Since the late Jon Jerde founded The Jerde Partnership in 1977, the practice has upheld his distinctive legacy in Placemaking, which reinvented the design of shopping malls and public entertainment hubs as we know them today. Their design roots are showcased in projects like the groundbreaking Horton Plaza in San Diego, the 1984 L.A. Olympics masterplan, Namba Parks in Osaka, and the more recent Santa Monica Place. Headquartered in Venice, California, JERDE has expanded into a multi-disciplinary studio with additional offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Seoul. Similarly, their portfolio now includes an array of residential complexes, offices, hotels and resorts, transit hubs, and more.

When it comes to interviewing potential new employees, Matthew Heller, a Jerde Vice President and the Director of Business Development, took a moment with Archinect to share what the firm expects from their most promising candidates.

1. What positions are most in-demand at your firm?

Highly creative/ experienced senior and/or principal level architectural designer; as well as experienced senior technical design staff and construction documentation staff.

2. What are the three most important qualities for any new hire to have at your firm?

1) Passion
2) Positive team player
3) Creativity

3. What information do you expect potential candidates to know about your firm's practice and work?

History of the firm and how it started; core philosophies and design approach; major projects and firm’s expertise within the commercial real estate industry; and how a potential candidate sees him/herself becoming an ambassador of the JERDE culture.

4. After reviewing their CV, what are you looking to learn about an applicant from an interview?

Specific skill set related to the practice/ industry; specific role on reference projects within his/her portfolio with complete honesty (i.e. junior, model maker, senior designer, etc. – all too often, candidates attempt to suggest their role was more significant than it actually was. Honesty is still the best policy. That relates to skill set as well); and creativity and level of work shown.

5. What do you say is the best thing about working for your firm? What is the most challenging thing?

Best: the people; it is truly all about the people. We have a diverse culture with over 20 nationalities represented, all collectively working together within our 1 main design studio to create great places. Challenging: complexities of projects – we are often designing highly dense, mixed-use districts (a ‘city within a city’), which are extremely complex in how they’re put together and work functionally. That, coupled with some instances of working with relatively new developer clients that may not have a lot of experience in building such projects.

6. What are some immediate “red flags” for you in applications?

When a candidate has been at a number of firms in a short amount of time; when it is fairly obvious a candidate’s role on a project was not what he/she is claiming to be; and if a candidate is not well spoken; and cannot passionately and clearly represent him/herself.

7. What’s the most common mistake candidates make when applying to work with you?

We have a dedicated @careers email under ‘Employment Opportunities’, yet a number of candidates send their CV to the Los Angeles HQ contact. Also, they send out ‘mass’ emails and make no attempt to indicate they have researched the firm and why they would be a good fit.

8. What kind of technical skills are absolutely essential for applicants?

Experience in ‘putting together’ complex mixed-use projects; highly proficient in CAD, Revit, etc., as related to work on mixed-use projects.

9. What kind of training do new hires undergo when they’re first starting?

New hire orientation to cover overall firm administrative policies and procedures; then assigned to a project team with a dedicated senior designer and project manager to train and mentor; including: briefing overview of firm CAD standards, design standards/ tools, project management protocol, network systems and project directory organization, review of project reference materials; and introduction to business development/ marketing team and available materials/ resources.

10. Do you have an internship program? If so, briefly describe.

Not typically

11. What are three words that your employees might use to describe your firm?

Creative, Fun, Diverse

12. When interviewing, how do you describe your company ethos? What part of your working environment do you promote with potential candidates?

We emphasize our ethos of ‘we’re together’ – stressing an environment of collaboration, multi-disciplinary teaming, and senior principals dedicated to being approachable and working hand in hand in their interactive studio to promote ideation.

13. What additional social activities do you do as an office?

We are a fun place. We have Friday ‘socials’ every month; vendor wine & cheese programs multiple times a month; as well as bi-monthly all staff social events – including bowling, birthdays, food trucks, etc.; and annual holiday party in December.

14. If a candidate had the choice between you and another firm, what argument would you use to win them over?

We are a fun, exciting boutique studio; not a large, corporate, boring firm. And we have the privilege of designing incredible places around the globe. We heavily promote key team members to travel with principals for projects in order to experience various cultures/ contexts, and the process of client collaboration.

15. Which areas of your firm are growing the fastest?

Mixed-use projects; and regions of China, Latin America, and SE Asia/ Australia.

16. How do you see your firm growing in the next five years?

We have a strategic business model to remain a highly creative boutique design studio with a single headquarter office; complemented by our regional directors and key management staff in Hong Kong and Shanghai). This allows us to maintain a co-creative hub that can deliver and execute our distinctive brand of placemaking anywhere. Our growth is related to working on major catalyst projects with like-minded visionaries. Of particularly interest, is securing more mixed-use work in Southern California and the western United States.

Interested in joining JERDE? Check out their Archinect profile to see if they have any current listings. To see more active listings from hundreds of firms, browse Archinect's Job Board.