Part I Architectural Assistant CV Guide

A Part I architectural assistant CV should make your level, evidence and direction easy to understand. It can show personality, but it should not rely on vague personal branding instead of proof.

The best junior CVs are clear, honest and specific. They help a practice see what you have studied, what you can show and how you might contribute.

Watch: starting your Part I architecture job search

This Architecture Social episode is directly relevant if your CV is part of your first serious architecture job search.

Listen: starting the Part I job search

Prefer audio? This episode covers early job-search decisions for Part I architectural assistant candidates.

You can also open the related Architecture Social podcast page.

Start with clarity

Put your current status near the top. If you are looking for a year-out role, placement or first Part I role, make that obvious before the reader has to work it out.

• Current course or recent graduation status.
• Practice experience, placement work or live briefs.
• Academic projects that show useful evidence.
• Software skills with context.
• A portfolio link that opens cleanly.

Related audio: early-career CV evidence

This related episode adds practical context on presenting early-career experience honestly.

You can also open the related Architecture Social podcast page.

Make the profile useful

A short profile can help, but only if it says something concrete. Avoid generic lines about being passionate and creative unless the rest of the CV proves what that means.

A better profile explains your level, interests and evidence in plain language. For example, mention housing, retrofit, interiors, Revit, model making or competition work if that is genuinely relevant.

Use academic work as evidence

• Name the project type and brief.
• Explain your role if it was group work.
• Show which software you actually used.
• Keep descriptions short and practical.
• Point the reader towards portfolio proof.

Common mistakes

• Writing a profile that could fit any student.
• Using design styling that makes the CV hard to scan.
• Listing software without examples.
• Overclaiming responsibility on academic or team work.
• Making the portfolio link hard to find.

Architecture Social view

Stephen’s recruiter view is that a Part I CV should show potential without pretending to be senior. Clarity beats inflated language every time.

Next step

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