Looking for a job in architecture? Here are tips from hiring managers

Good news for designers seeking their next role: Hiring activity doesn’t necessarily correlate with economic indices or the AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index. Many firms are in perpetual need of new talent, particularly if they cover a variety of markets and geographies or integrate architecture, engineering, or construction. Here’s how you can best position yourself to land your next role.

Networking still works

You may have shrugged off the advice during design school, but once you stepped into practice, you likely saw the power of networking. “Connections always work, whether it’s for architecture or for anything in life,” says Reinaldo Soto-Santiago, associate and talent and growth lead at Stantec.

Former instructors, studio mates, colleagues, and supervisors are good starting points for your network because they can attest to your work and work ethic firsthand. Soto-Santiago has fielded many leads, but “what truly matters is the quality of the connection and the ability of that person to tell you, ‘I know what [your firm does], I know what you’re looking for, and here’s a great candidate because [of x and y].’”

If you lack an “in” to a position you’re seeing, you can try cold calling a prospective connector. In this day and age, that likely involves LinkedIn. Nancy Horne, founder and principal of NDH Search, an executive recruitment firm specializing in design professions, finds this approach perfectly acceptable: “If somebody is on LinkedIn, they are totally open to being contacted. You don’t hide on LinkedIn.”

However, you must do your homework. Review your target’s profile, including their alma mater, employer history, and expertise areas. “You have to allude to knowing something about that person and write that little, tiny [message]” to convince them to accept your connection request, Horne says.

If you are hoping that connection will bump up your job application, she continues, be direct with your ask: “You can write to Joe Smith and say, ‘I’d like to connect. I see that you worked on this award-winning project, and I have just applied to your company.’ Make it a one-two punch.”

Still, not everybody checks their LinkedIn regularly or is open to referring strangers. Grace Boudewyns, AIA, an associate at Lake|Flato Architects who has been involved with hiring for nearly a decade, receives many cold applications. “At the end of the day, we’re still looking for talent with the work ethic and all-around good design sensibility,” she says.

That’s why solid application materials are critical to ensuring you stand out.

Portfolio pointers

Not surprisingly, hiring managers in design prioritize the portfolio. Digital PDF files are the preferred method of showcasing your creativity and project experience; they are easy for hiring managers to open, review, and share, and they don’t rely on a continuous internet connection, unlike a portfolio website.

Variety is key when curating your portfolio. “We tend to hire generalists, so we like to see a wide range of work,” Boudewyns says. That involves laying out your thought process for a project from inception to sketching, site strategies, final models, renders, and photographs.

Soto-Santiago reviews about 100 portfolios per internship cycle, for which Stantec may hire upward of 600 interns across its multiple disciplines. “One of the biggest mistakes … is people gravitate to [showing] the prettiest images,” he says. After seeing 10 or 20 renders, he gets it: You are good at rendering. But what about your drawing abilities? “Make sure your application speaks to the wide variety of things you can do,” he says, because once hired, you will be working on any number of different tasks.

Experienced applicants with portfolios comprising complex projects should also clarify their specific contributions. If you oversaw project documentation, “be very specific and truthful that you were in charge of the drawings,” Soto-Santiago says.

Horne, who works almost exclusively in executive and strategic hiring, says some clients will request seeing materials from an applicant’s time in architecture school to gauge their design sensibility. “Once they leave college, [their work becomes] a reflection of who they’re working for,” she says. “It’s no longer their voice [but] their ability to interpret the voice of the senior designer.”

Resume review

The quintessential resume synthesizes your career objectives, experience, education, and skills. But do refrain from using any standard word processor–provided template: Horne wants to see something gorgeous, from its layout to its font. “No matter what your level of experience, you are not presenting as an accountant or as a lawyer,” she says. “In the three seconds I’m going to give you, I want to look at something very beautiful and concise. Even if you don’t [meet every qualification], you [understand] what my client would respect.”

One page is the ideal length for Soto-Santiago. “Highlight the best part of your resume, which is usually your experience and skills,” he says. Use bullet points and remove experiences irrelevant to the position you are seeking.

Hiring managers are looking for consistency, Horne adds. A person with 12 years of experience might have worked at three firms with an average tenure of four years, she says. They show growth in successive positions and are homing in on their career trajectory, such as project management, design leadership, or a particular market segment.

Add a URL next to employers that are not well known in the industry, Horne advises. She values experience at highly regarded and recognized firms, but she understands some candidates may not be located in proximity to such firms. Still, geography doesn’t prevent the candidates themselves from being active in their profession. “They can [serve] on a committee at the AIA, they can be on the planning board of their town, and they can participate in conventions,” Horne says.

