Part I Architectural Assistant CV and Portfolio

A Part I architectural assistant CV and portfolio should show potential clearly. Practices are not expecting a finished professional. They are looking for evidence of thinking, communication, software ability and attitude.

The aim is to make your academic and early experience easy to understand without exaggerating it.

Watch: getting your first Part I architecture job

This Architecture Social video is directly relevant if you are using a CV and portfolio to get your first Part I role.

Listen: starting the Part I job search

Prefer audio? This episode covers the early job-search decisions that shape a Part I application.

You can also open the related Architecture Social podcast page.

Make your level obvious

Put your current status near the top of the CV. If you are looking for a year-out role, recent graduate role or first placement, say it clearly.

• Degree or current course.
• Expected or completed graduation date.
• Any placement, internship or practice experience.
• Software used in projects.
• Portfolio link or sample portfolio note.

Related audio: early-career CV evidence

This related episode gives more context on presenting early-career CV evidence honestly.

You can also open the related Architecture Social podcast page.

Use academic work properly

Academic work can be strong evidence if it is explained well. Name the brief, show the process and make your personal contribution clear.

Do not assume a practice understands the studio context. Use short captions to explain what the project proves.

What the portfolio should show

• Your strongest design thinking.
• Readable drawings and diagrams.
• Process only where it proves judgement.
• Software evidence without clutter.
• Clear labels for individual and group work.

Common mistakes

• Trying to sound like a senior candidate.
• Sending too many pages from university.
• Leaving the portfolio link hard to find.
• Using tiny drawings that cannot be read.
• Forgetting to tailor the first few pages to the role.

Architecture Social view

Stephen’s recruiter view is that Part I candidates stand out when they are clear and prepared. You do not need to know everything. You need to show useful evidence and a sensible approach.

Next step

Use this guide with the Part I Architectural Assistant guide, live Part I jobs, the architecture CV guide and the portfolio preparation guide.