All the positions I interviewed for were 12-month contract roles.

Interesting.

In the country where I am based, all firms recruit BA graduates as (paid) interns for a fixed 12-month period before they return to graduate school. All the roles I interviewed for were for 12-month contracts.

so, maybe you don't have the billable skills they require from disposable staff.

Which skills are these in your opinion?

Likely heavy-production roles if you're applying to the big guys.

I have production experience in my previous role and I have both front end and technical work to show in my portfolio. How would you identify that one doesn't have this particular skill during an interview?

Everyone says they do. Either yours is not a stellar as you make it out to be or you don't fit in the hole they are trying to plug. Since you've been passed by a few places, I'm thinking it's the former. Post your folio if you want feedback.

Non Sequitur, I have sent you a PM with a link to my portfolio. Please let me know what you think!

I thought you mentioned the key is production skills. Progress work (assuming you are talking about the school work segment) would be more suitable to present for a designer position, not heavy production roles as you said above.

Yes, but when everyone has similarly polished folios, good progress work shows how you solve problems. Who knows how you got to those shiny images? Including the dirty napkin sketches help show off character. I did not see much in the folio I would consider good for straight production tho. Technical drawings appeared messy and not as well organized as the school stuff. My 2¢

I was actually told that the portfolio lacks in the creative side at one of the unsuccessful interviews.The technical drawings done in practice were reviewed by a PA before issue and frankly I have seen much messier drawings sets than these ones!Unfortunately, I can't edit them now as I no longer have access to the rvt files. Thank you for your comments though and I will work on the feedback provided.

Non Sequitur touched on some good points. I didn't see your portfolio but firms tend to want to see how you think. Even for a production role, you will need to problem-solve, understand how to compose a drawing set, analyze code, etc. Renderings and graphics don't show this well. Not to mention that every portfolio will have a slew of money shots. If you give them a hint into your thinking it could set you apart. Have you tried asking these firms why they did not pick you?

I briefly introduce myself, listing my achievements to date. I do research before applying and during the interview I tailor my answers to the firm's profile. For example if they have sustainability expertise, I point to relevant projects in my portfolio, list possible graduate research areas etc. I always mention that I am attracted to the firm's reputation and portfolio. I also make sure that I ask questions regarding the firm and the role.

The other things that come to mind are: Thanking your interviewer for their time (in person and follow up email), making sure that you're not being negative in any way during your interviews, make sure that your physical portfolio/materials are editorial quality/very professional or maybe you just weren't a good personality fit for their office culture. Did you ask them what they are looking for in a candidate or what needs they have for the position being filled? That could be a good question in the first few minutes to give you a good focus area

I always thank the interviewer for the opportunity and follow up with a Linkedin note, reiterating my interest and suitability for the role. In terms of personality fit, I am mostly genuine as I think that's the best approach. I have also sent you a PM with a link to my portfolio, please let me know what you think!

This is a really good question. The best advice I ever got about interviewing was to be open about the fact that you're there to learn and to contribute to a team. The questions are an opportunity to expand past what is on the resumé, showing some of your personality outside of work. For instance, in my portfolio, I had a hand sketch I did of a car I was in love with at the time. One of my (now) bosses picked up on that, and while the hand sketching would be a valued skill, he knew I'd be a good fit with staff members who are also interested in cars.

Thanks for your comment. I have sent you a PM with my portfolio, in case you want to give me some feedback.

Portfolio is solid, though the first project took a bit to dive into (and graphically I am not a fan of CAD hatches except in construction details). Bookend portfolio with best projects, maybe throw in a bit of process drawings/sketches to widen the skill set demonstrated.

​I know at my firm - and this could be different elsewhere - we check references after the person has interviewed and made a good impression. The references make a big impact on whether or not we will make an offer. A few years back, we had a guy come in who made a great impression, but after checking his references, the bosses absolutely could not make him an offer. One of his references had died 20 years ago, and the interviewee didn't even bother to check.

This starts to make some sense. All the companies I interviewed are large so they must definitely check references before making an offer. However, who would they call since I haven't yet named anyone as my reference? Would they call the HR of the previous firm I worked at? If they do, HR policy is just to confirm dates of employment. HR can't disclose any information regarding skills, personality or performance. Do you think they could call and ask to speak directly to my former manager? If that's the case, could that person be creating a problem to me?

In the US, providing references or include a small note at the bottom of their resumé 'references available on request' is common. So maybe if you don't provide any, they may find it suspicious. I typically include at least email addresses for my references as many of them travel oversees often and are unavailable by phone. I'm not sure what is typical where you live.

I have been advised against listing references on my resume as resumes are circulated and phone numbers/emails of people in corporate firms can be misused. I probably have to rethink this to make sure that whoever checks, gets through to the right people who will give a reference that we mutually agreed on. Saying that though, the last job I had (large corporate firm) references were taken after the offer was made.

do you have someone who would provide a bad reference? why? architecture is a small community - it's very possible someone asked about you in their network and got feedback even if you didn't provide references. typically the references a candidate doesn't list are the most salient ones.

In my case they asked about reference on the second or final interview. The interviewer who is the associate director of the firm told me that he's going to contact my references. I put my reference contact at the bottom of my resume because they told me to do so.

However, my references told me that the firm did not contact them, It seems the firm have made their decision before checking my rereference.

I'm on the side of don't list references on your resume - let the firm ask you for them, and then just email a list. And definitely don't waste space on your resume with "references available upon request". It's a given. Including that sentence always looks like the applicant is afraid they don't have enough content to fill the page (kind of like including an objective statement. It's just empty space filler. Everybody knows what a job-seeker's objective is.)

Usually firms won't check references until they're sure they're interested in you - so sometimes before they make an offer, but sometimes not until after you've accepted their offer (contingent on your references checking out ok) - and some don't even do it until after you start working there, if ever. 

If I have a common connection to the firm, I mention it in the cover letter (an implied reference). I often also send it as part of the follow up from an interview - sometimes a reference will be able to present you in a better light than yourself.

I am not based in the US.

Hi, pardon me for jumping in but I am interested in employment. would you mind share the details? or If i have your consent, I can send you my resume and work sample.

=D

... and!? Did you take the position!?