Extracurriculars, community service activities, and design-adjacent initiatives are all helpful to include on a resume, Boudewyns says. Soto-Santiago adds that “anything that can help you stand out and put you above the pack is always helpful. Show us your personality.”

When Horne reads that an applicant runs marathons, she sees someone who follows through on their goals. When her clients—the employers—ask her to summarize the candidates for their openings, she explains the potential she sees beyond what the resume lists.

Cover letter considerations

The cover letter presents another opportunity for you to stand out, but Horne says too many people make the same mistake: “They repeat in their cover letter what’s already on their resume.” Instead, she advises treating the cover letter like a transmittal with little more than a brief salutation followed by “I am applying for this [specific job title], and I’m interested in this aspect of your firm.”

Do not use the same, generic cover letter for every application, Boudewyns warns. “When people have taken the time to research our firm, look into what we’re about, and [see whom] they’re writing to, I notice and appreciate that.”

In the advent of artificial intelligence, Soto-Santiago ranks the cover letter well below the portfolio and resume. “You can have AI write it for you,” he says. “You can enter a few bullet points in ChatGPT and they can do a great cover letter for you.” For emerging talent with few projects behind them, he focuses on their portfolio. For mid-level talent, the resume exerts a greater weight.

Onto the interview

Your interview will likely be virtual unless you live down the street from the company. Research your interviewer, the role, and the firm. Extra points for knowing the company’s leadership team and project portfolio. Be focused, respectful, and honest about your skills and past project contributions.

Horne has updated her advice to reflect the prevailing trend of video interviews. First, dress as though you are walking into an in-person meeting or presentation. Use a virtual backdrop—not your living room or bedroom. “Hiring [managers] are judgmental in the design world so it is best to choose something that is universally beautiful but not distracting,” she advises. “Don’t put one of your drawings in the background—you know they’ll just rip it apart.”

A final tip—and this applies to all virtual meetings: Look at the camera. Yes, it might take some creative window resizing and repositioning to both monitor your interviewers’ reactions and look into the tiny lens, but the impact on the other side can’t be overstated. “I have had candidates at a fairly senior level—10 to 15 years—who don’t look at the camera, and I have said to them at the end of the interview, ‘I enjoyed this, but I am troubled that you are not looking in the camera and making a connection,’” Horne says.

During the interview, you should be relatable and curious. When the interviewer opens the door for questions, often toward the meeting conclusion, seize the opportunity to reiterate your excitement. “The best interviews are when people are genuinely interested [in the position] and are prepared with questions,” Boudewyns says. “They’ve looked into what I work on at Lake|Flato … and ask us about our personal experiences at the firm.”

Another go-to question Horne recommends is “What would success look like for me, in the position you’re hiring for, in three months or six months?”

Finally, if the interviewer hasn’t brought it up, ask about the hiring schedule and next steps. Two to three weeks is a common interval as it gives the hiring team time to meet other candidates and to regroup internally.

Finalize the first impression

Forgetting to send a follow-up note is not a deal breaker, but Soto-Santiago says he appreciates it. “It shows the type of person you are—the quality of [your character].” Boudewyns agrees that a thank you email is “always a nice personal touch,” while Horne recommends sending a handwritten thank-you card “because not everyone is going to write one.” Express your gratitude for the interviewer’s time and briefly recap why you would be an asset to the firm.

After sending a thank you note, do not follow up a minute before the interviewer’s provided timeline. Hiring managers are also busy design professionals with responsibilities unrelated to staffing. “I wish I could get applicants an answer sooner or we could make decisions sooner,” Boudewyns says. “Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way.”

One thing Horne thinks hiring managers can improve upon is acknowledging the time and effort that candidates spend on pursuing the position. Job searching and interviewing are lengthy and stressful processes. Too often, companies expound at length about why designers should want to work with them but then turn around and ghost candidates who have made it far into the running. “If they want to be attractive to a candidate,” Horne says, “that’s going to come more across if they email a personal note—‘I’m sorry that it didn’t work out, thank you for your time, and we’ll keep you in mind for another opportunity.’”

The job market can be a dizzying and disheartening landscape. Build your network, present your capabilities honestly, and be engaging in your interview. When the stars align, the right opportunity will await you.

Wanda Lau is a freelance writer and former ARCHITECT magazine editor. She lives outside Chicago.