© Annie Spratt. Image Courtesy of Architect-US

How To Get a Job at a Top US Architecture Firm

由专筑网李韧，蒋晖编译

找工作真不是一件容易的事情，对于求职者而言，这件事情真的太头疼，对于HR来说，这也是个费时费力的工作。尤其是，如果你想要在美国的顶级建筑事务所找到满意的工作，那么更是难上加难。但是仍然还是有许多精英们，希望在美国找到合适的工作，但这个过程需要有许多步骤，例如规则与制度、签证流程、移民文件等等。

Looking for a job isn’t fun. It’s nerve-wracking for the applicant and it’s often time-consuming for the potential employer as well. It can be even worse if you’re job-seeking internationally, hoping for a position with a top firm in the United States. For an applicant from another country hoping to make the move to an architecture career in the US, the process can seem overwhelming: rules and regulations, visa issuance processes, and loads of supplementary documentation necessary for immigration.


© Wojtek Witkowski. Image Courtesy of Architect-US

但是，通过一些小技巧，你能够更加快速地在知名事务所找到实习或是工作职位，从而开始你的职业生涯。当然，这也只是一些小小的建议，帮助你能够快速地找到工作。

Architect-US是全球平台，与许多美国顶尖的建筑事务所都保持着合作关系，能够帮助许多求职者完成整个工作申请流程，另外还能够为面试、作品集、签证等步骤提供有效的建议。通过Architect-US平台的许多求职者已经入职诸如OMA、SOM、SHoP Architects、Diller Scofidio + Renfro、Handel Architects、S9 Architecture等知名事务所。

而国际的签证申请步骤非常复杂，这不仅仅会占用大量的时间，而且与公司的沟通过程也让人十分头疼。因此需要申请者能够获得正确的信息，并且充分了解具体需求，这样才能够减少一些时间的浪费。下文是来自Architect-US平台的建议，以下5点也许能够帮助你快速地找到合适的工作岗位。

However, with a little help, landing that job or internship at a well-known firm is a great way to get your foot in the door and begin your career in the States. It is just a matter of reaching out to a professional career program and trusting initiatives that encourage professional exchange for international architects looking to work in the US.
Architect-US is a global platform that works with top architecture studios in the United States to help applicants through the whole job/internship entry process - providing advice with the interview process, mentoring with the portfolio, securing a J1 visa, and most importantly finding a job in the US. Architect-US has found hundreds of applicants paid jobs and internships at prestigious studios such as OMA, SOM, SHoP Architects, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Handel Architects, S9 Architecture and more.
As an international applicant, navigating the visa process can be worrisome. It not only takes valuable time away from you, but it can be complicated to coordinate with a firm, especially when they are looking for someone to fill that position right away. So, getting the right information and covering all the essential points will save you time and stress. All these beneficial tools and guides are given to every participant that enrolls in the Architect-US Program. Below are some tips from Architect-US on how to make yourself a stand-out applicant for a job or internship at a top American studio. Here are the five main points we found most interesting from their recommendations:


© Colton Duke. Image Courtesy of Architect-US

1、首先，要有所准备

不幸的是，大多数公司都希望能够员工快速上手，因此本地人就有了很大的优势。因此，你要提前做好你能够做的事，这样大大有益。

重要的是，在你开始申请流程之前，你就需要有明确的目标，而唯一的方法就是投入时间进行研究。但是，有时候闭门造车会让你的方向走偏，甚至让你迷惑，因此你要找到可靠的资源信息，来帮助你理解其他内容。

因此，你需要在求职与签证过程中寻找到能够进行专业回答的专业人士，或是在面试之前询问一些有相关经验的人。

从实际角度来说，在面试之前，一定要多准备一份简历或者作品集，因为有的公司会希望可以保留一份你的简历。同时，准备好如何描述你的过往经历，以及选择这家公司的原因。另外你还需要准备好提问问题，从而表达出你对该公司的兴趣。

