Architecture CV Surgery with Scale Studio

Architecture CV surgery is not about making the document look clever. It is about making the right evidence easy to find: role level, project experience, software, responsibilities, education and the link to your portfolio.

The Scale Studio session is useful because it shows how quickly small changes can make a CV feel more professional and easier to trust.

Watch: Architecture Social video

This Architecture Social video adds useful context before the practical guidance below.

Start with the scan test

A busy practice may only give your CV a quick first scan. The basics need to be obvious without effort.

• Your current role or course.
• Relevant project experience.
• Software skills that match the role.
• Education and qualifications.
• A clean link to your portfolio or sample work.

Go deeper with Architecture Social

These related Architecture Social episodes add more context once you have the practical framework.

Related audio: Scale Studio conversation

This related Sana Tabassum episode adds more context on Scale Studio, community and how architecture candidates present themselves.

You can also open the related Architecture Social podcast page.

Make the CV easy to scan

Use clear sections and plain headings. Avoid dense blocks of text. If a project matters, explain your role, the stage, the scale and what you contributed.

Do not bury important experience under vague phrases. A line like ‘supported design development on a mixed-use residential project using Revit’ is more useful than ‘worked on exciting projects’.

Connect the CV to the portfolio

• Mention the strongest project evidence in the CV.
• Show that evidence visually in the portfolio.
• Use consistent project names and dates.
• Do not overclaim responsibility.
• Make the portfolio link easy to open.

Common mistakes

• Using a decorative layout that is hard to read.
• Listing software without project context.
• Writing duties instead of evidence.
• Forgetting to update dates and role titles.
• Sending a CV that does not match the portfolio.

Architecture Social view

Stephen’s recruiter view is that a CV should help a practice say yes to looking at the portfolio. It does not need to tell your whole life story. It needs to make the next step obvious.

Next step

Use the architecture CV guide, then compare your document with live architecture jobs, the portfolio guide and the interview guide.