Archinect - Features

When Should Architecture Firms Start Hiring? Five Factors To Consider

2024-11-14T13:46:00-05:00

With the U.S. Federal Reserve embarking on rounds of target interest rate cuts in late 2024, AEC industry commentators are forecasting that architectural business conditions may improve in the coming months. Architecture firms experiencing an increased workload may, therefore, find themselves asking the deceptively simple question: When should I start hiring?

Should hiring decisions be made in response to secure work or more speculative projections? Should onboarding time be taken into account? Are there economic considerations beyond workload projects that should be factored in?

In search of answers, Archinect spoke with four firms about their hiring strategies: Fogarty Finger, FXCollaborative, Marmol Radziner, and Marvel. From our conversations, five key factors emerged for firms to consider when designing their own hiring strategies.

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.

Freelancing and Architecture: A Complicated Relationship

2024-05-23T14:49:00-04:00

For many salaried workers, freelancing and contracting may once have been a scary proposition, little more than placeholder labels as one moved between secure, salaried positions. However, the past decade has seen a notable increase in skilled workers and professionals becoming freelancers out of choice, with a unique skillset increasingly being capitalized upon by firms and businesses. Where do the architecture industry and its workers sit in this emerging landscape of the blended workforce?

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.

The Pandemic Exposed Deep Flaws in the Architecture Profession — But Also Inspired Remedies

2022-08-25T11:26:00-04:00

Two and a half years after the initial outbreak of COVID-19, the U.S. architectural profession has emerged from the global pandemic in a stronger condition than many could have expected during the depths of 2020. However, many questions remain unanswered on how the pandemic impacted the architectural job market, firm operations, and the design process; questions which deserve scrutiny in the interests of avoiding future economic pain, and building a more resilient profession. In search of answers, we speak to three firms in differing parts of the U.S. to hear their reflections on how the profession fared during the pandemic, and where it goes next. To understand how these unique experiences fit within a national picture, we also speak with AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, who reflects on a deeper supply-demand issue across the profession.

How Do Architects Attract and Retain Staff in a Post-Pandemic World?

2021-05-04T08:01:00-04:00

On Wednesday 15th April, The New York Times wrote ‘The American Economic recovery is gathering steam, renewing confidence that a vibrant revival awaits as the pandemic recedes.’ How do architecture firms prepare for this? And how do they make sure that they retain their best people and attract talented staff as we move into a buoyant economy and post-pandemic world? Is it just a case of throwing more money at the issue in the form of bigger salaries and bonuses to urge people to stay, or is it more nuanced and delicate?

How to Use Archinect to Get a Job: Optimizing Your Profile With Your Current Portfolio and CV

2021-01-26T09:00:00-05:00

It goes without saying that the job market for architects is really tough right now. It does need to be said, however, that there is much more job seekers can do to improve their chances of getting hired. Naturally, Archinect, the first and only go-to talent marketplace for the Architecture industry, is the place to start.

Archinect currently hosts nearly 40,000 active job seekers within our huge directory of architecture portfolios and profiles in Talent Finder. Archinect also hosts tens of thousands of firms that are actively utilizing Archinect to find new staff. The problem, as we've heard from many employers, is that too many job seekers are doing a less-than-stellar job at selling themselves.

But fear not, we're here to help! We've compiled the feedback from employers, and studied our huge database of job seeker profiles, to put together a simple guide to help you optimize your profile to increase your chances of getting employed.

Archinect Tips: Employment Edition

2020-11-10T09:12:00-05:00

Archinect Tips is a popular series here on the site, but sometimes the best insights can get lost. When it comes to architectural employment, Archinect has provided a slew of resources. Consider this a comprehensive round-up of all things employment from our Archinect Tips series. There are four sections divided here: the job application, the job hunt, career development, and the workplace. And be sure to follow the tags (news/features), for updates on new tips and insights.

Archinect's Guide to Job Titles: Interior Designer

2020-11-06T13:59:00-05:00

Interior Design is one of those disciplines that the architecture profession can often overlook. Many of the misconceptions about Interior Designers come from misinformation or old "traditional" mindsets within the industry. But, we should take this important professional's role in the design of spaces quite seriously.

For our eighth installment of Archinect's Guide to Job Titles, we take a look at the Interior Designer. What qualifications does one need to operate in this role? What's the pay like? And how does it function alongside other design disciplines?

What Architecture Firms are Hiring Right Now?

2020-06-26T14:17:00-04:00

Archinect has offered most popular architecture and design job board for over two decades, and that standing enables us to get a unique look at hiring trends throughout the industry at any point in time. With the economy taking a hit, and employers navigating many unknowns due to COVID-19, job seekers are wondering what the future holds for them. We decided to create a brief outline of what we’re currently seeing on our job board in hopes of providing some insights into what might be occurring in the larger architectural employment market.

How To Choose Between Architecture Schools

2020-05-12T16:06:00-04:00

One of our most popular questions in the Archinect Discussion Forum is how to choose between architecture degree programs. Some students might already be accepted to multiple programs and are uncertain which to choose while others may have yet to apply and are unsure of which to pursue. The question is usually along the lines of, “which school is better?” or, “which school should I go to?” and even sometimes, “can someone give me insight into these programs?”

It’s a tough position, and candidates want to make the right decision for their future, so they turn to the Archinect community for guidance only to be met with conflicting opinions or harsh feedback. When it comes to this crossroad, one that will influence the trajectory of the next 2 to 5 years of your life, turning to strangers isn’t always the best idea. In this article I hope to provide prospective students with some essential techniques in making a good decision about which school to attend and how to decide between diff...

