Architect resume example

• Entry level

  Architectural designer with a Master of Architecture from a NAAB-accredited program and two years at a mid-size firm. Produces Revit models and drawing sets for multifamily and education projects, prepares code analyses and accessibility reviews, and builds study models in Rhino. AXP hours complete and three ARE divisions passed, with licensure expected within the next year.

• Mid level

  Licensed architect with eight years in K-12 and higher education design. Leads design development and construction documents, coordinates engineers and specification writers, and runs construction administration on projects up to 120,000 square feet. Holds LEED AP BD+C and has delivered seven school buildings from schematic design to occupancy, all permitted in two review cycles or fewer.

• Senior

  Licensed architect and associate principal with seventeen years in healthcare and civic architecture. Leads project teams of up to twelve, manages client relationships and fees, and sets technical standards for the office. Holds the NCARB Certificate and licenses in three states. Has delivered more than 1.5 million square feet of built work under design-bid-build and CM at risk.

• Using the title "Architect" before licensure

  Fix: If you are not yet licensed, a title like "Architect" can raise questions under state law and with employers. Use your actual job title, such as Architectural Designer or Job Captain, and list your licensure progress. Once you are licensed, put the state and year in a licenses section so readers can check it.

• Listing projects without your role or phase

  Fix: A list of building names tells a principal little. For each project, give size, type, delivery method and your part: led design development, ran CDs for the envelope, managed construction administration. If you only worked on one phase, say so clearly rather than implying you designed the whole building.

• Skipping construction administration

  Fix: Firms need people who can take a building through construction. List submittals and RFIs you handled, site visits, punch lists and change order reviews. Give counts where you can. A project architect who has closed out buildings is worth more to a firm than one who has only worked on early design.

• Hiding code and technical knowledge behind design talk

  Fix: Design language belongs in the portfolio. On the resume, show code analysis, egress and life safety plans, accessibility reviews, envelope detailing and specifications. Name the codes you work with and the authority approvals you have obtained. Principals look for evidence you can produce a permit set that passes review.

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• Led construction documents for a 110,000-square-foot middle school, coordinating 6 consultant disciplines and issuing a permit set approved in 2 review cycles.
• Ran construction administration on a 4-story library, reviewing 320 submittals and answering 190 RFIs with an average 4-day turnaround.
• Designed the envelope and detailed a rainscreen system for a 7-story residence hall that passed 100% of field water testing.
• Prepared IBC code analyses and life safety plans for 15 projects, with no egress comments from the building department.
• Presented schematic options to a school board in 4 public meetings, reaching approval of the preferred scheme on schedule.
• Built a Revit template and detail library that cut drawing setup time 30% across a 40-person office.
• Led a LEED Gold certification effort for a 60,000-square-foot community center, documenting 64 points.
• Managed punch lists and closeout for 9 projects, holding final completion within 30 days of substantial completion.
• Reduced a hospital addition's construction cost estimate 8% during design development through value engineering with the contractor.
• Mentored 6 designers through AXP; 4 completed the ARE within three years.

• Tailor the project list to the firm's work

  Architecture firms specialize. A healthcare firm reads for hospital and clinic experience, an education firm for schools and campus buildings. Move matching projects to the top of each role, use the firm's delivery method terms if you have worked under them, and cut unrelated projects to a short line. Keep a master project list for this. Tailor your architecture resume to a firm

• Pair the cover letter with your portfolio

  Open with the project in your portfolio that is closest to the firm's work and point to the page number. Explain your role and one design or technical problem you solved. Mention your license status or ARE progress, and whether you can relocate or work across state lines. Write an architect cover letter

• Prepare to walk through a drawing set

  Architecture interviews often turn into portfolio reviews, and some firms ask you to discuss a detail or a set of CDs. Choose two projects you can explain from concept to construction, including a mistake caught in the field and how you fixed it. Be ready to explain your part on team projects clearly. Practice architect interview questions

• Keep architecture and interior scope distinct

  If your work includes tenant improvements or interiors, describe them in architectural terms: code, egress, building systems and permits. Hiring managers for architecture roles want to see the building side. The interior designer example shows how that role frames similar projects, so you can avoid overlap and keep your page focused. See the interior designer example