David Katz of Katz Architecture:

1. How important is it for applicants to grasp/articulate the underlying philosophy of the firm in their cover letter?
   A cover letter that shows an understanding of our philosophy is moderately important. It’s always impressive to me that someone has taken the time to research our company so that they have an idea of what they’re getting into. It would make their resume stand out a little bit.
2. How important are references?
   They play an important role. I check references religiously. I try to check at least three references for any one candidate. It’s important that you get an understanding of the candidate from a variety of views. We take references very seriously, even if an interview goes swimmingly. We want to make sure we have a complete portrait of that person.
3. What software skills do you like applicants to have?
   The software skills we seek depend on the position. If we’re hiring a more senior person, we’re not looking for 3D rendering skills. If it’s a younger staff member, then the rendering skills would be more important. My philosophy is very much centered on mentoring staff. Whenever I bring someone in, they’re going to come in with a certain amount of knowledge. In this market it doesn’t always happen that they have a full suite of software skills and so they spend time in the office and are trained. I don’t expect someone to come in with all the knowledge. We may hire someone for one thing, and how they interact with people has an impact on the work they undertake, as well as the types of projects that come in. Whatever their strengths are will also have an impact on what software they use, and what work they undertake. There are somewhat minimum skills that we might hire for, but we’re very much focused on training people, especially those who are very interested in learning new things. People like to stay for a certain period of time. They learn what they want to learn, and then they move on if they’re not challenged, if they don’t see some kind of growth. It’s challenging to keep them happy, but I strive to do just that.
4. What should an applicant prepare for the in-person interview process?
   Specifically? I think they should present what they’re very comfortable with presenting. They should go into an interview and be honest: that’s to everyone’s benefit. Typically, when I interview people I want to know the work they’ve done. If they present me with information on how they’ve coordinated a big job but they don’t know who the engineer was and what a particular consultant did, it’s a little troubling to me. It’s something that gives me pause. If there’s any advice, it’s that they have a strong understanding of the work that they’re presenting. If they don’t know something, it’s important that they say they don’t know something. Ultimately, the fit will be right if there’s some kind of connection.

Randall Fielding of Fielding Nair International:

1. How important is it for applicants to grasp/articulate the underlying philosophy of the firm in their cover letter?
   It’s important. If someone has a terrible cover letter, we’ll sometimes overlook it if they have an excellent portfolio, or if they’re applying from outside the U.S. and English is their second language. It also depends on the position for which they’re applying. If they have a strong portfolio but their writing is brief or weak, they’re probably not going to be suitable as a project manager, for example. However, we don’t make unilateral decisions, and we don’t assume that the cover letter is indicative. For people outside the U.S., we’ll do a video conference with the applicant. If they’re not a good communicator, then it’s a deal-breaker.
2. How much work should an applicant include in their portfolio? Should that work be tailored to the specific types of projects the firm undertakes, or is it important to see a broad range of what the applicant can do?
   Neither are important. We’re looking for evidence of creativity and skill. If someone has done terrific look in office buildings and residences we don’t require in school design, we’re happy. We find that if they are experts in school design, they have to be deprogrammed.
3. What should an applicant prepare for the in-person interview process?
   I give them a clue. I give them 3 to 5 questions and I say, “Please think about a project from your portfolio that you would like to discuss and tell me what it is. Then identify a project that would you develop further.” I want to hear them talk about what they’ve learned and about their design philosophy. I then encourage them to identify a project from our website that they find interesting, and then the second part of that question is: what aspects of that project are interesting? The third question is: What are they most excited about learning? What skills and in what areas do they want to grow?
4. What software skills do you like applicants to have?
   We’re primarily a REVIT firm.
5. How important are references?
   References are important to me. As much as it is a filter, it also gives me a clue on how to mentor people. Even the best candidates always have areas where they need to grow. I will ask references to tell me about their strengths and the areas in which they need to grow and they’re almost always right. When we look back at their performance five years after they were hired, those areas that are coming or there still may be some problems. That’s part of getting to know people: not everyone is good at everything. The sooner you understand that, the better.
6. What are the most common mistakes potential employees make on their applications?
   Not doing any research on our firm.
7. Can you offer any other helpful information?
   The best applicants are passionate and personal, and demonstrate a specific knowledge and interest. It always gets my attention if someone has done some research and are able to connect their philosophy with ours. Also, depending at which office their strengths would work best, we ask: are you open to moving to Minneapolis or Rhode Island or Tampa? Anyone applying to the Minneapolis office should want to move there. I don’t think you can separate the professional from the personal.

