Archinect - Features

Your Architecture Work Sample Isn’t Your Portfolio. 10 Creative Tips To Keep in Mind When Job Searching

2024-09-12T12:20:00-04:00

In many cases, your work sample is the first visual evidence you will offer a prospective employer when applying for a new architectural position. What you include in your sample, as well as how you structure and present it, is therefore important for creating a good first impression and increasing your chances of progressing through to an interview and job offer.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to work samples, just as there is no one-size-fits-all approach to design. Your own work sample will be influenced not only by your preferences and tastes but also by the medium through which you are presenting it, the type of firm you are applying to, and the stage of your career.

The following set of ten tips on creating your work sample is, therefore, not a rigid prescription but answers to common queries we hear on the topic, suggestions based on the experience of our team and community, and questions to ask yourself as you assemble your own work sample to aid your next job searc...

How to Effectively Introduce Your Architecture Firm in Under 2 Minutes

2024-09-11T08:13:00-04:00

Recently, we explained how to create an elevator pitch for your architecture portfolio when searching for your next role as a job seeker. As we noted, the ability to capture a body of work as rich, complex, and varied as an architecture portfolio in a timely, clear, and succinct manner requires planning and preparation.

The same holds true when introducing your architecture firm. In addition to hosting their own portfolio of work, firms possess their own ethos, characters, specialties, and value propositions to clients, collaborators, and beyond. For architects representing their firm, there is, therefore, merit in developing an elevator pitch that is brief, persuasive, and capable of sparking outside interest in what a firm stands for and what it can do for others.

With that in mind, we have assembled below a series of tips to help you design and deliver a brief elevator pitch to introduce your architecture firm.

Do you have further advice for succinctly pitching your firm to new a...

How To Create an Elevator Pitch for Your Architecture Portfolio When Job Searching

2024-08-07T11:49:00-04:00

Your architecture portfolio is one of your most powerful tools when searching for a new career opportunity. Whether describing your work at a networking event or presenting your previous projects in an interview setting, the ability to clearly and succinctly pitch your portfolio has the potential to evoke intrigue and excitement in the listener and influence the lens through which your prospective employer will read your wider work. However, the ability to capture a body of work as rich, complex, and varied as an architecture portfolio requires deliberate planning and preparation.

With that in mind, we have assembled below a series of tips to help you design and deliver a brief elevator pitch to introduce your architecture portfolio during a job search.

Do you have advice for pitching your portfolio while searching for your next role? Let us know in the comments.

How To Reduce the Stress of an Architecture Job Search

2024-07-12T08:58:00-04:00

At some point in their careers, most, if not all, individuals in the architecture profession find themselves looking for new employment. This can include graduates looking for their first job out of architecture school, experienced designers and architects moving from one firm to the next, whether through layoffs or wanting a fresh start, and individuals seeking to enter the profession from an adjacent field.

Searching for a new job can be a source of excitement through the promise of a new chapter in life, but it can also be a time of uncertainty, anxiety, and disappointment. To help you navigate this emotional rollercoaster, we present below ten non-exhaustive tips to employ when seeking new employment.

Do you have advice for managing emotions during a job search beyond those set out below? Let us know in the comments.

Just Finished Architecture School? Here's Some Advice

2024-06-07T13:02:00-04:00

As the 2023/2024 academic year draws to a close, architecture graduates across the United States are preparing for the next stage in their design career, be it through employment, further education, journeys into adjacent fields, and beyond. If you are one of the many graduates embarking on this next chapter, we offer you not only our congratulations, but also a non-exhaustive collection of thoughts and advice to support your journey.

Do you have advice for recent architecture graduates beyond those set out below? Let us know in the comments.

Archinect's Tips for Recent Graduates Navigating Architectural Employment

2023-06-26T11:49:00-04:00

In 2023, navigating the job market for recent graduates can be daunting. Discussions surrounding portfolio advice, crafting an effective resume, and if one should follow their "dream job or a dream school" have been ongoing topics on Archinect and our forum. Within the last few years, expanded discussions over work conditions, ethical labor, and internship opportunities for graduates across our editorial have also been widely discussed. More recently, discussions of fair wages and unionization have propelled the launch of salary transparencies across several U.S. states and parts of the U.K.

For students who have recently graduated and preparing to enter the workforce this summer, Archinect aims to provide as many tips and resources for those preparing to step into professional practice.

How to Get a Job at Snøhetta

2022-03-24T15:13:00-04:00

Founded in 1989 as a collaborative workshop following the competition-winning entry for the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt, Snøhetta has continuously grown into a global powerhouse with high-profile commissions in its portfolio such as the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo, the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion in New York, the Le Monde Group Headquarters in Paris, the SFMOMA Expansion in San Francisco, or the viral underwater restaurant "Under" in Southern Norway.

Today, the firm employs nearly 300 team members with backgrounds in a variety of disciplines operating from offices in Oslo, New York, San Francisco, Paris, Innsbruck, Hong Kong, and Adelaide.

For Archinect's latest episode of the "How To Get A Job At ____" series, we interviewed members of the Snøhetta leadership team to learn more about their hiring process. Craig Dykers (Founding Partner; Architect), Elaine Molinar (Partner; Managing Director - The Americas), and Matthew McMahon (Director;...

2020 Architecture Graduates Share Their Thoughts on the Current Job Market

2020-07-21T08:53:00-04:00

There's no denying the events that have taken place in 2020 have shaken the globe socially and economically. From a pandemic to social unrest, not to mention unruly government leadership, it's easy to turn on the fate of the architecture industry. With several architecture students who have recently experienced their first "virtual commencements," they now enter somewhat uncharted territory as they embark on their careers.

