"No one cares about the final renderings since they are very easy to pump out" I find that statement very very offensive. You know it is a career of its own? Here is a viz firm that I really like.

plomp

If you can render those when you are in school. Trust me, you will be hired on the spot.

I have to agree with NS on the rendering thing but for different reasons. Being able to create renderings is a great skill to have and will make anyone more marketable to a point. In reality though most firms aren't going to have someone in house doing just renderings or have their more experienced staff spending their time doing them. For those photorealistic computer renderings though firms typically hire out to those specialty firms - it's more efficient and saves time.

We have one person who pumps out photorealistic renderings. Takes an hour, maybe more... but often a lot less. It's about a quarter of their work load. I could do it myself, but my time is better spent elsewhere.

renderings matter not. Anyone can press the render button.

Yeah, I'm with NS on this. Unless I'm hiring for a full time renderer position, that's not my focus. If that's the face you present during the application process, that's what you'll likely get stuck doing until you get bored and quit.

It matters. How much? Depends on employer. seriously what do you think those big firms let intern designers do? Pretty much presentation drawings, diagrams, process renderings for internal review pin up. And develop until client presentation. Oh, also physical model making if its "starchitect".

NS, I can tell you are nice and care about intern's design and thought process. But most employers view them as cheap tools.

Also, you cannot render with a single button press. You need to spend time to set up the detailed model, set up the scene and material before you press the button. Not all firms can afford a full time renderer. Many of them let designers do internal renderings for review use. Then outsource to viz firm for final marketing money shot.

You need better employers if that's how you see things. Anyone and their grandmother can be shown how to render models. Few can think through design problems. That's what I care. I don't even look at 3D rendings.

jay, it's called enscape. which is all architects need before they hire someone out. it's quite literally a button now. vray, or any labor intensive rendering (for photo realistic purposes) is dying and most see it as a complete waste of time now.

Well if you can find a better employer then congrats. But I haven't seen that many. Anyway those are just the big firm "designer" position side. If you end up in the "technical" side of the intern position. Well now you have stair details, door schedules, Revit models, things of that nature.

Ok. here is a job post from ZGF for intern 4, let me snap the requirements:

3 years' professional experience with Revit, 3D Max, SketchUp, Rhino, Vray Rendering, and Bluebeam.3 years' experience preparing architectural plans (construction documents, elevations, sections, details) and renderings. 2 years' experience collaborating with junior team members on projects (preparation of architectural plans, construction documents, elevations, sections, details and renderings). Professional experience (any) with institutional, research / laboratory, corporate and commercial projects. Professional experience (any) with energy-efficient design. Submission of portfolio containing all of the following: A) samples of at least two (2) sets of photo-realistic renderings of institutional, research / laboratory, corporate and commercial projects suitable for use by an architectural firm (at least 4 renderings total), and B) Sample Construction Documents (plans, elevations, details and section drawings) for at least four (4) different professional projects.

MOFO wants it all and pay you intern salary. They want 3D modeling, rendering, architectural drawings, create CD sets, LEED specialization. Only thing they don't want, ability to be creative and design buildings. Nuh uh, those are not for interns.

BTW. That position had 200+ applications on linked in alone last time I saw. My guess is probably 400 applicants for 1 job. My advice to people like OP. Do your best on portfolio and try to land one. Trust me your design does not matter much. Suffer through it then jump ship with those fancy buildings in your portfolio. Eventually when you rise high above in a nice design firm. You can start doing your design and talk about your philosophy.

Jay, respectfully, you need more experience.

I don't think what we are talking about have anything to do with experience. In fact I probably can relate to the interns more. You are on the upper side of the pyramid. At that point, many people either left the field or settled with firms doing boring work. Intern level on good design firm is cut throat competitive. The more skills you can get to market yourself the better. Design idea alone will never cut it.

Look at this intern position for wHY, right here fresh on archinect. Let me decipher it.

 • Ability to work and multi-task in a design intensive(work extra hours), collaborative environment. 

 • Strong working knowledge of Adobe Suite(make diagrams) (Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop) and AutoCAD (drafting) is required.

 • Excellent 3D rendering/modeling(slave labor) skills 

• Prior professional work experience(Help produce CD set) is required.

 • Ability to start immediately. Internships are compensated with a monthly honorarium(low pay).

In case you guys don't know how applications are reviewed when there are 200+ applicants. 20 secs on resume, 40 secs on portfolio. Scroll through them and look for graphical prowess and basic education/professional experience. Then decide keep for next round or discard. Design ideas? LOL only if you make it to interview stage.

I like doing renderings. If only I ever got to do them anymore...