Since their founding in 2003, Fogarty Finger Architecture in New York City has grown drastically in the past few years. Their portfolio comprises of both architectural and interior designs for various commercial and residential projects, which are all imbued with the firm's signature sleek aesthetics. These days, the firm is taking on new types of projects and working to expand their client base, says founding partner Chris Fogarty.

They're also on the lookout for fresh talent to join their team, which currently has almost 70 employees. What does Fogarty Finger look for in their most outstanding job candidates? Chris Fogarty took a moment with Archinect to share.

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

We like junior architects with 2-3 years of experience and design-oriented senior associates and who are eager to learn more about construction administration and management.

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

A potential candidate should know that we do both architectural and interior design work, and that we are pretty evenly split between the two.

3. After deciding to meet with a candidate, what are you looking to learn about the applicant from the interview?

I like to see that a person possesses the ability to be self-motivated and driven. I particularly look at the work done by that person while they were in school, as that will most clearly show the level of quality they are capable of all on their own.

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

We push our staff to produce the most beautiful work possible, which is highly challenging, but also incredibly rewarding when you get to see the end result of all that sweat.

5. What are some “red flags” that make you reject an application instantly?

When a candidate hasn’t thought about the portfolio they are presenting in an interview, that is an immediate red flag. Disorganized or poorly laid-out portfolios, to me, point to the work habits that person would bring to the firm.

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

AutoCad is absolutely essential, but other programs are increasing in importance within our firm. We use Revit on a few projects and Sketchup as well, though there is some flexibility to learn as you go with the latter.

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

There’s an onboarding process on the first day where we go through office basics (e-mail, general policies, etc.) and set a person up with their work station. Each new staff member is given a mentor in a senior position who helps them get acclimated to the projects they are working on, and position them next to each other so it’s easy to ask questions as they arise. An open office is conducive to this, so it’s a very collaborative work environment with support all around.

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

We usually have a few interns each summer, which we draw from jobs fairs at different schools. It’s a very hands-on experience and interns will work on projects at all levels of completion.

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

I would say we have a friendly, happy work environment with a diverse group of people in a great location in downtown NYC. Compared to other firms, we’re not big on being “task-masters” and you can have a good work-life balance here. Four weeks vacation is also a great draw.

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

Staff presentations once a month with pizza and beer are a good social activity that lets people see what others are working on. There’s so many projects going on at once it’s nice to see the hard work your colleagues are doing. One of our associates has created a women’s leadership luncheon that happens once a week for all the female staff. And then there’s a number of office parties and happy hour activities throughout the year that happen quite frequently.

11.  How do you keep employees inspired?

Putting your staff on quality projects that they feel passionately about is one of the best ways. We spend a lot of time considering what it is that people want to work on, and try to accommodate this as we can by moving people around to different projects.

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

It would depend on the firm. If it was a big firm, I would say that you’ll become just another cog in the wheel, whereas here you can grow to manage your own projects and really take command. If it was a small firm, I would say that you won’t be exposed to the complexities of construction administration and the challenges that come with that, which will help you immensely throughout your career.

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

We are seeing growth in all our sectors as we continue to expand our client base and move into new types of projects.

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

It might not be five years, but I’d like to see us double in size, if Robert and I can survive that. 

Interested in joining Fogarty Finger? 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.