Press Release: March 23, 2005

STRONG ECONOMY FUELS DEMAND FOR EXPERIENCED ARCHITECTS; PLACEMENT BY DESIGN EXPANDS TO MEET DEMAND

The U.S. Commerce Department recently reported greater economic growth for 2004 than originally forecast, with gross domestic product (GDP) growing 3.8% over 2003, compared to initial estimates of 3.1%. Much of the growth is attributed to increased spending by business on capital equipment and product inventory, up 17.5% in the third quarter and 18% in the fourth quarter over the same periods one year earlier. The U.S. economy is expected to continue to grow at roughly the same or better pace in the first quarter of 2005.

According to the McGraw-Hill Construction Outlook 2005, released on October 28 of last year, growth in the construction industry will mirror trends in the economy as a whole. Overall, the construction industry is expected to grow 2% in 2005, following strong growth rates of 5% in 2003 and 9% in 2004. While construction in some sectors, such as single-family housing and electric utilities are expected to decline (by 3% and 8% respectively), all other sectors are expected to see significant growth rates, including 9% for income properties, 7% for institutional buildings, and 14% for manufacturing buildings.

The growth is generating significant demand for architectural services, which in turn is fueling increased competition among architecture firms for the best talent. Demand is particularly high for architects with 10 or more years of experience in designing health care, biotech, high tech, and commercial or multi-use facilities. Many firms are seeking project architects and project managers with the skill to see complex projects through from conception to completion.

In order to help architecture firms find and hire the best talent to meet this growing, highly specialized demand, Placement By Design, Inc. (PBD), a recruiting firm headquartered in Dallas-Fort Worth, has recently opened a Baltimore-Washington office and added two experienced recruiters to its staff. Amy Rogers, a member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), joins the Dallas-Fort Worth offices. Michael Tardif, an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a lifetime honorary member of the Society for Design Administration (SDA), will manage the Baltimore-Washington office.

"Placement By Design is a specialty placement firm with unique insight into the staffing needs of architecture and engineering firms," according to Carole Steadham, PBD president. "We bring over 30 years of project and business management experience in design firms to our services. We recruit, interview and check references of all candidates as though we were hiring them ourselves, because we know from personal experience how important it is to find 'the right fit'-people who have the right combination of technical and interpersonal skills for each position, and an outlook and attitude that matches the firm's culture.

"While the Internet has radically transformed the search process for employers and candidates, it has also created a new problem: for many firms, Internet ads generate an overwhelming number of responses, many from unqualified candidates. "While we avail ourselves of all available media to conduct the widest possible search, the design professions remain a people-to-people business," notes Steadham. "We use our extensive network of personal, professional contacts across the country to match the right candidate with the right employer, saving firms an enormous amount of time and expense in their search efforts. We provide a personalized service that few recruiters can match."

ABOUT PLACEMENT BY DESIGN...
Placement By Design, Inc. was founded in 2001 by B. Carole Steadham, Hon. AIA, SDA/C, to offer customized recruiting and career placement services exclusively to architecture and engineering firms nationwide. PBD has offices in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and Bethesda, Maryland.

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