最后，申请公司也许会对你进行一些网上调查，因此你要准备好你的个人网站等等，例如LinkedIn等其他专业个人资料集，另外，尽量让你的社交媒体信息看起来积极向上。

1. Be Prepared
The unfortunate truth is that most companies are looking to fill a position quickly, with local candidates often having a better chance. So anything and everything you can do to be one step ahead of the game will greatly benefit you in the process.
It’s important that you have clear expectations when jumping into the application process, and the only way to do that is by putting in the time to do research. Unfortunately, researching on your own will not always give you the right answers, it can, in fact, add more confusion to the process, so you probably should rely on trusted sources that can really help you understand all the information.
Architect-US ensures that all of your uncertainties during your job-hunting or visa process are answered by an experienced professional in the field. Even knowing the appropriate compensation for someone with your experience level before an interview can be critical.
Starting from a practical level, always be sure to have extra copies of your CV/resume and portfolio when you’re interviewing for a position in case they want to keep a copy of your documents. Of course, also be prepared to talk about your work and past job experiences and how they’ve made you an ideal candidate to join your chosen firm. Also, have specific questions ready to ask your interviewer(s) to show your genuine interest in their studio’s work.
Lastly, the company you’re applying to will almost certainly run an internet search on you, so prepare your personal online brand as well. It’s helpful to have an up-to-date LinkedIn or other professional profile and to make sure any additional social media accounts are either future-boss-friendly or set to private.


© Jonathan Farber. Image Courtesy of Architect-US

2、完善你的个人简历与作品集

正如你所知，建筑领域非常看重表达，因此你的作品选择便非常重要。记住，作品集是建筑师的名片。

通常来说，新兴建筑师们并不知道该如何让作品脱颖而出，亦或是什么才是正确的格式？应该包含哪些内容？Architect-US平台团队会提供有合理的指导方式，从而让作品更加吸睛。

“修改作品集其实是一件很头疼的事，但是我很高兴经历了几次有效的修正，最终得到了很好的成果，更好地展示了项目。”
——就职于SHoP Architects事务所的建筑实习生

2. Touch up Your Resume and Portfolio
As you all know, the architecture field is very visual, and your portfolio is crucial when it comes to a selection process. Remember the portfolio is the Architects' business card!
Often times, people don’t know how to make their portfolio stand out. What is the right format, or even, what to include? A valuable tool that the Architect-US' team offers applicants is a mentor to guide them, make their portfolio shine, and differ from others.
"Revising my portfolio was very frustrating and I was very happy that Architect-US made several revisions and suggestions that ultimately shaped my portfolio and best displayed the projects which I had worked so hard in."
-Architect-US intern working at SHoP Architects


© Sawyer Bengtson. Image Courtesy of Architect-US

如果你列出的过去十年来的每项作品，虽然听起来很丰富，但是让作品集看起来简洁一些会更好。这样能够让面试人员把注意力放在焦点项目上，从而得到更好的机会。因此你的作品集一定要经过精心地布局，让整体看起来简约一些，避免使用太多的文字、图片，将作品精简再精简，构成统一的展示效果。同时，还要多多检查其中的文字错误。

最后，在发送文件的时候，尽量压缩一些，不要让文件太大，否则对方不易下载。毕竟你只是让对方看一下你的作品。如果你还是对作品心存疑虑，那么可以请专业人员进行指导，从而更好地进行修正。

Though it may be tempting to list every one of your impressive accomplishments from the past decade, your chances are better if you keep your resume clear and concise to avoid distracting from your most important experience. The same goes for your portfolio - be sure to curate. Keep your layout simple, avoid too many filler images, long texts, and focus on pulling together a cohesive, well-composed presentation of your strongest work. Double-, triple-, and quadruple-check everything for typos and correct grammar!
Finally, when you are ready to send your documents, be sure the file isn’t so huge that it’ll crash their inbox and avoid sending a resume without a portfolio. It is a creative field, after all, so show them what you can do! Nevertheless, if you still have any doubts about showcasing your work, you can always send your portfolio to their team so that they can give you a guided revision on how to improve it.


