What Architecture Firms Are Looking For in Young Employees

Millions of careers will start in the United States this summer. With one of the tightest labor markets in history though, it can be tough just to get a foot in the door with attractive companies.

The AEC industry is no different. With the economy doing well, opportunities are everywhere, but so is the competition.

“It’s a great time actually to come out of school. Everyone is still really, really busy. Finding a job isn’t as hard today as seven, eight, nine years ago,” Bob Borson, Principal Architect at Malone, Maxwell & Borson said. “The thing that makes me a little worried is it’s been really good for awhile now and the AEC industry as a whole goes through these cyclical kind of moments and we’re waiting for it to kind of turn down.”

Borson, who created the popular architecture-themed blog, Life of an Architect, has been in the architecture industry for decades now, but knows how important young architects’ first job is today.

“It’s important because it can dictate how your entire career might go,” he said.

This is not to say young architects should lock themselves into situations if they are not receiving the right opportunities though.

One way Borson advises those breaking into the industry to do is find a mentor in a role they envision themselves in one day.

“The thing that makes mentorship work, and this is important, is you have to reevaluate the decisions you’ve made. So, it suggests that that partnership has to be in place for a period of time,” he said.

Ultimately, sometimes landing that first job can come down to executing on the simplest of expectations, according to Borson.

“There are certain things we talk about that are kind of problem solving 101. If someone sends me a resume and they want a job and they address it to ‘Dear Sir/Madam’, you already failed the very first test which is to find out who you should address this to” he said. “It’s not a hard problem to solve.

When beginning a career, Borson also advises to measure the nature of the company and the relationships with senior teammates and clients. This can be unnerving for young workers but at some point, employers will expect genuine opinion and contribution when the time is right.

“If you’re in the room, if your employers have brought you into the space and put you at the table, they probably want you to feel comfortable to at least opening your mouth and saying something. Or they wouldn’t bring you,” he said.

To watch Borson’s entire interview on MarketScale Mornings, click here! For the latest in AEC news, head to our industry page! You can also follow us on Twitter at @AECMKSL. Join the conversation in our Market Leaders LinkedIn group!

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Class 8 trucks
Driving the Future at ACT Expo: Windrose Showcases Its Purpose-Built Electric Class 8 Trucks
July 1, 2025

At the ACT Expo, Hammer Down host Mike Bush dives deeper into the future of freight with a hands-on look at Windrose Technology’s electric Class 8 trucks. Joined by Joseph Jaramillo, Driver Supervisor at Talon Logistics, Mike takes a test drive to experience the smooth ride, dual digital displays, and unique features—like advanced regen modes and a…

Read More
ball valve
Zero-Friction Flow: Trillium Launches the Red Point® Non-Contact Rising Stem Ball Valve to Cut Downtime, Boost Safety, and Perform in Demanding Applications
June 30, 2025

Join host Michelle Dawn Mooney for this special episode of FlowCast by Trillium Flow Technologies, as she sits down with Fred Jansen, General Manager of Trillium’s Netherlands facility, and Pepijn Esman, Engineering Manager for Red Point, to unveil the non-contact Rising Stem Ball Valve (RSBV)—a breakthrough engineered for extreme-service applications across oil &…

Read More
student success
The AI-Powered Edge in Education: How LearningClues Is Enabling Student Success with Co-founder and CEO Dr. Perry Samson
June 30, 2025

As AI continues to reshape education, institutions face a growing challenge in ensuring students succeed without compromising engagement or integrity. Today’s college students are often juggling jobs, family, and coursework, leading to limited study time and increased dropout risk. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 40% of full-time undergraduates and 74% of…

Read More
AI Strategist
Why Enterprises Need an AI Strategist and Why It Should Be a Marketer
June 30, 2025

In this episode of The Marketing AI SparkCast, Aby Varma, founder of Spark Novus, a leading consultancy that partners with marketing leaders to adopt and scale AI responsibly and strategically, talks with Nicola Smith, Senior AI Programs Advisor at Southwest Airlines. They explore how enterprises can move beyond tool experimentation to embed AI into…

Read More