J. Bruce Camino of Development One Inc:

1. How important is it for applicants to grasp/articulate the underlying philosophy of the firm in their cover letter/application materials?
   The cover letter is extremely important and candidates today do not understand how important it is! We get these awful cover letters. They’re chock full of spelling mistakes. They’re boilerplate letters, letters that were used for previous applications where the applicant forgot to change the address, etc. As small as two to five percent of the candidates understand the importance of understanding the firm’s philosophy. It’s embarrassing. And I’m talking across the board here, not just Archinect’s applicants: LinkedIn, the AIA, Craigslist, everybody. It’s really depressing to see how very few people understand the importance of the cover letter. In a cover letter, we’re trying to understand who the person is, and each person is unique. What we are trying to do is get the right fit. I can do a lot more with character than with a humongous skill set, but good employee character is hard to find. The cover letter is our only chance to get to know who the person is: then we stop reading.
2. What software skills do you wish applicants to have?
   We like to have the basics, like AutoCAD. We push for REVIT. It would be nice for the applicant to have some experience with that. However, that experience can be developed. The candidate needs to show willingness, and take it upon themselves to educate themselves. We’re going to give them the basics, but we want to see the initiative that they to want to grow.
3. How important is your website, and the applicant's knowledge of your website, to the interview process?
   It’s very important for a candidate to do their homework before they send in their application. Our website is very clear about what our market is. The candidate would take a look at our website and would be able to see what market it is that we specialize in.
4. Can you offer any other helpful information?
   We have standards in-house that are specific to the way we do work. They will learn how to do the work that we do. It is all very similar from firm to firm: it’s all about the execution.

Sandro Marpillero of Marpillero Pollak Architects: A senior project manager doesn’t necessarily need the skills of an intern, who should know RHINO. It’s a generational thing.

1. How important is it for applicants to grasp/articulate the underlying philosophy of the firm in their cover letter/application materials?
   A cover letter that articulates our philosophy is flattering. It’s important. It means they’ve Googled.
2. What software skills do you wish applicants to have?
   We don’t offer “on the job” training. We allow for learning curves, but we don’t have the size to have in-house training. It’s good for them to know what they know, especially the presentation aspect of software and how to create beautiful renderings. It also depends on the position. A senior project manager doesn’t necessarily need the skills of an intern, who should know RHINO. It’s a generational thing.
3. How important are references?
   We always call the references after the interview.
4. How important is your website, and the applicant's knowledge of your website, to the interview process?
   By the time they come to the interview, they must have looked at it.
5. What are the most common mistakes potential employees make on their applications?
   Typos. That matters, because communication matters. Frankly, to a certain degree, layout and graphics of the submittal matter, in the portfolio zone. And the city and experience zone. Also, inadequate experience. If people were to apply for a position that is solid and long-term, if they’ve moved around too frequently, their jumpiness is a negative factor.

Alison Doyle of Ankrom Moisan Architects: If someone seems like they’re going to be a good fit, regardless if they have the right experience, we usually still bring them in.

