{"id":1524,"date":"2024-07-19T07:51:16","date_gmt":"2024-07-19T07:51:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bespoke.eu.applyflow.com\/6-tips-for-starting-your-career-in-architecture\/"},"modified":"2024-11-18T22:22:39","modified_gmt":"2024-11-18T22:22:39","slug":"6-tips-for-starting-your-career-in-architecture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/articles\/6-tips-for-starting-your-career-in-architecture\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Tips for Starting Your Career in Architecture"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Building a successful career in architecture or design involves more than just technical skills. Seasoned professionals will tell you that mastery also involves developing qualities that are less visible, but no less important.<\/p>\n<p>We spoke to several accomplished architects and designers from across the industry to access their wisdom about what it takes to thrive in our world\u2013 and we\u2019re delighted to share it with you here.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"note-video-clip\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/28dyza3iHlU\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h5>1. Ask questions<\/h5>\n<p>When you\u2019re starting out in your career, curiosity isn\u2019t just encouraged \u2013 it\u2019s essential. \u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to ask questions,\u201d says Angela Wu (KPF). \u201cIf you just follow directions, you\u2019re not going to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Making a habit of asking questions will grow your knowledge and demonstrate your engagement with your work. Plus, it\u2019s a great way of ensuring you\u2019re always reflecting on the new experiences and situations at hand.<\/p>\n<p>The importance of asking questions extends across your entire career journey, from leaving a strong first impression in a job interview to getting the most out of internships. Remember &#8211; the only silly question is the one left unasked!<\/p>\n<h5>2. Embrace patience as a virtue<\/h5>\n<p>In the early stages of your career, it\u2019s normal to feel frustrated with the pace of your development as an architect or designer. \u201cHave patience in what you\u2019re doing. The profession of architecture takes a lot of time to get good at,\u201d says Brian Wickersham (AUX Architects).<\/p>\n<p>Architecture and design jobs demand a long-term commitment to mastering technical competencies, understanding complex design principles and gaining hands-on experience to put this all into practice. This can be particularly daunting to face for early career professionals \u2013 but it\u2019s important to remember it\u2019s all part of the process.<\/p>\n<p>Although it might feel like you\u2019re not making progress, you probably are! \u201cTake a deep breath,\u201d Brian suggests, and remind yourself you\u2019ll get there \u2013 \u201cit just takes time.\u201d<\/p>\n<h5>3. Get an internship<\/h5>\n<p>When starting your career in architecture, internships are the key to getting that leg-up into the types of roles you want.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGet an internship. Work somewhere over the summer,\u201d advises E.B. Min (Min Design). \u201cGet some experiences, wherever you can, to really see what it\u2019s like to go from studio to practice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not only do internships build your resume, but they\u2019re also vital for building your professional network and developing your portfolio, which can be tough when you\u2019re new to the industry. As an intern, you also have an enviable range of opportunities to learn from experts and soak up their wisdom.<\/p>\n<h5>4. Adapt to the new normal<\/h5>\n<p>Considering the changing expectations of architecture and design workplaces, Ross Hoekstra (Progressive AE) observes: \u201cIn the post-pandemic hybrid work environment, there are fewer opportunities to make an impression.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Without being in the office every day, it can be more difficult to make connections \u2013 especially as a junior member of the team. To overcome this, Ross advises treating any opportunities for interactions (whether they be an important presentation or daily Zoom check-in meeting) with \u201ca little more preparation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even if your work has shifted back to mostly in-person, demonstrating your willingness to prepare is sure to make you stand out as a dependable and resourceful team member \u2013 and makes it easier to connect with colleagues and managers alike.<\/p>\n<h5>5. Find your focus<\/h5>\n<p>Finding your niche early in your career can be a significant advantage in your professional development \u2013 but it\u2019s okay (and normal) if you\u2019re not quite there yet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFind a way to focus on particular interests at specific points in your career and then decide if that is what you really love,\u201d advises Michael DeGregorio (Hood Design). If it turns out not to be your passion, you\u2019ve still gained valuable insights to help advance you into the next chapter of your career. This approach allows you to explore various facets of architecture, hone your skills and discover what truly excites you along the way.<\/p>\n<h5>6. Look for the lesson<\/h5>\n<p>Ryan Kurlbaum (Perkins&amp;Will) shares a valuable insight gleaned from poet T.S. Eliot\u2019s quote: \u2018Everyone gets the experience. Some get the lesson.\u2019 Spinning this into wise architecture career advice, Ryan expresses that \u201cthe idea that you\u2019re moving through your career and experiencing hardship or going through difficulty is often more palatable when you can turn it into a lesson or something productive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Treat every challenge, setback (or success) as an opportunity to reflect and improve your skills. By actively seeking out lessons from every experience, you\u2019ll not only enhance your knowledge in the short term but also find yourself more resilient and agile in achieving your long-term goals. Ryan also echoes Brian Wickersham\u2019s emphasis on patience: \u201cIt\u2019s a marathon, not a sprint.\u201d<\/p>\n<h5>Get more architecture career advice<\/h5>\n<p>Need more advice on developing your career, building your portfolio and finding new roles? The team at Bespoke Careers is happy to help you make the right decisions and connections.<\/p>\n<p>As architecture and design recruitment specialists, we can guide you with insights into what studios and firms are looking for and where you can make your mark.<\/p>\n<p>For further information, visit our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/uk\/articles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">blog<\/a>\u00a0for career tips and resources, or follow us on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/bespoke-career-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bespokecareers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Instagram\u00a0<\/a>for industry news, events and job opportunities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Building a successful career in architecture or design involves more than just technical skills. Seasoned professionals will tell you that mastery also involves developing qualities that are less visible, but no less important.<br \/>\nWe spoke to several accomplished architects and designers from across the industry to access their wisdom about what it takes to thrive in our world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1378,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,15,69,67],"tags":[],"location":[],"class_list":["post-1524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-bespoke-careers","category-jobseekers","category-students-and-graduates"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1524"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1524\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/1378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1524"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bespokecareers.com\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/location?post=1524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}