A never-ending sense of curiosity has driven KieranTimberlake's practice since the firm was founded in Philadelphia, 1984. Whether they are immersed in designing a new structure or engaging in discussion at a conference, the firm's partners and 100+ staff are naturally keen to perpetually asking questions, discovering solutions, and then asking even more questions. When it comes to hiring, what does KieranTimberlake seek most in a potential employee? What can candidates expect if they land an interview? Matthew Krissel, one of the firm's partners, took a moment with Archinect to share.

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

While we are currently looking for a range of people with diverse expertise, licensed architects with 5-7 years of experience are the most in-demand at the moment.

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

We are a highly collaborative firm, and our staff needs to be able to voice their ideas effectively and build on the work of others. We ask a lot of questions and are constantly trying new things, some of which are successful and some of which don’t always work out, so our team members need to be curious, patient, and optimistic when working with uncertainty.

We appreciate when candidates...can discuss how our work is related to their own study of design.

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

Potential candidates should be well versed on our projects, as well as our mission and our history. We appreciate when candidates not only know what is on our website and have read our published work, but have assimilated the content and can discuss how our work is related to their own study of design.

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

By the time a person is invited for an interview, his or her application has been reviewed and discussed by at least three people, so the candidate has generally shown that he or she is an effective graphic communicator. In these candidates work examples, we want to see that they can design and self-edit, but in their interviews, we look to see how they communicate their design process and their projects. If we ask critical questions about their work, can they have a productive conversation, or do they get defensive? In the conversation, we want to see if they have a positive attitude and the desire to learn new ways of thinking and making. And, of course, we want to see if candidates really enjoy the creative process and would be fun to work with.

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

The best thing about KieranTimberlake is our very open culture of sharing, which gives everyone access to our network of personalities, skills, and experiences. There is a real belief in the power of collective intelligence and the concept that good ideas can come from every part of the room. To foster this culture of participation, we also provide our staff with software and fabrication tools to explore ideas, and we hold them accountable in sharing their discoveries with others. Some people may find perpetual questioning, researching, and questioning again to be challenging, but the people who thrive here generally like to solve problems.

6. What are some immediate “red flags” for you in applications? What’s the most common mistake candidates make when applying to work with you?

We respond best to applications that communicate effectively, and a personal cover letter that reflect why a person wants to work for us is a definite plus. We are discouraged by crowded, poorly edited work samples and generic cover letters with our firm name pasted in and/or misspelled. Candidates should review our website, look at our books, and spend time helping us understand why they want to work with us.

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

Most people applying to work for us already know how to use Rhino, Revit, 3ds Max, and Adobe Creative Suite. While those programs are important to our work, the most important qualities in our hiring process are inquisitiveness, aptitude, creativity, and openness to learn new skills.

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

We want to give people the skills they need to succeed at our firm. Our Knowledge Acquisition group is devoted to identifying training needs and cultivating skills, and we also offer training sessions for Revit, 3ds Max, Grasshopper, custom developed tools, and CNC, wood, and metals fabrication. A lot of learning also happens through peer groups and within teams as our resourceful staff learn new skills based on the questions they are trying to answer.

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

We have paid interns every summer and additional interns throughout the year through academic externship and co-op programs.

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

Inquisitive
Driven
Caffeinated

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

We are committed not only to delivering innovative and environmentally ethical designs, but also to pursuing ideas that push the practice of architecture forward. Our working environment supports the belief that many disciplines need to come together to make significant progress. While our staff are organized into project teams, there are always opportunities to work on side projects and just as many venues for people to get involved in discussions about design and the practice of architecture.

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

In addition to our softball team and our Community Involvement group that works on pro-bono projects, the entire office gathers for office presentations with beer and snacks on the first Friday of every month.

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

Because we are not divided into sectors by project type or scale, there’s no real single area of the firm that is growing faster than another.

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

The quality of our work, the types of clients we work with, and our expectation that new hires become part of the “big picture” right away distinguishes us from other firms. We’d also say not many people are able to resist Philadelphia once they come here. It is such a vibrant, growing, and affordable city.

Interested in joining KieranTimberlake? 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.