How to Craft an Effective Job Ad: Talk About Lifestyle

2019-11-13T14:27:00-05:00

Writing a job ad can seem like a toneless task. Just get it out it out there as fast a possible, we need people, some might think. But, really, the desired outcome is to attract the best talent, and that takes some finesse. Especially in our current market, where job-seekers have a plethora of opportunities to choose from, firms more than ever need to approach their search for new talent with a spirit of excellence and creativity.

Like a job seeker's application package, a firm's job ad is essential in its search for quality candidates. Templated formats don't usually work here. Rather, one must craft an impactful representation of the opportunity at hand and creatively display what makes a particular place of work worth pursuing.

This is the first in our How to Craft an Effective Job Ad series. Be sure to check out all of the articles for a comprehensive look at composing the perfect Job Ad.

Tools of the Job Hunt: Understanding the Employer

2019-09-16T12:11:00-04:00

We've shared a lot of helpful information on job hunting: how to craft the perfect resume and cover letter, how nail the job interview, the importance of the portfolio... While all of these are useful, they tend to lack the underlying principles one should understand as they navigate their job search. In short, these resources give us practical and prescriptive instruction but tend to lack the why behind what we’re doing. Just as in architecture, we must understand why we do something, not only how to do it. When it comes to job hunting, that is what this article will aim to address.

Get F*^king Paid

2019-06-17T12:56:00-04:00

Unpaid internships are a systemic issue, not an architectural one. They are a symptom of the relationship between markets, labor, and value. Calling for an erasure of unpaid internships is calling for ethics inside a system that rewards exploitation. How can we change this? What tools do we have to evaluate our options as they are right now?

Understanding Architecture Internships

2019-06-10T14:35:00-04:00

Architectural internships are modern day’s reinterpretation of the late apprenticeship model, but with some modifications. In earlier centuries, when a young person wanted to pursue a profession or craft, they typically enlisted in a seven-year contract with a “master” who took them under their wing and trained them up as professional practitioners. This was the young person’s education. They didn’t go to a school, get a degree in the craft they wanted to pursue, and then go and ask the masters for a job. Instead, they obtained their mentor from day one and learned everything from him. Today, our approach is quite different. We decide we want to be architects and then we enroll in a school to study it. After about five years, we graduate and go out and ask the marketplace to hire us. But we quickly realize that we don’t really know anything about architecture, or, to be more fair, we do not know anything about the practice of architecture.

Steve Jobs and The Collaborative Framework

2019-05-16T12:01:00-04:00

Collaboration is one of those things we, as architects and designers, embrace quite openly. "Two heads are better than one," the saying goes, and it is indeed a true statement. Any significant project, invention, or innovation was likely done in a collaborative setting. And even on a personal level, we find ourselves coming to the most profound discoveries in our interactions with other people. It's in our social settings that ideas begin to materialize. Rarely, do we find the lone creator composing a masterpiece on his own. While the inspiration might come to the individual, it is with the group that it is developed. Architecture is a practice that is almost dysfunctional without collaboration. Here we'll look at the impact of conversations and how a simple chat with a colleague can turn a small thought into a big idea.

Do You Feel Like Quitting Your Job? Read This First

2019-05-09T12:06:00-04:00

Can't bear to walk into the office another day? Deal with that project manager? Coworker? Has the work environment become so toxic that you almost feel sick at the end of every Sunday? Or perhaps you're just ready for something new, to take your career to the next level. Whether positive or negative, quitting your job can be a stressful action to ponder. So, how do you do it? It's not as simple as giving a two weeks notice. First, there are some things to work through before making the decision. And once a path is chosen, its execution must be drawn together in thoughtful consideration.

Professional Growth and The Power of Observation

2019-05-07T12:57:00-04:00

The apprentice model has been a fruitful approach for thousands of years, with a clear track of mentorship and milestones, young professionals were able to methodically progress in their careers. However, we must acknowledge that everything we need to know will not be freely given to us. In architecture, there are aspects along our path that we will need to uncover on our own. Adopting a practice of observation can provide us with a unique advantage in our journey.

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.

What to Expect After Graduating From Architecture School

2019-03-12T12:00:00-04:00

As a student, you have been working toward an ultimate and almost seemingly distant goal for quite some time now. And as you find yourself nearing the end of your education, one might wonder, quite appropriately, what life after graduation is going to look like.

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.

Architecture Firms Tell Us How Marketing Requires an Evolved Set of Social Skills

2017-09-06T12:03:00-04:00

Not long ago, marketing for architecture firms primarily relied on word of mouth. Golf games, dinners at country clubs and schmoozing were once a big part of the job description for the person in charge the firm's marketing. The field, however, has shifted dramatically and fraternizing with wealthy elites in the hopes of them becoming one's next client are getting replaced with competition entries, press kits, social media, and branding.

A Snarky Haiku Collection Targets Architecture's Most Frustrating Moments

2016-11-22T12:03:00-05:00

Created by three contributors who wish to remain anonymous, Five Seven Five: Nine to Five is a collection of haiku that wryly (and occasionally cynically) explores the realities of day-to-day architectural employment, from choosing between SketchUp and Revit to the challenges of working with developers.

They offered you the job! Now here's how to negotiate for the position you actually want

2016-09-15T11:52:00-04:00

From salary to benefits to title, what are some specific guidelines to getting the best working conditions you can in the process of being hired? Distilled from Archinect's research, here's a starter-kit to negotiating with employers.

An expert's thoughts on how to negotiate, at any point in your career

2016-09-06T11:59:00-04:00

After a few intense years of late nights and long days, you’re now ready to embark on even more years of late nights and long days in the form of your next job. However, you do have some say in your working conditions. How should an architect negotiate the terms of their new position to create the ideal environment?