How to Land Your First Architect Role

Trying to land your first architecture or interiors role is hard enough without guessing what hiring managers, directors and recruiters actually look for.In this practical lecture, Stephen Drew breaks down how students and graduates can approach the job search with a clearer CV, tighter sample portfolio and a direct application process that creates more chances.The conversation covers: How to stop relying only on job boards and reach studios directly What to put in a focused sample portfolio How to write a clear application email that gets opened How international graduates can talk about graduate visas and sponsorship What to prepare for interviews, salary conversations and follow-up ____▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jm-X7yADeU📝 Read the full write-up, with the key takeaways:https://architecturesocial.com/podcast/how-to-land-your-first-architect-role/Architecture Social is where architects and designers find honest career advice, insight from practice, and live roles worth applying for:https://architecturesocial.com/The fastest way to get hired is to be better at the things practices actually ask for. Revit, Rhino, rendering, BIM, portfolio work. Our learning partner ArchAdemia is built by architects, for architects:https://archademia.com/architecture-social/Use code ARCHSOCIAL10 for a discount on monthly or annual membership.____Chapters 00:00 Stephen's route from architecture into recruitment 01:31 What hiring teams notice in CVs and portfolios 04:59 Where students usually look for jobs 08:28 Tailoring applications without overthinking it 11:09 Why the application email matters 15:04 CV basics, location and contact details 20:12 Sample portfolios versus interview portfolios 25:04 Building a spreadsheet and applying directly 30:21 Market conditions and persistence 34:30 Q&A begins 39:29 Graduate visas and sponsorship conversations 45:56 Salary expectations and fair pay 50:15 Skills, value and early-career growth 55:12 What to bring to interviews 60:09 Grades, CV details and honest positioning 70:09 What to leave out and how to stay credible 79:01 LinkedIn, recruiters and direct approaches