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Interviewing is stressful. As years go by and you go through your fair share of interviews, you will find it comes easier and more naturally. Still, if you are interviewing for a job, you are probably in a fragile/desperate state where you either need a job or have to get out of your current job for whatever reason. This exacerbates the situation greatly.

I would like to recommend a few things to think about as you prepare for an interview. I say “recommend” because firms differ greatly and no one rule applies to interviewing for all architecture positions:

Be aware of yourself and how you are perceived.

Speak up!

Bring the materials you will need for a productive conversation.

Ask questions, at least one.

Know what you really want.

Negotiate.

Being aware of yourself involves multiple things and is about respecting yourself and the interview process.. Most importantly you need to dress well. You should remember that you are going into an interview with the hopes that this person will be giving you regular checks for a lot of money. Bums don’t get regular checks or make a lot of money so don’t dress like one.  The second, related, portion is grooming. If you are looking for a job its time for a new haircut and a shave if you are a guy (well, sometimes you girls may need to wax or bleach too). It probably isn’t an issue for most people, but I’ve seen some scary ones come through the doors. Lastly, being aware of yourself includes your posture. While you are sitting in your meeting, try to hold yourself up and stay attentive. Staying erect during your interview helps to at least fool the interviewer into believing you are interested in what they are saying. If nothing else it will let them know what side of Darwin’s chart you belong on.

Speak up so that you are an active part of the interview. Too many people view interviews as a one-sided thing. They aren’t. An interview is a conversation whereby both parties are expressing what they would like to get out of a mutual employment relationship; they are providing you with some cash while you are providing them with your expertise. Please don’t ever feel as though you are the inferior in this situation and do not let the interviewer dominate the conversation.

To have an effective conversation, you should bring the things you will need to have a productive one. Most people know to bring their portfolio and a resume. But what most people, including recent grads, don’t realize is that you will be spending almost half of the interview going over your working drawings. You need to bring a half-size (18″x24″) set of drawings that you are knowledgeable about. The potential employer needs to see what type of projects and drawings you have experience with in order to gauge how they will be able to use you in their office. Being prepared and going over your work samples will help you immensely in the interview process as you will be able to more effectively transfer your knowledge of the practice to the interviewer.

 Asking questions is a part of the conversation and having a few in your back pocket will help you be more engaged in the interview. Keep in mind though that you should have at least done some minimal research on the firm before showing up that day, so don’t ask them what types of projects they work on, unless they don’t have a website. Here are some examples of questions to go into your interview with:

What type of project teams does the firm work in?

Do they view mentoring as an important part of their business?

What specific projects would they see you working on?

Would they want you on one project for a long time or switching to multiple projects?

What size firm do they see themselves becoming in the near future?

These are just generic but they start to engage the idea of seeing you as a part of their team in the near to distant future. By doing so, they can already begin to think about how good of a fit you will be in their office.

Know what you really want and, more importantly, ask for it. If you have specific things you are looking for in a firm or want to work in a particular area, communicate that to them. Your questions that you go into the interview with can address these issues. For instance, if LEED and green design is very important to you, ask them what measures they take to incorporate this into their design practice. If you want a light-hearted casual office environment, ask them what they do for fun in the office. What you want in a job can vary from person to person. At this juncture, nothing is really off limits to ask if it helps you make a better decision as to whether you want to drag yourself into their office every morning.

Also part of knowing what you want involves how you will be compensated. Everyone goes into an interview with a general idea of how much money they want to make. It could even vary from firm to firm. As a general rule, take what you would accept to make and ask for 15% more than that. Sometimes you may even get what you ask for.

But usually firms offer less than that magical number in your head. To some people this may be a sticking point and they will continue on elsewhere. But what if you really like this company? What if it really pains you inside to turn down a job with them because of something as petty as money? Negotiate! Why wouldn’t you? That’s right, you are big boys and girls and you can actually barter with them to get what you really feel you are worth. Remember that any good firm will be looking for the “right” somebody to fill their position. If they have made you an offer then they have decided that they want you. Would they really let you go for something as petty as money? If you negotiate, they should be able to wiggle a little.

I have negotiated with every single firm I have worked for. It is one of the best things that you can do in your career, even though its the hardest thing to do sometimes. When you negotiate, not only do you have a great sense of self-satisfaction, but you are also confident that the employer actually wants you to be a part of their team.

Interviews should not be a painful experience because the general spirit intended in an interview is a positive one. Please go into your interviews with a game-plan so that you can make them as productive as possible.