© Image Courtesy of Architect-US

3、做自己



面试时让自己脱颖而出的最好方法便是做自己。因此在面试时尽量保持热情，而不是投其所好。同时尽量保持自己的专业性，诚实一些，否则很容易让人感觉你不专业。另外还可以适当地准备一些曾经工作的项目，但要是一些能够表达你自己想法与能力的项目。同时提前做好面试的问题准备，因为在面试时，你会比较紧张，因此你可以提前准备。

请记住，如果你是外国工作人员，那么你会需要展示跨文化价值理念，亦或是分享你自己的文化想法、过往经验，从而在面试从获得优势，这些信息很加分。

3. Be Yourself
It's not Architect-US' words but their participants'! Through their experience and feedback, one of the best ways to stand out is to be yourself. So show interviewers what you’re passionate about instead of trying to conform to what you think they’re looking for. Make sure you look and act professionally throughout the process, but don’t forget to be true to yourself as well or your discomfort in playing a role will show. It helps to have some stories ready about past work experiences that you think emblemize who you are and how you work. If you prepare yourself ahead of time for some of the typical interview questions, you’ll be more relaxed and able to give more authentic answers than if you’re nervous during the interview and feel like you need to come up with something quickly.
Remember that if you are applying from out of town or abroad, demonstrate how you can bring cross-cultural values to the team; sharing your own cultural insights, past experiences, and point of view will give you an edge in the interview process. Here is an inspirational testimony to reinforce these ideas.



4、与人为善，学习技能

从长远而言，学习新技能、软件、工具，能够让你获益良多，独到的知识体系能够将你与其他申请者区分开来。同时你永远不知道哪个人会在什么时候可以帮到你，因此你要与人为善，建立合作关系，并更多地了解当地背景文化。另外还可以多拜师求教，他们能够帮助你的职业生涯。在这一过程累积的经验，都能够在你今后的工作中体现出益处。

“曾经，我有些迷失方向，同时特别想找到一份好工作。而Architect-US平台的伙伴们不断地帮助着我，让我在几个公司进行了面试，几个月之后，我便就职于OMA建筑事务所，这是我梦寐以求的地方。”
——就职于OMA建筑师事务所的建筑师

4. Meet People and Learn New Skills
Any chance to learn a new skill, software, or tool will benefit you in the long run and unique knowledge can differentiate you from the pool of applicants. You also never know when a personal connection might become a job opportunity. If you surround yourself with fellow professionals in architecture and related fields, you can build meaningful relationships and also get to know the local design community. Look for mentors who have skills and experience in roles that you’re interested in and they can help guide you as you progress in your career. All of the experiences and contacts that you pick up along the way will be carried out throughout your entire career and will benefit your future endeavors.
“I remember last year I was kind of lost and desperate to find a good job. Architect-US mentored me along the process and arranged interviews with several firms. In a few months, I was starting at OMA, living my American Dream in the city that never sleeps!”
-Architect-US participants working at OMA


© Ben Duchac. Image Courtesy of Architect-US

5、不要气馁

如果你在前几次申请都没能如意，那么也不要气馁。有时候，公司没有聘用你，但是仍然会保留你的信息，在以后也许还能有机会。因此你应当坚持把作品集多发几家公司，如果你放弃了，机会为零，坚持下去，让更多人看到你的作品，那么你找到工作的机会就越大，因此一定要尽可能多地使用资源。

“在美国经历过多次求职之后发现，可靠的平台非常重要，几乎代表着一切，因为这能够给你带来可行性，这很重要。”
——SOM建筑事务所的建筑师

不要沮丧，求职过程对每个人来说都很困难，如果在这些建议之后，你还没能找到满意的工作，你可以随时和Architect-US平台的工作人员沟通，他们将竭诚为你服务。只要你跟着正确的步骤，那么所有的问题一定会迎刃而解。

图片：Architect-US

5. Don’t Get Discouraged
If you don’ get the first job you apply for (or even the first ten), don’t give up! If a firm doesn’t hire you right away, they may hang onto your information and you could still be a candidate at a later date! Be persistent and send your portfolio to lots of companies. If you don’t apply, you’re only limiting your possibilities. The simple fact is, the more people who see your work, the more chances you have of finding your dream job so make sure to use every tool that is available to you to make your dream of working in the U.S. a reality.

“After many tries of looking for a career opportunity in the U.S., the endorsement of Architect-US meant everything in the selection process with the company. They transmit responsibility and feasibility. Definitely, what makes the difference.”
-Architect-US participant working at SOM
Don’t beat yourself up, the application process is tedious and difficult for everyone. If after all of these tips you haven't been successful at landing your dream job, you can always reach out to Architect-US and see what they can do for you. Once you have been informed on the right steps to take and what the best options for you are, you will see that the application process doesn’t have to be that hard!