Architecture Interview Questions to Prepare For

Most architecture interviews are not designed to catch you out. They are trying to answer a few practical questions: can you do the work, can you explain your thinking, will you fit into the team, and are there any obvious issues around salary, notice, software or availability?

The best candidates do not memorise perfect answers. They prepare clear examples, know their portfolio, and can explain what they actually did on a project.

Watch: practical advice from Architecture Social

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What practices are really checking

An architecture interview is usually part technical, part practical and part human. The practice wants to understand whether your experience matches the role and whether working with you would feel straightforward.

• Level: are you applying at the right seniority?
• Evidence: can you explain your CV and portfolio clearly?
• Role fit: do your project types, stages and software match the vacancy?
• Communication: can you talk through work without overclaiming?
• Practical details: salary, notice, location, right to work and availability.
• Motivation: do you understand why this practice and this role?

Start with the practice, not yourself

Before you rehearse answers, understand who you are speaking to. Look at the practice’s projects, sectors, scale, location, values and recent work. Then connect that research to the role.

• What type of projects do they win?
• Do they focus on design, delivery, retrofit, interiors, housing, workplace or another sector?
• Which RIBA stages are likely to matter?
• What software and project evidence does the job advert mention?
• Who is interviewing you, and what might they care about?

Only reading the homepage is not enough.

Prepare three project stories

Most architecture interviews come back to project evidence. Choose three projects you can discuss clearly: one design story, one technical or delivery story, and one collaboration or problem-solving story.

For each one, know the brief, your role, the stage, the tools used, the challenge and what you learned. Do not claim ownership you did not have. It is much stronger to say you supported the planning package and coordinated selected drawings than to imply you ran the whole project when you did not.

Answer with evidence, not slogans

A strong answer usually has four parts: the project, the challenge, what you personally did, and what changed because of it. Keep it natural. You do not need to sound like a management textbook.

If asked about Revit, avoid saying only that you are confident in Revit. Explain the project, stage, outputs and what you personally produced or coordinated.

Questions you should expect

Tell me about yourself

Keep this short. Explain your level, your current or recent experience, and what you are looking for next. Do not retell your whole life story. Give the interviewer enough context to understand the rest of the conversation.

Talk me through your portfolio

Do not start at page one and hope for the best. Choose two or three projects that fit the role. For each one, explain the brief, your role, the stage, the tools used and one decision you can defend.

A better answer sounds like: I chose this project because it is closest to the kind of work your studio does. My role focused on concept options, model development and preparing the presentation pack. The pages I would point you to are the section, massing studies and final elevation.

What was your role on this project?

This is where vague portfolio language falls apart. Be honest and specific. If it was a university project, say that. If it was practice work, explain the stage and what you personally handled.

Why do you want to work here?

Avoid generic praise. Mention a real project, sector, scale, location, design approach or team structure. One specific reason is better than a long answer that could apply to any practice.

What are your salary expectations?

Be prepared. Know the market, your level and the role. You do not need to negotiate aggressively in the first answer, but you should not look surprised by the question.

Use the Architecture Salary Guide before the interview so your answer is grounded in the UK market.

Worked answers: turn a claim into evidence.

These are illustrative structures, not scripts to memorise. Replace every detail with your own experience and show the page that supports it.

“What was your role on this project?”

A vague answer: “I worked on the design and used Revit.”

A more useful answer: “This was a refurbishment project at technical design stage. I supported the project architect by updating the internal layout model and preparing selected drawing sheets. When the layout changed, I checked my sheets against the revised model and took the outstanding questions to our review. This page shows the part of the package I worked on.”

Why it works: the interviewer can separate the project, your contribution, the supervision and the evidence. It does not imply you led the whole package. If your example is academic, say so and explain how you tested the design.

“Tell us about a problem or a piece of feedback.”

A more useful answer: “The first presentation did not make the entrance sequence clear. I went back to the plan and section, tested alternative views and discussed them with the project lead. We chose the view that explained the route most clearly. These two pages show the change. Next time I would test the story earlier, before spending time on the final images.”

