“What’s a nice girl like you doing in a job like this?

At 16, I made my first career choice. It was 1984, and we were just about to discover what Band-Aid was and if Ethiopians knew it was Christmas time at all. Around the same time, Michael Fish famously told the country that there was no snow in the weather forecast!

I had pushed to be included in the technical drawing class at school. I did pretty well, and my TD teacher suggested that I pursue a career in something that uses technical drawing. (Thank you, Mr. Penfold) I was informed by the careers teacher that “All the architectural work experience jobs went to boys”, and I could go and work as an optician’s receptionist for the week.

My career choice was to work in architecture, not in an optician’s. I wrote 100 letters to local architectural practices asking for a junior office position. Yes, in those days there was no internet or email. Only one practice agreed to interview me. I still fondly remember my two years there and the knowledge I gained. I was accepted and trained. As an office junior, I learned how a practice worked and how to draw. I am really grateful to them for giving me the opportunity. Who knows, I might be an optician manager by now!

At the same time, I decided to attend the local college to study an ONC in Building (my O Levels not being strong enough to study A levels). I arrived for the interview with my father, and we were looking for the building department. My father asked the gardener, “Can you tell me which way to the building department for my daughter, please?” He replied “Hairdressing that way, and catering that way. " That really summed up the interview and the start of my vocational studies.

In the interview, it was established that I was too qualified for the YTS scheme (a bit like GCSEs), so they advised me to attend one day a week on the ONC in the Building. They reasoned that they had not had a female student on any building course at the college who had lasted longer than Christmas; I would not last long. I took up the challenge and proved them wrong, qualifying at the top of the class and receiving a prize for the best ONC in Building two years later. I was the first female ever to pass a building course at that college.

I was often mistaken for being in the wrong place at the wrong time though on that course and for years after…..

Attending building safety videos where the organizer kept trying to get me to leave. “If anybody thinks they might be in the wrong room, they can leave now. This is a building safety film. A carpenter fainted at the films yesterday so if you think you are in the wrong room but are too embarrassed to leave….you may leave when the lights go down.” Needless to say, he was shocked to see me still there when the lights came back on. I did smile!

Going on an organized college trip to the ‘Inter’build’ exhibition at the NEC. I  sat at the front of one of the coaches, all ready to go. A lecturer I hadn’t met was at the front of the room and asked if hairdressing was going on the trip. I know I made a sarcastic comment back about hairdressers - loving coming on building trips. Later, somebody from the back of the coach shouted, "One female student, 200 male students.” I did think that comment was funny.

Over the years, when enrolling in Building I courses, I was always asked, ‘Are you in the correct queue?’ This queue is for the building department. When registering for my degree in site management, I was asked if I was in the correct queue and if I was waiting for the HNC in Building course, to which I replied, “10 years ago”.

Looking back I can honestly say that I was tenacious and knew what I wanted….

The comment at the start of my blog was said to me at an interview once. Admittedly, it was the late 1980s, and things were slightly different then. The practice was based somewhere along the King's Road in London. The interview went well, all apart from that question ‘What's a girl like you doing in a job like this?’ I remember being defensive in my answer, but I don't know what I said. He asked me if I would be agreeable to a second interview, and I agreed. On the journey back home, I decided not to attend the second interview. From that day on, I made a pact with myself that I would not be so polite if someone asked me that question again; I would get up and leave. Thankfully, this behavior did not happen again in my career. I think the interviewer had reflected the practice’s culture and I am grateful not to have taken the job

Incidentally, I got a job once where the agency said the practice was offering me a position, but wanted to clarify something with me before making it official. I took the call, expecting them to tell me I had the job, but they said I would have to accept £5k off the salary the agency mentioned. I said no to this job, too.

This edition of my blog highlights my lived experience as a female design professional in architecture since the 1980s. Most of the views and comments made by others were made in less enlightened times.

If this resonates with you, then please feel free to comment or email me at nicola@Designmindcoaching.uk in confidence.

Disclaimer: Everything shared here is based on my own experiences, opinions, and research. I do my best to keep things accurate, but I can’t guarantee every page will be up to date or error-free.

Please don’t take anything as professional advice—always double-check and make your own decisions. I’m not responsible for any actions you take based on what you read here.