1. How important is it for applicants to grasp/articulate the underlying philosophy of the firm in their cover letter/application materials?
   I’ve noticed that many people who have applied have put a lot of time into their portfolio. I can tell when they’re re-using the same cover letter over and over, and that’s fine. I mean, I’ve looked for jobs too, I know how tedious it is to really change it each time you send out a resume. Some people do change it and do the research on our firm. We love that when someone’s applying and is calling out a particular building we worked on. We have a list of criteria of what we’d like the candidate to have for the particular role we’re hiring for, but we’re pretty open minded. If someone seems like they’re going to be a good fit, regardless if they have the right experience, we usually still bring them in.
2. How important are references?
   If we’re hiring for a very senior role, of course we’ll check references. We don’t typically check references for interns and people who have just started the design process. What we’re mostly looking for is studio cultural fit, their portfolio, and how well we think they’ll do here and what they want to do.
3. What software skills do you wish applicants to have?
   We generally would love people to know REVIT. However, we have hired a few people who, despite them not knowing REVIT or having used it before, showed promise. We believe that with the right person, with the right training, in the end it will be beneficial to everyone. Ideally yes, candidates would be familiar with REVIT, but we’ve hired people who don’t have that knowledge.
4. Can you offer any other helpful information?
   This is a very entrepreneurial firm. Everyone’s encouraged to go out and, if they want to start working in a particular market we’ve never worked in before, we’re very encouraging of making that happen. We don’t want to make employees feel like there’s roadblocks or they have to go to a committee to make sure they can talk to a particular client. Our culture is very “do it on your own” and that spirit will be embraced.

Benjamin Anderson and Christian Robert of R&A Architecture + Design Inc.: If the interview process is about trying to get a second date, you want to make sure you match the position you’re applying for.

1. How important is it to you that an applicant understands the underlying philosophy in their cover letter?
   Christian: The cover letter for us is kind of like: if you can’t put together a normal, decent cover letter, it’s kind of a basic, right? It’s something we look to, but often times we look more for the personal interview and the work the person has done. But we have an HR person who works with us who screens all applicants. And she’ll tell us, “This person has done a lot of research on you ahead of time.” So that is always a plus when we see that people have really looked at our work.
   Benjamin: We try not to read too far into it, but you can find in a cover letter whether or not someone is the right fit for the kind of company we were six months ago, who we are today, and who we hope to be in six months. We’re very much a start-up. I think what we’re looking for is: is this person on board with a little bit of risk? Less risk than the average start-up, because of the type of work that we do. We’re really entrepreneurial, so we’re curious to know: are they a good match? You can find some of that in a good cover letter, but obviously some of that you can’t, because it’s so personal.
2. What are the most common mistakes potential employees make on their applications?
   C: In two words, poor presentation. You look at six or seven sheets of a portfolio, you can tell if a person has an eye, if that person has aesthetic know-how.
   B: If you’re interviewing for a designer, technical expertise and mastery is important but sometimes that gets misrepresented. They over-represent the technical side of things within the narrow space of an application or short portfolio you can email, and their work is less about process. If I’m looking for someone to lead or join a design team, I really want to know what their process is like. In later conversations they can prove to me that they have the technical mastery I’m looking for. And for technical people, it’s the same. Sometimes technical people want to say, “Hey, you know, I’m not just a technician.” If the interview process is about trying to get a second date, you want to make sure you match the position you’re applying for.
3. What software skills do you wish applicants to have?
   B: REVIT. At Gensler, I birthed the computational design group. As the technology advanced, it was a parametric research arm of the firm. At Gensler, you can’t just do one thing. It’s great if you’re a whiz at Rhino, but the realities of a larger firm are that you have to be nimble on your feet. We look for multiple programs or the ability to rapidly learn. REVIT is the documentation backbone of larger firm likes Gensler. In our case, we have a competitive advantage because we’re smaller. Not every architectural firm at our size is using REVIT, but we do.
   C: There’s no way you come out of school having a full-on REVIT experience. However, just by putting in the time and playing with it, you can become a master.