In a continued effort to provide a voice for students and emerging professionals, Archinect connected with recently graduated students from six schools to learn about their concerns and perspectives as they begin to navigate professional practice and explore the job market.

The Secret Nature of The Job Interview

2019-04-17T13:52:00-04:00

The job interview. Often one of the most daunting things for a young professional. The onslaught of scenarios one imagines can start to overwhelm: “What will I say?” “How should I act?” “I don’t know what to expect.” It’s a common case of the jitters, the collywobbles, the jim-jams. But really at the root of all of this is a fear of the unknown. And it is indeed a justifiable fear. So how do we solve it? How do we overcome this apprehension so that we might approach an interview with poise instead of panic? The antidote is simple but also multifaceted.

Introducing Archinect Jobs Visualizer; Browse the Best Architecture Job Board in a New, More Visual Format

2019-02-26T18:55:00-05:00

We're excited to officially announce the launch of Archinect Jobs Visualizer, a new website that presents new job opportunities by putting the work of the employers at the forefront.

Soapbox: Job Interviews

2018-05-02T09:00:00-04:00

Soapbox is a weekly series delivering a curated set of lectures, talks and symposia concerning contemporary themes but explored through the archives of lectures past and present. With the plethora of lectures, talks, symposia and panels occurring world wide on a daily basis, how can we begin to keep up and if not, find them once they are gone? Soapbox looks to assemble a selection of recent, archived and outlier lectures surrounding a given theme. Soapbox looks to curate this never-ending library of ideas into an engaging and diverse list of thoughts and provocations. Soapbox is just that, a collection aimed at discovering the occasional needle in a haystack.

Want to join the LMN Architects community? Partner Stephen Van Dyck shares tips on what potential candidates should know

2018-04-19T12:01:00-04:00

For Seattle-based LMN Architects, community is at the heart of everything they do — from their diverse portfolio of civic-centric projects to the ongoing design research of their in-house Tech Studio.

LMN Architects also instills collaboration and multi-disciplinary thinking into their office culture. “LMN operates as a single studio in a single office, meaning that our staff have the opportunity to work across multiple project typologies and gain experience from a variety of leaders in the office,” LMN Partner Stephen Van Dyck says. So what else can a new LMN employee expect on the job? In Archinect's latest “How To Get A Job At ___”, Stephen Van Dyck got in touch to share some tips for applying to the practice.

Neil M. Denari Architects shares the one question that stumps candidates in job interviews. Here's how to prepare.

2018-02-13T12:00:00-05:00

Since 1988, LA-based Neil M. Denari Architects has fused the realms of architecture, design, urbanism, and technology into all of their projects. As NMDA’s reach extends far beyond Los Angeles, their growth demands an increase in hiring — and that includes recruiting the right people for their firm.

So what does NMDA look for in their most promising job candidates? How can candidates prepare if they land an interview? In Archinect's latest “How To Get A Job At ____”, we got in touch with Senior Project Manager Lillian Zeinalzadegan and Office Manager Matthew Millikin, who shared the do's and don'ts of applying to the practice.

“All experience will have some form of relevance”: How to get a job at Rafael Viñoly Architects

2017-10-17T09:30:00-04:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical and there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How To Get A Job At ____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

Want to land a job at Eskew+Dumez+Ripple? Get to know them first.

2017-09-08T12:15:00-04:00

“Treat your CV like a design problem to be solved”: How to get a job at Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects

2017-08-09T12:22:00-04:00

Announcing the winners of Archinect UK Portfolio Competition 2017!

2017-07-27T04:09:00-04:00

Earlier this year, we launched the UK portfolio competition to celebrate and expose the wealth of fantastic work already up on Archinect as well as to encourage individuals not registered to upload and share their work with our global online community.

How to get a job at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, architects of the iconic Apple Store

2017-06-30T13:10:00-04:00

How to Get a Job at OMA

2017-06-12T10:00:00-04:00

Chris Fogarty, founding partner of Fogarty Finger, shares the perks of working at a midsize firm

2017-04-07T09:00:00-04:00

How to get a job at Amenta Emma? Start with an internship

2017-03-23T09:00:00-04:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How To Get A Job At ____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

How To Get A Job At: Aedas

2017-03-06T13:26:00-05:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How To Get A Job At ____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

How To Get A Job At: Dattner Architects

2017-03-01T06:37:00-05:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How To Get A Job At ____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

How To Get A Job At: Eight Inc.

2017-02-17T12:15:00-05:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How To Get A Job At ____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

How To Get A Job At: David Kohn Architects

2017-02-09T12:20:00-05:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How To Get A Job At ____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

How To Get A Job At: KieranTimberlake

2017-01-26T11:57:00-05:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How To Get A Job At ____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

How To Get A Job At: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

2017-01-16T14:21:00-05:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How to Get a Job at _____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

How To Get A Job At: JERDE

2016-12-12T12:03:00-05:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list in their job ad. In Archinect's “How to Get a Job at _____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

How To Get A Job At: MASS Design Group

2016-11-29T11:35:00-05:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are particular qualities and red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How to Get a Job at _____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.

How To Get A Job At: Rios Clementi Hale Studios

2016-11-16T12:30:00-05:00

The search for employment is unpredictable and demands unrelenting patience. When you're at your wit's end, it can be tempting to send the same exact resume to what feels like the same job ad over and over again. However, no two firms are identical. Possessing certain technical skills are required across the industry, but there are qualities and seemingly obvious red flags that a firm won't always simply list on their job ad. In Archinect's “How to Get a Job at _____”, we asked some architecture firms how candidates can stand out from the crowd when applying to their practice.