Architecture Resume: Example, Template & Writing Guide [2024]
If you’re hoping to knock the socks off a hiring manager at an architectural firm, one of the most important things to have is a professional resume. Your resume needs to shine compared to the others that make it into the office. Having the right skills and experience is helpful but putting all that information together in a cohesive way is what often makes the difference between getting an interview and not being considered.
It might sound simple to put together an architect resume, but once you get started, you see the challenge. Writing a good resume is a skill that comes easily for some, while others need to put a lot of work into it. It doesn’t help that resumes can vary based on experience, skill, and other things. Making a resume from nothing might seem like an impossible task.
The good news is that this guide is designed to help you create excellent resumes for architectural jobs. We’ll walk you through all the sections to include, what information to highlight, and more so you can be certain that recruiters and hiring managers are impressed by what you place on the page.
Architecture Resume Examples
One tip that can make it easier to create a resume is knowing every job is different. In the past, it might have been fine to create a single resume based on architectural resume samples and send it in for every job. That isn’t the case today. Each resume needs to be different and focused on a specific position. The many architects resume samples online can help with that.
What you can do is take a sample architecture resume and use it to build a master resume. You create and save a document that has all the most important bits you’ll include on resumes for every job you apply to. So, you could list all your contact information, past jobs and what you did, and your educational background, and then pick and choose what to use on each resume.
The architect sample resume above can give you a great starting point for the journey. It will show you what a final resume might look like before you send it to a job. You’ll see all the sections, what they include, and how it’s formatted so you can use it as your own sample resume architect guide as you move forward.
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How to Write a Professional Architect Resume in 2024: Full Guide to the Best Architecture Resumes
While there are differences between an architecture student resume, an architectural intern resume, and an architectural designer resume, there are also many things they have in common. The basics of what to include are the same, although the specifics might change based on the job description. That’s why it’s essential to thoroughly read and dissect the description.
As we mentioned earlier, a master resume is something you can use to guide you. Building that essential document can start at this point. Outline the sections you will use, jot info about what you did at each job, include education information, and start thinking about the skills you have.
Once you finish the resume to send it on, it will typically have the following sections:
· Contact information
· A resume objective
· Work experience
· Education information
· A list of skills
· And some references
You can set up those sections now and get started with your architecture resume by filling in the additional information. This gets you started with a resume format so all you’ve done is include written bits inside each section as you go. While you follow this architecture resume guide, we’ll share how each of the resume components should look and what they should contain.
Section #1: Contact Information
When you send out a resume to recruiters, the first thing that should be seen is your contact information. Instead of delving into your skills, slow down and get some of the easy work out of the way. Make sure the person reading your resume can easily see who you are.
Your basic contact information is listed here so it’s an easy place to start. While there are a few ways to get this wrong, check for typos and make sure you use the right numbers.
Contact Information Example
You can see in the architect resume example above how this section might look. The contact area gives the basic information about the person applying for a job. There’s no need to go into experience or education, just introduce yourself with your name and provide ways for an employer to reach you.
There isn’t a lot needed here. A name, email address, and phone number are often enough. You can choose to add your full address or simply include your state or country of residence, so the employer knows where you are based.
If applicable, this is where you can also include your LinkedIn profile link. Other information is typically not needed. Just make sure to have your name, address, and two ways to contact you.
How to Format This Section
Formatting the contact information section is also pretty simple. You can make it a header on the top of the resume or place it on a sidebar on the left or right. The sample resume above shows how it looks with the latter design. In that case, the name is both on top and on the side of your architect resume. Use a legible font and make sure the font color works well with the color of the background.
Section #2: Resume Objective
Whether you’re an architect new grad or you’ve been in the industry for decades, a resume objective is a must-have. This is where you get to really show off what you’re capable of. The resume objective is a short section of one to four sentences and is made to truly sell you as a great person for the job.
