Your portfolio should create a clear portrait of you.
Most importantly, your goal is to make it easy for the employer to review your portfolio.
= PDF up to 10 MB.
Do not attach download links; employers should be able to view the file even on the go on their phone. If they need to open links and wait for downloads, they may become frustrated and lose interest. While you can send links to platforms like Behance, this isn’t ideal either, as navigating multiple tabs hinders a cohesive impression of your skills.
In the end, your portfolio should create a clear portrait of you.
🍪 Think about how you’d like to be presented—as an architect-visualizer, architect-artist, or designer-researcher? Keep this in mind while working on your portfolio.
The first page - a brief CV. This can be sent separately, but it’s more convenient for the company if it’s already in the portfolio.
What should your CV include?
You have only six seconds to make a first impression, the average time recruiters spend viewing a CV.
Include your age, education, work experience, internships, language skills (important if the office works with international clients and partners), and the software you know.
📎 Tip: If the company uses, for example, QGIS and you don’t know it, list it on your CV anyway. You’ll have time to learn the basics between the offer and the start date.
Include any participation in competitions and workshops to show that you’re genuinely passionate about the profession!
📎 By the way, it’s not necessary to list only winning competitions.
Focus first on the visual style and layout—the composition, style, and presentation. Poorly designed portfolios can obscure even great projects.
Don’t include every project; only those that best represent you and are relevant to the office you’re applying to. Poor-quality work can overshadow successful projects.
Quality over quantity.
Show your toolkit: “Here’s how I draft, here’s my graphic style, here’s how I visualize, here’s how I model, and here are my sketches.”
Creating your own style and personal brand is essential for us.
• Identify your unique features and strengths. Each of us has distinct qualities, from specific techniques and interests to design approaches or project types where we particularly excel. For instance, I’m always drawn to inclusive design—working closely with local communities and residents of project sites or nearby areas. I apply this vision in interviews, competitions, and my work. Your unique qualities and strengths should be reflected in your portfolio. Remember, try to create your portrait through your portfolio—not only as a professional but also as an individual.
• Establish a unique visual style. Your visual style should represent your personality and uniqueness as an architect. It should be consistent throughout your portfolio. Not every project has to look the same, but your style should be unmistakably yours. Do you love using pastel tones? Or prefer futuristic architecture? Show it. Don’t change just to fit a company’s criteria.
• Develop your personal brand. I only started studying this topic last month. Your personal brand should convey your uniqueness and what you offer as an architect. It can include your name, logo, slogan, and other visual or conceptual elements that reflect your identity. For example, Kengo Kuma’s work is characterized by wood, while BIG focuses on innovation and climate change.
Written by: Mariam Zelimger, Co-founder of archcampus
