The Midnight Charette is an explicit podcast about design, architecture, and the everyday. Hosted by architectural designers David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet, it features a variety of creative professionals in unscripted and long-format conversations that allow for thoughtful takes and more personal discussions. Honesty and humor are used to cover a wide array of subjects: some episodes provide useful tips for designers, while others are project reviews, interviews, or simply explorations of everyday life and design. The Midnight Charette is available for free on iTunes, YouTube, Spotify, and all other podcast directories.
On this episode of The Midnight Charette podcast, hosts David Lee and Marina Bourderonnet discuss ‘Tips and Tactics’ for applying to an architecture or design office. The two cover everything from how to apply when you are under-qualified, to tackling common challenges young applicant face, how to apply in-person, how to 'get in' without any connections, when to apply, how to prepare for the interview and more. If you have any questions or advice about portfolios or any other design-related topics, leave a voicemail at The Midnight Charette hotline: 213-222-6950.
HIGHLIGHTS & TIMESTAMPS
(04:30) Applying to an office when you don’t live in the same city.
- Applying for an entry-level position when you don’t have much experience.
(10:55) Applying as a younger designer and having the right mentality.
(15:41) Qualities employers find desirable in big and small offices.
(18:47) Learning computer programs (like Revit) on your own before applying.
(20:53) Applying when your experience level and/or type doesn’t match what the office is looking for.
(23:58) Why you should apply to multiple offices regardless of your situation.
(26:06) Finding out what it is like to work at an office before accepting an offer.
(29:04) Executing the interview and knowing if the interview went well.
(32:24) (36:36) When to apply for a job if you are currently employed.
(33:29) Why most applicants don’t get hired.
(37:52) Bending the application rules: Tactics for hand delivering your application, résumé, and portfolio. The greatest challenge to overcome when applying is not having your application even seen.
(45:19) Completing the application process: It’s not done after you have submitted your portfolio!
This podcast episode is available on The Midnight Charette's website, iTunes, Spotify, and all other podcast apps.
