Sometimes the search for a job can be discouraging. You spend hours on your portfolio, work on tailoring your resume and cover letter to each position, and you might even get called in for a few interviews. But after all of the hard work, there's no call back. You take some additional steps and... View full entry

In a previous article here on Archinect we looked at 6 important tips on following up after a job interview. And that's the thing many forget to do: Simply to follow up. Especially in our job market today, where work is more in demand and opportunities are limited, following up in the proper... View full entry

Resumes are an important part of an application package. They outline your experience and abilities, and give the employer an overview of your competencies. Of the various sections shown in most resumes, the skills section, for architects and designers, provides an opportunity to communicate... View full entry

You've just graduated architecture school and it's time to start pursuing your first job. Like most, you've probably spent a lot of time on your portfolio, and perhaps even your resume, but what about the cover letter? Are you confident you're composing this crucial component of your application... View full entry

A colleague and I were recently talking about something we've both experienced during a project's construction administration phase. The contractor sends an RFI, expressing the urgency of the request, advocating for a speedy response from the architect. As the architect, we investigate the RFI and... View full entry

The end of the semester is approaching and with many students preparing for their final reviews, the reality of presenting virtually has set in. I had the pleasure to attend my first digital mid-review this past week at Woodbury University. It was a fun and engaging experience and the projects... View full entry

When interacting virtually, miscommunication can run rampant. So much of our interpersonal interactions as humans are non-verbal. Communicating via Slack or digital chat completely takes that out. Not only do these method take out body language, but also verbal and tonal aspects. Authors of the... View full entry

Often times, early in our careers, we ruminate over questions tied to a desire to prove our worth to an employer. “I need to show them that they made the right choice in hiring me,” or “I can’t ask too many questions or they’ll think I’m stupid.” Whatever it is, when we focus so much... View full entry

In many of my conversations about career with soon to be graduates, recent graduates, early professionals, and even intermediate professionals salary is probably one of the most frequent topics. Here are some of the questions I hear from professionals looking for their first full time job, for... View full entry

Drawing details is one of the foundational skills of an architect and the levels of mastery are seemingly endless. How does one communicate complex assemblies in two-dimensions? This is the constant question of the architect. Early on, it may feel unclear how to tap into this higher level of... View full entry

If I have to do one more portable project, I'm going to lose my mind!  This was part of a story an early mentor of mine told me. It was the end of my first year right out of school and we were meeting for my performance review. I had just finished working on my third masterplan for a local... View full entry

Architecture is a highly collaborative practice that calls us to work with many different kinds of people. Sometimes this brings challenges. With firms seeking to build diverse teams, a diversity of personalities and work styles can be forgotten. Particularly for leaders, it can be bewildering to... View full entry

Navigating the design process can be a thorny undertaking. We go back and forth with colleagues on ideas, seeking to find the best solution for the design problem at hand. It is a standard phenomenon, to challenge our colleagues and push one another to achieve something great. And with passionate... View full entry

More research isn't always better Occasionally, we have tendency to look for more information even when it does not cause us to take action. Here's an example: let's say your thesis explores the intersections of music and architecture. You start by scanning the literature on these two disciplines... View full entry

At a previous firm I used to work for, I had a colleague who would periodically send the managing principal emails about certain team members, unbeknownst to them. Essentially, he would call attention to specific team members that he saw were working well with the rest of the team or going the... View full entry