Internships are revered experiences that students and professionals may often need to supplement their academic endeavors. The window of opportunity for internships is approaching as the new year welcomes us, and there’s no better time than now! This is an excellent time for our students to prepare all materials for applications in anticipation of the summer of 2022 because unpredictable events could force you to push it off to the very end. And, we all know how that turns out…
Although internships seem peculiar for professionals, they offer valuable insight and experiences into new positions even with years of experience working. For our professionals, this period can bring forth many questions about your role and identity moving into the new year that may require you to put yourself in an uncomfortable position. Our team at ArchiHacks understands this pressure all too well, and like you, we are considering how we can grow too! Whether a student or professional, these eight tips will help you kickstart the next opportunity for you!
1. Find Your Design Role!
At times, we are given an opportunity, and it’s not exactly what we hope for, so what do we do? Seize it! There’s a general understanding that gaining a competitive edge in the internship or hiring process requires having previous experience in the same industry. However, the design profession allows individuals to meld unique experiences together, formulating a different path that others could not duplicate. One could pursue an architecture internship, but it’ll be remiss of us not to highlight possibilities for a design student to explore other design areas, such as interior, workspace, landscape, graphic, web, venues, etc.
As it stands, architectural design applies to other fields of design, and knowledge of different areas can complement and inform new architecture applications through design. Take Virgil Abloh, a formally trained architect who became a well-known American fashion designer, a creative director for Louis Vitton’s menswear, and the CEO of Off-White. It’s a safe assumption that Abloh uses multiple principles of design and thought to inform his decisions that led to his fame. So, our question of finding your design role doesn’t just fall within what firm to choose, but what direction do you hope to explore!
2. Extend Yourself
Any career can be as small or big as an individual makes it, and the number of opportunities will multiply the further one extends themselves. It’s unfortunate that sometimes having the best resume or portfolio isn’t enough. Specifically, in architecture, most hired roles in larger well-known firms are typically through references or word of mouth. As such, a professional network of colleagues, peers, or advisors can make a significant difference!
However, a network is not enough either; it’s critical to speak up and share that you are looking for an opportunity! No one will know if you are applying or looking if there’s no indication that you are!
Lastly, you may not check all the boxes listed in the job description, but apply anyway! Keep in mind; this might be mentally more difficult for some for various reasons. We understand that it can be disheartening to see or feel rejection, but there could still be an opportunity waiting! There are no concrete ways for anyone to know who is applying or if someone is a good fit for the role simply on paper. Besides, you don’t lose anything by applying, and who knows, if you apply the following year again, they may even remember you!
3. Flex Your Virtual Skills
With an uncertain end to the current environment, opportunities for remote or hybrid internships will stick around, and it’s critical to demonstrate skills highlighting adaptability, communication, and software competency. However, it’s not just software skills, but writing and communication are even more critical now, so make sure to demonstrate this in your cover letter, resume, and portfolio! It’s a great time to explore unique subsets of architecture, like arch visualization or graphic design, that a firm can utilize to its benefit too.
4. Write a Great Cover Letter
Don’t underestimate a strong cover letter, and don’t just copy/paste the same generic letter you send to every firm. With time opening up during the holiday break, it’s important to research and tailor each letter to the specific firm. Cover letters are an excellent opportunity to tell the employer what kind of addition you would make to the team. (Are you enthusiastic? Calm and collected? Focus and analytical?)
With any written document, it’s great to have a well-structured template for your cover letter before tailoring it to each firm. There are tons of resources and examples of strong cover letters for you to learn from, and we can’t choose just one! Avoid having typos or incorrect grammar; this can instantly turn off the recruiter!
5. Make a Clear Resume
A clear and standard resume is always a good option when applying for internships, but there’s a strong urge among designers to utilize their resume as the second introduction to their design skills. As a result, it’s common to find students or young professionals a culprit of over-designing their resume making it unclear to a reader. A typical “no-no” contains a profile picture on your resume and excessive amounts of color. Color is excellent for showing personality, but the color should use it sparingly on a resume. Everyone wants to make an impression, but in this case, “less is more” is very critical for resume designing.
Yes, resume designing. There should be careful consideration of the font hierarchy, font size, legibility, and information so anyone can quickly extrapolate information and determine if it’s the right fit. It’s essential to cater and omit information too, so the resume is clear, and don’t be afraid of negative spaces! Let the info breathe!
A resume is an appetizer – show your whole personality in the meal, which is your portfolio.
6. Refine and Make a Catered Portfolio
Every person has their favorite cuisine; likewise, every firm will have specific design motifs and characteristics that they search for in a portfolio. This portion is the toughest because there aren’t any right or wrong decisions when creating your portfolio, and when given too many choices – it makes it ten times harder! Although we can’t provide too much direction for your portfolio, our team of designers can review and provide constructive feedback for further refinement! Check out our 1:1 Portfolio Review!
This is where most students and professionals will be stopped, and some will move forward, which is entirely okay! Finding the proper role and opportunity isn’t always easy, but just keep putting yourself out there!
7. Remember Interviews = A Conversation
It’s no surprise that anyone can get nervous, and being interviewed could be nerve-wracking. We are here to remind you that interviews are conversations, and as much as one can prepare, there’s not an exact science to interviews. The firm will have viewed your cover letter, resume, and portfolio, so an interview is a chance for you to build rapport and determine if there’s a social and work connection. It’s important to remember that firms have to be selective when introducing new members into a tight-knit team!
After an interview, always follow up with a thank you email at the minimum. This extra gesture truly shows the employer your appreciation for the time and opportunity. To put the cherry on top, you could mention something you learned during the interview or that you are following up on the question they asked.
8. No Internships ≠ The End
Ultimately, internships are excellent supplemental education, but it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have an internship under your belt. In one of Architizer’s live series, Mistakes Well Made, Michael Riscica shares, “One mistake I made a lot in architecture school, and I still see students doing it, is just taking themselves too seriously. But, guys, listen, it’s just architecture school. Have fun with it… It’s not going to ruin you if you mess something up.” This perspective can translate to internships, not having an internship won’t ruin you, but it can open more doors as your professional network expands with each experience. Again, we’d be remiss if we don’t remind you that any professional role can inadvertently shift your architectural view, so chase after any design opportunity because it can change everything!
ArchiHacks Intern Creator
Now, speaking of internships, we are searching for our own student intern! This unique position offers exposure to diverse facets of the multi-media publishing process and operation in the field of architecture. We also have several exciting conceptual design, multi-media, technology projects in progress, and the intern will get a unique opportunity to work on all elements of these projects.
Learn more about the role and apply through Arch Hive!
Well, that’s all we have for you today, and if you’ve made it this far, you deserve a cookie. I hope you found this article interesting and took something from it! Sharing is caring! We hope to provide you with valuable insights and share them with someone who might find this useful. Make sure to follow our Youtube and Instagram for more content!