After reading this article about ageism in the UX industry, I started to think about our own industry.
I think the dynamic is similar. I don’t know much about UX, so architecture might be a little more technical, making inexperience within the profession a bigger detriment for those who are doing a late career change, but I agree with the general concept that older designers bring more to the table.
The primary advantage of a young gun is that they don’t have outside commitments, so they are free to bang out major hours for the firm.
I learned my waterproofing instincts by grinding through all the different window, door, and parapet details of Gable Tanglewood over an intense three week period. However, I was lucky — my firm paid overtime so I was getting both extra experience and additional money.
The young professional on salary is in a difficult position. They are giving up their free time for merely experience. It may still be a fair trade. An extra four hours a week means 10% more experience compounded on a weekly basis, which adds up real quick.
But you gotta make the calculation. Don’t get caught up in fulfilling someone else’s commitment. Every hour of overtime you work, is an opportunity cost of doing something else. You’re trading your life away, so you better get paid handsomely in experience, not merely a pat on the head from the boss who is getting the free labor.