In over 30 years of practice I have had the opportunity to interview nearly 500 architectural interns and hire more than 100. I have learned that there is much more to a long term successful fit between intern and firm besides good academic credentials, a great portfolio and good references. Why did most interns stay 2-3 years with the firm and then move on?

So What.
Some say this is just a part of the internship process, that interns need to experience different firms, project types and work environments. However, it was still upsetting to lose interns that had learned practical design, technical and management skills, our way of working, and were part of our team. I began to consider that it may be the firm's size/work style, and project types/size that caused our interns to move on. These parameters became interview discussion points. Many intern candidates had little idea these elements would play a role in their future. Most confided that life after the academy was a bit intimidating, and were just looking for a place to fit in and earn some money, not make a life-long career decision. I was able to discern those interns that would prosper in a big firm atmosphere and discourage those who were otherwise qualified but probably would not. This reduced intern turnover, but not significantly. Also, I observed that our work force (reflecting those who sought employment) was not diverse, perhaps we were 99% white male. Is it possible the firm's project profile and work culture discouraged a diverse workforce? Exit interviews of departing interns often cited long work hours, pressure of deadlines and lack of task/project variety as reasons for leaving.

So What?
Maybe it was the firm's (and not just this firm) culture that promulgated the turnover and the lack of diversity. Could there be a correlation between firm culture and turnover, or firm culture and diversity? In fact this was a phenomena of our industry, more so in larger firms than smaller. How about a new approach to the firm - one that considers working smart, working less and having more fun. Translated this meant: careful focus on desirable project types, establishing a strict 40 hour workweek accepting/scheduling projects accordingly to discourage overtime, seek staff willing to work smarter rather than longer and who were capable of being weaned of bad habits, recognize all prospective staff would not understand this work culture, be willing to turn down work that did not fit our project focus, staff capacity or schedule, give up short term gain for long term reward, treat each staff member as an individual recognizing his/her professional capabilities, personal/family needs, etc., and operate as a "family friendly" firm.

So What!
It was not possible to accomplish this within the existing firm (500 employees, 5 offices) so open parachute and jump… start a new firm. How do you attract talented experienced staff and interns to such an enterprise? Experienced staff that placed a greater (or at least equal) value on their free time as they did financial considerations gravitated to our firm. Interns especially women and minorities continue to seek positions in our firm. Regarding interns our highest criteria are the ability to think and to be a self-starter, have very good to excellent credentials, and be willing to recreate their work style (no more all-nighters, work smart). This has been an incredible journey. Over the past 16 years we have carefully grown to just under 20 talented dedicated staff. We found that this firm culture, one that places the highest value on time, fostered an atmosphere that attracted women and minorities. Our firm demographics have consistently numbered 50% women and approximately 20% minorities. The diversity of our staff directly impacts our decision process, the richness of our projects and our client relationships. Turnover is virtually non-existent.