Charles Anderson of werk:

1. How important is it for applicants to grasp/articulate the underlying philosophy of the firm in their cover letter/application materials?
   This is common in many of the cover letters we receive, and much of that looks like it was lifted from our own website. This is still better than a “form’ cover letter, although a little creativity and honesty can also break the ice.
2. How much work should an applicant include in their portfolio? Should that work be tailored to the specific types of projects the firm undertakes, or is it important to see a broad range of what the applicant can do?
   For us it’s the quality of what’s shown that is most likely to impress, unless we are looking for specific technical skills or expertise. A lot can be said for a very beautiful presentation, especially of a school project that shows individual accomplishment. Having worked on a well known project is an additional bonus, as well as showing work from a well respected firm.
3. How should an applicant prepare for the in-person interview process?
   It’s important to know something about the office and their projects. It is essential that the candidate come prepared or much of their time will be used explaining our work! Be on time and try to be calm. If not, be very very funny!
4. How important are references?
   That really depends on the position. Every candidate should have at least two, but for an advanced position, three is the minimum. We may or may not contact anyone unless we need reassurance but unlike baseball, if the first one is a strike, you are most likely out.
5. How important is your website, and the applicant's knowledge of your website, to the interview process?
   We believe this is the very first place to see what is most current with our practice. Other articles and things about us can be outdated and even awkward when brought up.
6. What are the most common mistakes potential employees make on their applications?
   Saying something that is not true about our office or our work, even mentioning a former employee is risky. Writing too much. Our time is important so writing concisely and clearly with good work examples will be received most highly.
7. Can you offer any other helpful information?
   If you want to work for someone or with a peculiar firm be persistent. Just because you have not been offered anything yet it’s often just the timing. Send an update with a refresher of your interest. Unless someone tells you not to contact them anymore, your persistence will often pay off. We will at least learn your name!

Peter Mitsakos of West Edge Architects:

1. How important is it for applicants to grasp/articulate the underlying philosophy of the firm in their cover letter/application materials? 
   I think an awareness of how we approach the work and our values, and to feel a compatibility with their own values, is important. 
2. What software skills do you wish applicants to have?
   We use Rhino, and younger employees need to have a very good capability with it. I have found that most have a grasp of several modeling programs. We will ultimately be using REVIT in the future but it hasn’t happened yet. The ability to transition to it is important.
3. How much work should an applicant include in their portfolio? Should that work be tailored to the specific types of projects the firm undertakes, or is it important to see a broad range of what the applicant can do? 
   I don’t need to see a history of their entire architectural development. I need to see a few projects that show the range of their capabilities. How they talk about the work is very important. Spectacular graphics are not enough without the ability to describe goals and means of achieving them for the project.
4. How should an applicant prepare for the in-person interview process?
   They should be able to speak about the work they select to show. They should be on time. 
5. How important are references?
   References from earlier work experience are helpful. 
6. How important is your website, and the applicant's knowledge of your website, to the interview process?
   They should look at our website so they know a little about us.
7. What are the most common mistakes potential employees make on their applications?
   Expecting their work to speak for itself. Expecting to be primarily responsible for work in the office when they have little or no experience. Over confidence or cockiness is negatively impressive. 
8. Can you offer any other helpful information?
   I do not expect recent graduates to know how to make a building. I do expect them to have excellent graphic and computer skills; be able to identify a goal or a problem to solve, generate several alternatives to meet that goal or solve the problem, and then evaluate them logically so they can make a recommendation. The ability to use reference sources is also important. I also expect them to listen attentively to what I say and prioritize what I ask them to do and to give back at least as much as I ask for. 

