIn are “professional.” Somewhere in between is Facebook. The casual aspect of its use lets users relax in a way that makes it truly a marketer’s dream so much so that it has crossed over into the world of multi-million dollar advertising. How is this useful for an architect? Let’s look at some of the ways the site has been working for others.

Facebook can help your staff do some of the exhaustive staffing searches for you. For example, a few weeks ago my office was trying to help a client who is unfamiliar with any type of CAD software. The client is based out of Washington D.C. and we are in Los Angeles. Our solution was to find someone who could sit down and go over the final revisions in person with the client. A message was sent out to personal contacts in the D.C. metro area. Within an hour my contacts had found someone more than suitable within their own networks. Their recommended candidate sent a resume and files of her work and was hired.

Now why is this story so important?

NETWORKING and TIME

Given that the young architects of today keep in contact with classmates and friends over Facebook the power time and money was saved. Our office kept our client happy, saved money by not hiring a head hunter or flying out to Washington D.C, and kept the project on time.

Recruiting through Facebook can be like fishing, put an ad out there and hundreds will fight for it. In these tough times some of the first people let go are those of Generation Y. Being of that generation (and having been down-sized) I know I spent my months of unemployment looking the same places everyone else was, LinkedIn, Career Builder, Monster, and the AIA website. However most of that time I had Facebook running in the background. Of those few months guess how many job opportunities came from Facebook, zero. And why zero? Companies are not trying to recruit Gen Y on their turf! That is a huge hole left for someone to fill. Talented 20, 30, 40 somethings are on Facebook looking for something. Be it an architect to design their new headquarters or simply a place to work. The website shows so much promise that Microsoft purchased a stake of the company for $240 Million, making the site worth nearly $15 Billion.

Someone’s company can advertise on Facebook just like many other websites, by simply sponsoring a group and purchasing a link that sponsors advertising content. Now some may think, why advertise on a website aimed at 20 somethings for work? It’s not 20-something anymore, even my parents have their own pages and update them daily. Advertising to Generation Y and the iGeneration will create a brand name for your company in the future. Your company’s name will be etched into their minds long before they see the signs for the big flashy Super-Corporate firms of today. Facebook puts your company in the face of over 200 million users worldwide. Now who doesn’t want that kind of exposure?

Facebook lets offices create their own web pages and update their status daily, maybe by posting “Looking for a great BIM person! Send us your resumes!” Create your own group and let people become fans of your work. They can keep track of what you are doing without having to wait for you to update your website or be published in the next AIA Publication. Go ahead; list your company's industry, city, neighborhood and any other relevant information to let potential customers and business partners know where they can find you. If you have multiple offices make sure to include them all in the same place.

From staffing to brand building to just getting the job done, Facebook is a tool that no one can afford to be without. Familiarizing yourself with the site and having some fun can often create the right kind of collaborative environment that has made this social networking site the leviathan it is today. Creating a presence on Facebook can not only help make your work accessible but allows access for all the support and information that will help your practice grow, thrive, and be profitable. Business in today’s international market will still be done on the real world golf course, just remember to start playing on the new course called Facebook.

Jonathan holds a degree from Indiana University in Interior Design and a Masters of Architecture from Southern California Institute of Architecture.  He currently works for CADFORCE Inc. a division of Neilsoft as a BIM Project Manager.