Use an outcome you can explain. You do not need a dramatic success story; a clear decision and a thoughtful lesson can demonstrate judgement.

“You have not used our main software. How would you handle that?”

A more useful answer: “I have used the other tool shown in my portfolio to produce these outputs, but I have not used your system on a live project. I would need to learn your standards and have my first outputs checked. Could you explain which tasks I would start with and what support is available?”

Be precise about the gap. A tutorial or personal exercise can show initiative, but it should not be presented as professional project experience.

“What are your salary expectations?”

A useful structure: “Based on the responsibilities we have discussed, my relevant experience and the market information I have reviewed, I am looking for [your researched range]. I would also like to understand the working pattern, benefits and how progression is reviewed.”

Use your own range and reasoning. The salary guide is a starting point for comparison; the responsibilities and whole offer still matter.

Portfolio preparation

Bring a small, controlled set of work. For in-person interviews, printed A3 or A4 pages can still work well. For online interviews, have the PDF ready, tested and easy to navigate.

Your portfolio is not there to be admired silently. Open the right project quickly. Prepare a shorter sample portfolio for first-stage interviews and keep fuller project detail ready for later stages. Check the file opens properly before the interview.

If the interview is online, test the portfolio screen share before the call. Close distractions and keep the strongest projects ready. Technical friction can make a good candidate look less prepared than they are.

Your portfolio should not rely on you apologising for missing pages. If a project is confidential, prepare a clean explanation and only show what you are allowed to show.

Questions to ask the practice

• What projects would this person be working on first?
• What stage are those projects at?
• How is the team structured?
• What software and workflows are used day to day?
• What would success look like in the first three months?
• What are the next steps after this interview?

Follow up after the interview

A short follow-up is useful. Thank them for their time, mention one specific thing you discussed, and confirm that you are still interested. Do not send a desperate essay.

If a recruiter is managing the process, follow up through them. If you applied directly and the practice gave you a contact, a short direct note is fine.

Architecture Social view

Stephen Drew is the founder of Architecture Social, a recruiter and industry voice with a Part II background. His view is that the interview is where evidence becomes a conversation. You do not need to sound polished. You need to sound clear, honest and prepared.

If you can explain your role, your project decisions and your practical details without drifting, you are already ahead of many candidates.

Listen: related Architecture Social podcast

This episode expands on interview preparation, portfolio handling, salary conversations, online interviews and follow-up.

You can also open the Architecture Social podcast page for this episode.

Common questions

Should I bring a printed portfolio?

If the interview is in person, yes, a small printed set can help. It shows preparation and gives the conversation something physical to centre on. Bring a tablet or laptop as backup.

How should I answer if I do not know something?

Be honest. Explain what you do know, where your experience stops and how you would approach learning or solving the issue. Overclaiming is worse than a clear gap.

Should I mention other interviews?

You can mention that you are active in the market if asked. Keep it professional. Do not use it as a threat or try to create fake urgency.

When should I follow up after an architecture interview?

A short thank-you note within 24 hours is fine. If there is no update after the agreed timeline, follow up politely once. Keep it simple.

Rehearse with one page and one question.

1. Choose one question from this guide and the portfolio page that supports your answer.
2. State the project, your contribution, a decision and the outcome or lesson.
3. Check every “we” and explain what you personally did.
4. Ask a friend to interrupt with “Why?” or “How did you check that?”
5. Remove any detail you cannot explain or are not allowed to share.

Aim for an answer that opens a conversation. Keep the additional drawings ready so you can go deeper when the interviewer asks.

Next step

Before applying, make sure your architecture CV and sample portfolio support the answers you plan to give. You can also browse live roles on the Architecture Social jobs board or book a Power Hour career coaching session for direct interview preparation.

For practical next steps, compare the architecture salary guide, browse current architecture jobs, set up architecture job alerts or contact Architecture Social for tailored advice.