from past experience, persistence counts for a lot. i would pick out the firms you respect, whose work you are truly interested in, and send letters(not e-mails), and make follow-up phone calls saying how interested you are. if you are willing to take the hit, say you are willing to work for free and you have flexible hours. enthusiasm counts for a lot since the nature of architecture firms and the long hours that entail could use young and eager minds.

Start w/craigslist. There are a considerable number of postings there... In fact, here's one right here:

We are an emerging architecture firm located in Hollywood with residential and commercial work in progress. Currently we are seeking an intern or two with strong physical and/or computer modeling skills. There may also be need for assisting in document production work for applciants with some level of experience. The position(s) will likely be part time to start with.


http://losangeles.craigslist.org/egr/36668685.html

I think the easiest way to start is ask your professors or others who teach/work at your school whose work you admire or who you have gotten along with in school. I managed to get two internships with starchitects while in school through my teachers, and it was easy because they knew my work and had no problem recommending me. It's always much better to go through people you know rather than striking out blindly hoping to find someone who is hiring and who also wants to give you a chance. Professors will often go out of their way to help a student who is really enthousiatic and interested in working and expanding their horizons. You probably also have a career center or at least counselor/alumni rep at your school who could put you in touch with grads who have their own firms now and are looking for interns. Good luck!

In response to JdesP, I agree - those are good tactics, most of which have worked for me. HOWEVER, I would strongly advise AGAINST working for nothing. It's bad for your own self-esteem, perpetuates the stigma (or truth, rather) of architecture as poorly-compensated, and it's plain lousy for the development of the profession. Note that submissions to AIA-backed awards programs actually require a disclaimer by entrants stating that they DO NOT hire unpaid interns. That means that even the profession's own regulating body frowns sternly on the idea.

Young and eager minds quickly become disillusioned in the wrong kind of real-world office experience. They are not some free commodity to be exploited just because that's what interns are for. Architecture is NOT meant to be slave-labor, no matter what any bitter, self-righteous old goat might tell you about how tough it was "when he was fresh outta school". No, you do not have to "pay your dues" by being treated like crap, working all night, doing menial office tasks, all for no compensation. Doing this is only reasonable when A) the product you turn out at the end of those three consecutive all-nighters is the best work you could possibly do, AND B) you can actually go home and eat, pay the rent and buy more beer.

Despite the fact that you're at the very start of your career, don't let that intimidate you: You have four long years of expensive, hard-fought education behind you, you have the desire to continue to learn, and the potential to contribute and to be productive in this game from the get-go, and you DON'T deserve to have to work for nothing. Any employer worth a damn will respect that, and any that doesn't, just isn't worth your time - even if he or she is your favorite "starchitect". Stick to your guns, stick to your values, don't prostitute yourself or sell yourself short, be honest about what you want AND what you need, and go for it. Good luck!!

I generally agree with Jared above, however... some schools in the US may offer credit for doing some kind of internship (I think?), but most don't seem to. In Europe, as far as I can tell, the students are required to intern at least part time during their studies, and receive credit, not payment for their work. I went to France to try and get a summer internship before my 3rd year of an MArch (I had a degree from a french university previously), and I discovered that NO ONE paid their interns, because the students get credit for it. I turned down all the offers I had, including one to work at Jean Nouvel's office, because I refused to work for no pay (I worked for a friend who did pay me a small amount), and saying no to Nouvel was one of the few things I've done in my "career" that I regret. It probably would have been a great experience, even if I was exploited, and might have led to some interesting connections. It would make sense for current students and alum as well to bring up the possibility of interns earning credit for their work experienece in the US. That way, they are "getting paid" in a certain fashion by earning credits, and the employers will not feel like they have to have their interns only making copies and deliveries or working on menial tasks because they don't want to waste office money on them (not that all interns have few skills, but I certainly didn't know much at my first job, and the architect I worked for probably spent way more time teaching me than I contributed to his work). Of course, the schools would lose out on the tuition money for the extra classes they now make students take that would be replaced by internships, perhaps that is why it hasn't happened here? Anyone out there know more about this?

jared,
I didn't imply working for nothing as literally 'nothing.' there is so much to learn in a first job which offsets that of a paycheck. getting your feet wet and showing how interested you are is your way of exploiting them, not as most believe it to be the other way around. i didn't tell him to be a doormat. getting the first job seems like it is always the hardest and you have to start somewhere. why not with someone you really respect, depite the financial setback.

i started years ago by asking my teacher who was an actual architect... to help me out with finding an intern position in afirm. worked out great!