Curious to know what different people do all day at their 9-5? We’re investigating job titles and diving deeper into day-to-day tasks to get the low-down on exactly what those roles really entail. Not sure how much to ask for your raise? Wondering what a VP in finance does in the afternoon? We’re uncovering the details behind jobs, along with the salaries and tasks that come with them, to help you figure out what you’re interested in. Below, read about how an architectural designer spends her day.
Age: 25
City: Bentonville, AR
Industry: Architecture
Job Title: Architectural Designer
Years of Experience: 2
Salary: $50k
What does your job title mean?
My title of “architectural designer” means that I am designing commercial building projects.
When do you wake up?
I wake up around 5:15am every morning to make it to my 6:00am Orangetheory workout class.
At 8am I am…
I get to the office around this time to start my day. I spend the first hour catching up on emails from clients and creating a list of “to-do’s” for the workday ahead.
At 11am I am…
Either meeting with a client on a design for a new or existing project or I am out on site working with contractors to monitor the construction progress of a current project.
What does lunch normally look like for you?
Every day around 12:30 I go home for lunch and enjoy a big salad or leftovers from dinner the night before, all while catching up on social media or watching a quick 30-minute show.
At 1pm I am…
Back in the office and beginning work on whatever was discussed in my client meeting from earlier in the day. That means laying out floor plans in a 3D modeling program or compiling material sample boards for new office spaces.
At 3pm I am… 
On a conference call talking progress on larger projects I’m working on in the office.
At 5pm I am… 
Wrapping up my day at the office and making sure everything is organized for tomorrow’s work day.
How does a workday end for you? What time do you normally leave work?
I leave work around 5:15 if I have completed all of the larger “to-do’s” of the day.
What do you do after work?
I’m usually very busy after work. Most days, I’m attending a local event, dinner with friends, or editing photos for my ‘millennial side hustle’ photography business.
What do you do before bed?
I get into bed around 10:30pm with a cup of hot peppermint tea and catch up on my favorite YouTube channel videos before lights out at 11:00pm.
Is there anything about your job you’d like people to know?
Most people think that architecture is all about math and drawing when, in reality, I don’t do much of either of those things. Most all of our work is done on the computer in a 3D modeling program or out on site visiting with contractors and clients.