Nancy Keatinge and Stanley Felderman of Felderman Keatinge + Associates:

1. How important is it for applicants to grasp/articulate the underlying philosophy of the firm in their cover letter?
   Nancy: It’s more important that they are able to articulate their own strengths, vision and passion so that we can get a better understanding of who they are and how they might fit into our own organization and fit into our own evolving structure.    
2. What software skills do you like applicants to have?
   CAD, Sketchup, Photoshop, and InDesign.
3. How much work should an applicant include in their portfolio? Should that work be tailored to the specific types of projects the firm undertakes, or is it important to see a broad range of what the applicant can do?
   Stanley: It’s important to see a broad range of what they can do, but it also is important to show their best work. They need to be able to learn to edit their work.   
4. What should an applicant prepare for the in-person interview process?
   N: Their communication skills. They should learn to be a good listener, learn to ask questions and try to understand what the firm is looking for. Much like we do a pitch to a new client, we try to understand who they are so we can gear it towards them.  
5. How important are references?
   S: References are key to understanding an employee’s assets, how they work as part of a team, and understanding their strengths and weaknesses.
6. How important is your website, and the applicant’s knowledge of your website, to the interview process?
   N: It is very important for a potential employee to be knowledgeable of the firm they are applying to, just as we would never go to an interview for a new job without doing research on that company.
7. What are the most common mistakes potential employees make on their applications?
   S: The dates for length of employment. If a potential employee has worked several places a year or less we begin to wonder why and what is it about them that is making them move from job to job.
8. Can you offer any other helpful information?
   N: If your goal is to grow and have design influence it is important to find a firm that nurtures that and where you can grow. Don’t just look at the immediate financial benefits. This is a journey, not a race, and your early job choices become the foundation for the rest of your career. If your focus is on growing, dedication and hard work, then success and finance follow. 

Alex Anamos of Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects: 

1. How important is it for applicants to grasp/articulate the underlying philosophy of the firm in their cover letter?
   Grasping and articulating our philosophy in the cover letter is very important. We’re very selective. Regardless of the position, our first interview questions tend to be: How did you find us? How familiar are you with our work? “Well, I looked at your website yesterday” goes under Wrong Answer. The candidate’s portfolio, cover letter and personal presentation better be absolutely stellar. We like to hire people who are very passionate about architecture.
2. What should an applicant prepare for the in-person interview process?
   Applicants should prepare by demonstrating their Intelligence and an interest in what’s going on. We like people who are passionate. One way to prepare is to really have your personal message well laid out, and your knowledge of each of the projects well articulated. You’d be surprised how many times someone comes in and they’ve shown us a project and we say, “Tell us the process about the site organization” or “Was the program given to you by the client?” More times than not there’s a fumbling and a lack of knowledge of the project. If you just did the renderings, that’s okay too, but present your role and contribution the project clearly. Be articulate and thoughtful about all the work you’re showing and be clear about what it is you, the applicant, are looking for.
3. What are the most common mistakes potential employees make on their applications?
   The most obvious mistakes are a standardized letter where they don’t include the name of the firm. The cover letters and text don’t need to be so long if people can be succinct and express what aspect of the firm they’re most interested in. Really long applications and also applications that are repetitive bely all lack of clarity and/or is evidence of a standardized letter. The other big mistake is: make sure the graphics and visual presentation is really strong. This may be interpreted as superficial, but in a graphically-oriented profession, the thoughtfulness and passion of presentation permeates every aspect of the applicant’s work, whether it’s in the design of the cover letter or the renderings itself. The value system is there in every fiber. That’s what we’re looking for.
4. Can you offer any other helpful information?
   I’ve been impressed by the tenacity of some applicants. Sometimes you can come off as very indignant: “I submitted a resume to you two weeks ago, and I have not heard back, and I will give you until Friday.” That’s not a way to get your foot in the door. But there were some people who inquired a little more than others might in a more respectful manner. You know: “I’m doing this because I’m really really excited about this opportunity.” Expressing a desire to be part of the team and enthusiasm for the firm’s work gets you more attention. It makes me think “this person really wants to be here.” Sometimes there are borderline applicants where the portfolio may not be as strong, but because of their genuine desire to come talk to us and show us their work, they got their foot in the door and they’ve turned out great.