A portfolio is your second chance to make a great first impression, especially if you are looking for employment in the field of architecture. Employers look at past work experiences to determine whether or not they want to give you a job.

In the age of the internet, it is easy to showcase your skills by creating YouTube videos or posting pictures online. But putting together a quality architectural portfolio is much more than just having fun doing so or using flashy fonts and colors.

It’s hard to be noticed when most people have access to similar materials. Even professional architects don’t always put effort into showcasing their talents due to time constraints.

That doesn’t mean you can’t get some design inspiration! There are many free resources available via sites like Pinterest and Google+. By studying other designers’ work, you will learn how to apply these designs to your own projects and add your personal touch.

Editorial style portfolios are also very popular as they emphasize content over decorations. Some students may feel that designing looks is their main strength, but staying true to what makes you passionate about buildings is important.

This article will go through several ways to assemble and organize an effective architectural portfolio. We will talk about what types of evidence you should include and how to present yourself professionally.

Create your own architecture portfolio

Now that you have found your passion, it is time to showcase this talent! While some may be able to pick up styles from looking at other people’s work, most don’t.

Running into problems trying to mimic what they see can sometimes be more discouraging than helpful. You might not feel confident in your abilities so you do something simple like put your logo on it instead of creating your own style.

That would be very boring! If you are ever feeling discouraged, remember that you created your skills by doing things you loved, and now you can turn those into profits.

Creating your own look and developing your style takes practice, but isn’t anything you aren’t capable of. You are probably already familiar with basic architectural concepts, so why not take those ideas and make them yours?

You never know when someone will ask for your design portfolios, or how much exposure you want to aim for.

Design your portfolio

After deciding where you want to showcase your architectural skills, you will need to actually design your pictures and videos. You can do this easily using free website building tools or by designing them in a software package such as Photoshop or Sketch.

The best way to make your architecture portfolio look professional is to use off-the-shelf products that have been vetted and approved by experts. This is not only due to their quality, but also because they are usually very affordable.

There are many ways to learn how to take good pictures of buildings, but most people starts with taking pictures of landscapes and then moving onto more complex types of shots. Starting with simple landscape photos can be quite boring, so try finding new locations to take pictures from and get some interesting backgrounds.

As mentioned before, keeping it natural is always better than going for posed photographs.

Edit your portfolio

After you have gathered all of your images, it is time to edit them! Depending on what software you use, different ways exist to organize and edit your pictures. For instance, some will ask you to group similar photos together in folders or collections.

There are many free photo editing apps available for both iOS and Android devices. Some of the most well-known ones include Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, Pixlr-Studio, and PicMonkey. They are all very similar, so choosing which one is best depends on personal preference.

You should try out at least two of these apps to see how they coordinate with other features such as cloud storage and sharing. This way you can create separate accounts for each app, which helps keep track of all of your work.

Share your portfolio

After you have designed several projects, it is time to showcase them! If you are looking to get into architecture or want to improve your design skills, sharing your work is key.

There are many ways to share your designs such as through social media, blogs, magazines, etc. Starting off with something familiar will help gain attention and feedback.

By creating and sharing an architectural portfolio, you will also be representing yourself as an architect. This is important since most firms require one before being considered. By showcasing your talent, people will know that you can do this field justice.

Furthermore, most architects have their own personal portfolios where they display all of their work. By learning how to create yours, you will set yourself apart from the rest.

Practice making an architectural portfolio

After you have designed your dream house, it is time to start thinking about how to showcase your skills as an architect! Creating an architecture portfolio is probably the next most important step in advancing your career.

Mostly, people get discouraged when they try to show off their design talents and there are many things that can be the cause of this. This article will talk you through some reasons why creating an architecture portfolio is so difficult for most architects.

It’s true – being able to draw really well isn’t enough these days to guarantee success in the art world. But what is? Being a good designer comes down to knowing how to use software like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign effectively, along with having understanding and knowledge of styles, trends, and fundamentals of designing.

However, it's more than just putting together pretty pictures or picking any old style and calling it yours. It takes someone who is passionate about architecture to make it into a successful piece. People may not always know they want something related to architecture, but if you can convey that passion, then others will pick up on it and add value to the project.

Your audience doesn't necessarily have to think that what you're showing them is cool, but rather learn something from you. They might even create their own ideas based on your designs.

Tell them what you’ve done

The second way to make your architecture portfolio more impressive is by telling people about it. You can take some time to write down all of your experiences, or you can just pick one thing that you have recently completed and tell someone about it.

It does not need to be elaborate — sometimes a simple project like creating an infographic will do the trick! People are fascinated by how designers create pictures and information to tell a story, so why not show off your design skills?

If possible, try to do this in person or via Skype so that you can include some voice content which adds another layer to your talk.

Get job offers

Now that you have your portfolio, it is time to start looking for jobs! While having a professional degree helps, being able to show off your skills as an architect is what really sets you apart from others.

Networking is one of the most important things when it comes to finding employment anywhere. By constantly interacting with people, you’ll find there are always opportunities floating around.

You can also create account profiles on social media sites like LinkedIn where you can advertise yourself as an architect or search through their career section to see if anyone is recruiting.

Apply for jobs

After you have gathered your supplies and done some research, it is time to apply all of that knowledge to gain employment as an architect! If you are looking to establish yourself as an architecture professional, then start networking and applying for positions now.

Many architects will actively recruit professionals with experience so do not be shy about asking if anyone knows of any opportunities. You should also keep up-to-date on current projects and developments in the field so that when such an opportunity comes along, you are prepared.

Furthermore, attending events related to your career choice can help promote your image as a trustworthy individual.