Being an architect is a great career choice, but it takes more than just having a pretty face. You need to be good at communicating with people of all levels- not only your colleagues, but also clients and superiors as well!

Architects must have a solid understanding of design theory and concepts, as well as practical skills in designing buildings or landscapes. Beyond that, being able to manage time effectively and work under pressure are essential requirements for architects.

It’s easy to get distracted by social media while you’re waiting for a client to arrive, or by email once you got into the office. Architects must be aware of this so they don’t lose momentum and start working before everything is ready.

In addition, like any other professional, architects should strive to keep their personal life separate from their work. A lot of resources can’t be accessed online, which means keeping private contacts up to date and avoiding distractions during business hours is important.

Finalizing projects can take a long time, especially if you have to do some research or talk to someone about what needs to be done next. Getting things done efficiently is crucial to staying productive.

You will probably have to deal with deadlines outside of work too, such as when classes are held. It is helpful to understand how to motivate yourself and others around you to meet these obligations.

Find the right clients

As with any other profession, your success as an architect depends largely on who you are choosing as your client. If you choose high-profile or well-known companies that have lots of money to spend, you will not see a lot of changes done to their buildings.

If you pick average consumers, they may want something simple but elegant, so look for businesses that fall into this category. The best way to find these types of clients is by networking!

Networking can be in person, via phone calls, through social media, or even through free sources like LinkedIn. Starting off with “hello” conversations and then moving onto more professional topics is a good way to get some work.

Another way to gain exposure is putting up flyers and business cards at events and meetings, especially if there is an association with architecture involved. Business people talk about what services they use often, so try to add value by talking about your skills as an architect.

Offer your services for a low fee

The next way to get into architecture is by offering your service for free or very little money. While this may seem weird, it’s not totally off-track. Doing so will hopefully catch someone’s eye and give you some leads down the line.

By offering your skills as an architect free of cost, you are clearly stating that you want to be seen as an expert in your field. You also want to gain recognition for being able to show people how to do things within your area. This is great if you ever wanted to go pro!

The hard part about doing this though is knowing what types of clients to approach with your talents. If you offer free advice to everyone who asks, then no one will take you seriously.

Create a company

Now that you have your portfolio proof, it’s time to start thinking about how to get architectural work. While having an impressive portfolio is great, it won’t necessarily open many doors for you.

Most architects don’t just randomly call out potential clients. They spend hours researching their market before they even approach them.

The same goes for getting employment as an architect! Before trying to pitch yourself to anyone, make sure you know who your competition is, what kind of projects they’ve done, and whether or not you can be differentiated from them.

This article will talk you through some ways to gain professional recognition as an architecture student or recent graduate. We'll also look at some easy ways to increase your profile online so people can learn more about you.

Register your company

Now that you have done some of the hard work by educating yourself about architecture, designing buildings, and developing your skills, it’s time to look for professional opportunities. Finding employment as an architect can be tricky since most people are not professionally trained in design, so there is a limited pool of jobs available.

Most architects start working after they earn their bachelor’s degree in architectural studies or business administration with a major in architecture. After this, they may go onto obtain a master’s degree in architecture or pursue certification such as the Architectural Technology Certificate (AATC) from The Australian Institute of Architects (GAIA).

These degrees and certifications are great ways to prove your expertise but professionals don’t usually rely only on these credentials to show off their talent. Having past experience as an architect will win you more job interviews than just showing off academic certificates.

Obtain insurance

It is very important to have adequate architectural liability coverage. This includes coverage for general liability, professional malpractice, and business property damage.

It is also important to be aware of what types of policies you have and what each one covers. For example, most policy forms include an “errors and omissions” coverage section that covers negligence. However, this only applies if there was negligent action or inaction during the course of your work. If your work involved designing a building that never got built, this type of coverage would not apply!

Furthermore, many companies will require you to have professional liability coverage as well. Because you are working with others who may incur financial losses due to your skills, these policies cover any lawsuits arising out of your practice (including those filed by current students).

Lastly, some firms will require you to have business auto coverage in case something gets vandalized or you need to run some sort of errand related to your job.

Image sourced from Pexels.com.

Keep in mind that even though your employer likely has medical benefits, you still need to make sure you have adequate personal insurance. In fact, it is your responsibility to do so even before being hired!

Never forget that having enough insurance means little when you don’t have enough money to pay for it. Figure out how much it costs to live a modest lifestyle while you are studying architecture and try to save up for that amount per month.

Know your clients

The second key element in being an architect is knowing who your client or customers are, and what their needs are. You can’t become an expert in architecture if you don’t know anything about it!

As such, how well you connect with people is one of the most important things that will determine whether you get hired or not, and whether you enjoy working as an architect.

It also sets the bar for how successful you will be as an architect, because architects with more interpersonal skills are likely to earn more than those who struggle to relate to others.

So, how do you improve your networking skills? Here are some tips from us here at The Architect’s Office.

Do your research

As mentioned before, being professional is about establishing yourself as someone who knows what you are talking about. If you don’t have much experience in an area, that’s okay! But at least make sure you are familiar with the basics.

It’s important to recognize that not all fields are equal. For example, people who work in health related areas like medicine or nursing will always be preferred over architects because they go to more educational events and listen to talk shows and podcasts about healthcare.

If you are very passionate about architecture then start reading architectural magazines and listening to architect themed music. You can also take some courses through universities or private institutions.

But if you are more artistic than analytical, try taking art classes instead of drawing classes. By learning how to create different styles, you’ll learn something new from it.

Something similar happens when studying literature- there are many styles authors use to tell their stories. By experimenting with different ones, you’ll find one that fits yours.

Create a good website

A very popular way to get into architecture is through creating your own personal webpage or profile. Yours can be completely free, but you will need to make yourself available for jobs by having a complete portfolio and listing yourself as an architect on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

It’s also important to establish solid communication skills so that you can communicate effectively with potential employers.