Skill Points?

[TaylaJay]

Do you get skill points for doing things like the architecural things? And the other new tasks? I don't quite understand Ambitions yet!

[Sidheed]

You get Art skill points for doing the research new architectual designs/new fashion ideas

[TaylaJay]

My sim has been doing loads of sketches for the architecural one and hasn't got any skill points.

[Srikandi]

Stylist, unlike the other professions, actually has a hidden Styling skill associated with it. I don't know exactly what exercises that one, but it certainly includes jobs completed and possibly also "research fashion". Having a higher styling skill makes your jobs more likely to be well-received by the client.

For the other professions, you don't get skill points for doing jobs. Instead, doing any of the things listed as "responsibilities" for your career gives you profession points. This includes jobs and in some cases also skilling.

As for the drafting table, whichever of the three interactions you perform on it, it functions exactly like an easel -- you exercise your painting skill. You should be able to see the meter filling above your sim's head as s/he works at it. If your Sim isn't progressing in Painting using the table, you have a bug.

[TaylaJay]

Ah so it's the painting skill. I've already mastered that one! How do you do architectural jobs, then?

[Srikandi]

Ah, lol, that would explain why you weren't gaining points ;)

Are you asking how to get architect jobs, or how to get good reviews for them? For the latter, there's a lot of discussion here: http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=405182

As for how to get the jobs, once you're in the career, during your working hours (you can see those on your career tab), you should get phone calls now and then asking you to do a job. Even when there aren't phone calls, there may be tags for jobs you can take in map view. Try zooming out to map view and looking for big round yellow tags with flames around em.

When you pick a job, you can "start immediately" or you can visit the lot first, in which case you can chat up the client (if they happen to be home :p ). You get better scores if you get to know some of their traits, and put in things that they like based on their traits (bookshelves for bookworms, desks for workaholics and so on).

Then you can click on the lot and choose "begin renovation", and you and the client will leave the lot and you'll be put in build/buy mode. You'll see a list that shows your budget and the exact things the client wants in the renovation. You can do it anywhere you want on the lot.

There are a lot of factors that come into how well your renovation is received -- the link I gave above will tell you about some of em.