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. You see it is two sides of the same coin, and I’d like to think that sometimes when you don’t have enough information (and sometimes it isn’t any fault of your own) it can sometimes feel like you are constantly making the wrong turn. After spending some time sifting through CVs and job descriptions, you start to notice that getting a job has a lot to do with the impression employers get from what you show them, not just what you tell them in writing, but the writing and the portfolio are super important too if you make it that way. Here are five things I wish I knew about job hunting as a graduate and what you should know when looking for your first role.
Read the job description, then read it again and again.
It is one thing to be daring and another thing to completely ignore the brief that is the job description. You see, the basis of a job description is to describe who and what employers are looking for (which should tell you what they aren’t looking for if you read between the lines) in a candidate. Each company will have a way of working, the specific software they use, and the specialism they align with. If you read the job description that is what is being shared - who they want to join the team but also who they are. Of course, it can’t always be captured in a format of a few paragraphs, the details can be seen almost like a cover letter of their own, to you the potential candidate. Often job descriptions will highlight some key areas whether it is technical aptitude ( skill or level of skill i.e. number of years using XYZ) or sector experience and/or interest. As each candidate is unique, the balance of these areas is relative to the company whether they are a small or large practice. Being aware of the purpose of the job description in a job posting is important especially if one of the streams that you have decided to take on looking for a role is through job postings.
Cover letters don’t matter as much unless your CV needs explaining (or it is requested)
Cover letters or covering messages are a great way to talk about yourself in the context of a specific role. If you are anything like me I would spend countless hours writing cover letters for every single application I made. It is a document that is appreciated but the uncertainty of whether or not it is even read might leave you thinking it isn’t worth making the effort to do. I spent a lot of time trying to create a template but no matter how many tweaks I made, making tweaks was always what happened (and what should happen). There were some accidents (like forgetting to add the company name and sending it with a company you had previously applied to in a similar format) but ones that you learn from for sure. So should you still be writing cover letters? For the most part, if you feel like there is something missing in your CV that you feel you need to explain more, whether it is gaps in a CV or a particular work experience that allowed you to find the interests or develop the skills you currently do have then it is better to be safe than sorry. A cover letter doesn’t replace a CV, it is a bonus and is sometimes requested in job applications. Your focus should be your CV and having a strong portfolio that reflects your interest as well as your technical ability and architectural skills. These should always be your priority but always be prepared to write a cover letter should it be requested as part of an application altogether.
If they ask for a specific portfolio format, send your portfolio that way
In most jobs that are advertised given the variety of companies out there, they each have their way of receiving and viewing applications and applicants. If there are specific instructions for documents like your portfolio - follow them, it isn’t a trick question or a chance for you to be uber creative to do something out of the box. Most computers aren’t always equipped to view documents in new ways so having your portfolio in a readable format (that is usually detailed in the job description). Now that working from home has become a mode of work, complications or unreadable files immediately put you at a disadvantage because it becomes an issue and one that often means your application isn’t looked at anymore as employers don’t have time to engage with your application for as long as you might think.
Calling is always better than emailing first
Feel like emailing might be an easier way to get yourself noticed? Well, sadly you aren’t the only one who thinks that way. You see, email has become the best way to reach an employee or company but most of the time you aren’t the only one in their inbox. The reality is most employers will be flooded with emails on a regular basis whether they are advertising for a position or not. Calling will give them a chance to talk to a person first before a name, email address, and body of work. After all, even though the whole process of calling up can be nerve-wracking you’ll soon realize that there is simply another human on the other end. Like most things you won’t always have the opportunity to do this as some companies specifically ask that you don’t call them which you must always be mindful of. Give it a go, you’ll realize that it is easier to get information and questions answered in this manner whereas it might be difficult to get this kind of response and feedback immediately. A call is an opportunity for you to get information - directly such as who’d be the best person to send applications and emails to but also indirectly see what the employee (and sometimes even the employer if the practice is small) is like. Making calls can sometimes be a hit or a miss but the more you’ll build enough confidence to accept the no’s and you never know the next phone call might be the one that gets you to the job.
There is so much experience you grasp from applying to countless roles and either not getting responses or straight out rejections, it is inevitable. What you’ll soon realise is there is no right way to go about it, just a slow realisation of what gives you momentum to keep you going and become prepared for when that role does arrive.