Explain what you do but make sure you also prove it. Use numbers or other methods to show how you’ve made strides in past companies. You want to use your best accomplishments in this section. The challenge is making sure you sell yourself without making the section overly long. Keep it concise.
Resume Objective for Entry Level Architect Resumes
For a junior architect job, you might not have much (or any) experience. That’s okay. When you create the objective, simply focus on the skills and knowledge you do have. As you see above, this can be related to education or skills from other jobs. Lean into the things you are good at and let those move you forward in the hiring process.
Resume Objective for Experienced Architectural Resumes
A resume summary for a senior architect will look a bit different. At this point, you should be able to use past jobs as accomplishments. Think about the biggest and best things you’ve done and add those to the objective. Add in numbers and explain how you are the person that can help the company succeed in this position. Focus on skills you see in the job description whenever possible.
How to Format This Section
The resume format for this section is simple. What matters here is content more than how the content is formatted. Whether you are new to architecture or a seasoned pro, all you need to do is keep the blurb to four sentences or less. Use an easy-to-read font and make sure there aren’t any mistakes before you move on to the next section.
Section #3: Work Experience
The next section you’re going to start creating is the work history section. This is more than just showing you have a certain number of years of experience with similar positions. You want to delve deep into the responsibilities you held and how you went above and beyond to help the company succeed at whatever it does. If you got the recruiter interested in your resume objective, this is where you back up what you said.
For those who might have limited work encounters to add to the experience section, don’t let that worry you. You can add internships, volunteering, and other forms of employment to your architect resume to fill it out. Use action verbs in this section as much as possible. It feels better to read and makes it more likely you’ll be considered for a great position with excellent pay and benefits.
Work Experience Example
As you see in the example above, the applicant has a good amount of experience in the field. While you may have worked in different roles with other projects, you can use the architect resume example to get a feel for what to include here. Whatever you did on a daily basis should be included, especially if it was something where you can list an achievement next to it.
This is another area where you want to keep the job description at hand. The keywords you find there are what you want to weave into your own experience if it fits. The more you can show you’ve done what is needed well, the more likely you’ll end up with the job. So, scour for words that matter and add those in whenever you have the option to do so.
How to Format This Section
Many of the architect resume samples you see will be in reverse-chronological order. You can also choose a functional format if you have less experience. Either is common and the hiring manager will be familiar with them. The last thing you want to do is choose a format that isn’t standard. This can be confusing to whoever is looking over the architect resume.
The headings will have information about the company, position, and years you worked there. Underneath, make sure to utilize bullet points. This lets you easily break up job responsibilities and make them stand out. It’s easier to read for the person at the desk than a block of text, which means it’s more likely they’ll notice your achievements.
Section #4: Education
Now we come to the education section. This is where you’re going to list your bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, certifications, or other educational pursuits you’ve completed in the past. The main purpose of this section is to show the hiring manager that you have the needed education to handle the job. This will usually be listed on the job description if you aren’t sure how you stand up to the requirements.
Keep in mind that you should include all degrees. However, if you have degrees beyond a high school diploma, the diploma doesn’t need to be listed. While certifications often go in the education section, it’s a matter of preference. Those with several to list can also choose to create a specific section for them.
Education Section Example
The architecture resume above gives a visual of what this might look like for someone with two degrees. It has only the important information rather than delving into things like GPA and classes taken. Your education might look different based on what degrees you have and how much experience you already have in the workplace.
If you have certifications, you can separate them from the degrees or simply add them in using reverse-chronological order. Either works but make sure you include everything since you never know what will be the extra piece of information that gets you into an interview.
How to Format This Section
For a professional architecture resume, the formatting needs to be perfect. List your most recent degree or cert, and then move backward from that. Be sure you list the school, when you went, and what degree or certification you received to provide all the needed information.
If you are in school or have recently finished, added other information can be useful. This is where you might go into challenging classes you’ve taken, special projects you did related to architecture, and other things of that nature. For those who have a decent amount of experience, there’s no reason to add all this in since your experience will speak to your knowledge.
