Applying for your Masters in Architecture (MArch Part II in the UK) can be an overwhelming process. Whether you’ve been working in practice on your year out as a Part 1 or have just graduated (congratulations, for either of these outcomes!) you’ll no doubt have been asked about getting your Part 2 if you are on the journey to becoming a qualified architect. The decision to complete your master’s isn’t one to take lightly but can be equally as exciting to embark on, whether or not you would like to become an architect. With the possibility of starting fresh with new perspectives and perhaps an ..read more

Job hunting is a journey, one that when you are in the midst of it can feel like the longest of journeys.  It is valid to feel like that, but when you really think about it, aren’t the longest journey’s the ones where you learn the most about yourself? As a graduate, you’ll be doing a lot of trial and error before it lands you a role, and the learning never stops even when you do find a job.  With being behind the scenes in a creative recruitment agency, I’ve started to notice how much grey area there is and just how much I underestimated the impact it would have on how successful yo ..read more

Applying for jobs is a job in itself which is important to recognise. You’ll have to do some work to make sure that every application you put forward makes you a strong candidate as a designer. Although each company does it differently, the documents you should be prepared when looking for a job is a cv, covering letter and portfolio. These are standard documents that most job posting will require of you, but as a designer, you’ll know that a portfolio is a key part to showcase your skills visually. If you mention a skill on your CV it would help to have it evidenced in your portfolio one way ..read more

Looking for a job as a graduate has its challenges. There are a lot of things you’ll learn once you leave the world of academia looking for a graduate role or starting your career in the architecture industry. With every application, submit button and email sent you’ll realise there isn’t one way to guarantee you a role but there are so many things you can work on in the meantime to make sure that you are doing your best every single time. Looking back, here are 5 things I wish I knew when job hunting. Your connections are key, so start building them now Apply through an application form, a g ..read more

Looking for a role as a new architecture graduate can be daunting. It can be hard to find the right way to get yourself the experience. There is a lot of trial and error but being proactive and doing something is the first step to making some progress. Over the last few months I’ve found myself in the world of recruitment and my perceptions of getting employed have been turned on it’s head. There are so many factors that guarantee you a role and it can definitely be harder to see when you’ve been immersed in academia without much sight into the world that employers are fully engaged with.  ..read more

If you aren’t already familiar with how to qualify as an architect in the UK, Part 3 is the last hurdle. With a minimum of 7 years to complete the journey from degree to masters and then to this stage (with a minimum requirement of 24 months of professional experience too) it can seem like a long wait to become the architect you might have always wanted to be. I don’t think I’m alone in saying that at some point regardless of the stage you're at, that you’ve questioned whether you should aspire to be an architect. With these questions in mind, for this week’s article, I ask @thearchitecturalas ..read more

Often we forget how much time we spend being a student until summer comes rolling around and you have almost 3 months of free time. If you work hard during the year, this time of not being a student and not having something to do can make it a lot harder for you to feel like you are spending it well. It is time for a break but also a great time to slowly wean yourself into habits, skills, and activities that you can do that can serve as a way for you to both rest and feel like the time you use hasn't been wasted. Many may tell you it is the perfect time to get work experience, and that goes w ..read more

Having studied Art at both GCSE and A-level sketchbooks contained the body of work that would result in a final grade for a final project. So I continued to carry this pressure to have a sketchbook that would be proof of my ability and work ethic inside and outside of the classroom. Studying architecture you come to realise that pressure to have a sketchbook that looks good isn’t the same as having one that is useful, to you or whoever was looking through it.  Carrying that internally, external pressure to have a sketchbook worth looking at often made me avoid using it altogether because ..read more

Without fail as the academic year would come to an end I would always write a long note to myself for the things I wish I had done and should do in the following academic year. Now although I couldn’t tell you what they were exactly as I flick through my old notes, this moment of reflection was crucial for me to get better over the years. In the space of three years you can learn a lot especially when you begin to understand what really works for you especially as you vividly look back over the year and pick up some of the gaps of learning you still have yet to accomplish. Even after architec ..read more

After applying to a few positions, having an interview sometimes feels like a rare occasion when competition is so high. So if you have managed to secure yourself an interview (even if the outcome wasn’t the one you wanted) is still the opportunity to learn about the entire process.  Remember that interviews are a way for you to get to know a company aside from their projects and website, as people. We can get so consumed about making the best first impression that we forget that it is for both sides, not just the candidate that is making an impression. Whether done via zoom or in-person ..read more