Getting to Know a Graduate Architect

Now to see what kind of projects can interest a potential graduate architect. You may have stumbled upon a graduate architect whom the ability to provide an extra edge to your architectural design projects. The graduate architect's best interest can be house projects, office buildings, renovations, housing developments, town planning etc. Some applicants may explain that they had grown up in a small town with lack of communal facilities (sports, health, etc). Therefore, they want to actively participate in making more of such buildings to improve people's living environment.

Interest

Perhaps tall buildings fascinate the applicants. The applicants may have a keen interest in designing skyscrapers. Their pursuit of architectural design may not be much about making a dysfunctional landmark but rather to understand & solve density, traffic, environmental, & other issues commonly associated with the immediate surroundings of tall buildings.

Then again, the graduate architect may prefer to work on houses. It may also be among the applicants opinion that a house should be designed to, at best, reflect a person or a family's character & lifestyle. Designing a house involves getting to know a person or a group of people in order to find what they really want of a home.

Character

Find out what is the outstanding character of the graduate architect & what the person thinks about in contributing to your company. Expect applicants to mention that they are skillful (able to complete a job in a pre-defined period), able to work under extreme pressure, able to work in adverse conditions ( noise on site, heat, & etc ), hardworking, disciplined, punctual working hours, extensive on site experience, good interpersonal & multi level communicator, & etc.

Motivation

What motivates the graduate architect? Compare it to what information you have with the person. Ask the person what is their primary motivation to work in the architectural field. Some of them may tell you that what motivates them is job salary. While others may tell you that it is job satisfaction. Career advancement is also an answer that you should expect from the job applicants. You may find the information as a useful motivation tool for the benefit of your architecture company.

Expectations

Your architectural practice probably specializes in designing houses. A graduate architect that is keen to work on large scale projects may become discouraged after a while, working in your company. Therefore, ask them what can be the biggest project that may entice their passion. No employer would want to have an employee that is mind set on leaving the company at a moments notice.

Experience

Query the knowledge of your potential employee about the experiences that the person understands during the course of any architectural project. Let the graduate architect tell you about what the person can gain by participating in an architectural project. The applicant may tell you that a contractor had been reported by site supervisor to have used different material other than specified by the architect. Consequently, the architect issued a V.O. (variation order) & informs the client of the change. The graduate also mentions about gaining such an experience as a project architect; informing the principal architect & client regarding the matter.

Another example of an answer coherent to an understanding of the design process would probably be like; the client wanted a new wing of the building redesigned 2 weeks prior to the completion of construction drawings. The graduate architect thereafter, mentions to be ready to work "overtime" for two weeks to help the design team redesign & ready construction drawings within the period. Such an anticipating skill of an applicant can prove valuable to your architecture company.

People nowadays will tell you anything to get money yet they are unable to deliver on their promises. It is recommended that you place the new employee that demonstrated unfamiliar behavior towards the job in a 3 month probation status. Upon evaluating the most suitable applicant or applicants with the above questions, you can get an idea of their characters & skill which you can then best optimize to the benefit your architecture company in the immediate future & in the longer term.