Section #5: Skills
As we get toward the end of the resume, we need to talk about architecture resume skills. While you create this section, make sure you talk about both soft skills and hard skills. Hard skills are technical skills that relate to the job. These are skills that can be trained. Soft skills are people skills and may be impossible to attain with training.
Some of the common skills used on an architect resume include:
· Revit AutoCAD
· Project Management
· Problem-Solving
· SketchUp
· Building Codes
· 3D Models
· BIM
· Communication Skills
· Graphic Design
· Interior Design
Feel free to add some of these to your own resume if they apply. Otherwise, you can use the list as a guide to come up with the best skills to use based on your experience and the job you want to land.
Skills Example
The example above is a good idea of how this section will look. Your skills likely will be slightly different, but the important thing is, to be honest. A realistic set of skills is better than a creative resume. You want to make sure you can back up what you list if you end up getting the position.
Go back to the job description to see what skills are listed and include the ones that you have. You don’t need a huge list of skills and should make sure that isn’t what you end up with. If you need to, pare down the list to the most essential ones for this particular position.
How to Format This Section
The skills section is a good place to incorporate a minimalist architecture resume format. Think about the most important skills that you are good at and add them. Then make sure you go deeper by having a format that shows how adept you are at each of the skills. Ranking, stars, or a short phrase explaining your level of skill will be useful to the person reading the resume.
Section #6: References
We started the resume with a section that was easy to build. Now we’re going to end it in the same way. However, keep in mind that this section is still super important. As one of many job seekers looking to join an architecture firm, references are essential. Choosing the right references can be the clincher that gets you an interview so make sure you select people who can speak to your skills and talents.
References Example
The people who are hiring for architecture jobs want to see that other people vouch for your skills. This is why you can see in the example resume that three references are included. Adding the references to the resume is recommended since the manager will want to have them later if you move forward.
Adding them to the resume now saves time on both ends. The above example gives you an idea of one way to incorporate them into the architect resume, although there are others. If possible, it’s a good idea to include references from more than one company. One reference can even be used for a professor or someone from the community that knows you.
How to Format This Section
As mentioned, the architect resume template has a spot for references. All you have to do is choose a template and plug in the information. You can add anywhere from three to five references but going over or under isn’t recommended. The choice of references will vary from person to person but avoid using friends or family members as that can come off as unprofessional.
In the example above, you see the name and business where each person works. However, the contact information isn’t provided. This provides privacy to your references until someone asks about them. You can also list the information or leave the section as a blanket section for the manager to contact you about.
Other Related Resume Templates
One of the best methods for creating the document you need fast is by using an architecture resume template. Instead of opening up Microsoft Word and formatting everything on your own, it’s done for you. This is the easiest possible way to build your resume. Plus, once you’re done, that resume can be tweaked for other jobs.
The resume throughout this guide is a good place to start, but you may or may not like the template itself. If you want to see a few examples of other options, we have you covered. Even the ones unrelated to architecture can be changed around to meet your needs.
· Business System Analyst Resume
All you have to do is select an architect resume template and add in your info. Read through it to make sure there are no errors. Ensure the colors and font you choose look professional. Proofread with a program like Grammarly to make sure it looks great. Then you’ll be ready to call your architect resume a masterpiece.
Final Points on Writing Effective Professional Architecture Resumes
At this point, you have all the information you need to create the perfect resume for an architect position. Before you go ahead and send it to a hiring manager, there’s one more step you may need to take. Creating a cover letter is another essential step to being considered for a job. If you haven’t already made one for the job, go ahead and do that before you apply.
Just to go over things one more time, your architect resume needs to show you have the skills for the job and the education to push you forward. Explain who you are, what you can do, and the skills you have, and back it up with great references. This is the best way to get yourself into a room for an interview. Good luck!