Architecture Social

Salary conversations are uncomfortable for many architecture professionals, but avoiding them usually means leaving your progression to chance. Stephen Drew explains how to negotiate the salary you deserve with your current employer, including why pay conversations feel difficult, how to set goals, prepare evidence and take responsibility for your career trajectory. The conversation covers: Why pe...

Software skills are not the whole career, but they can make a candidate easier to place when they clearly connect to practice needs. Stephen Drew shares a short guide to architecture software skills that can accelerate a career, explaining why practices value useful software knowledge and how candidates can show they will add value to a team. The conversation covers: Why software skills matter in...

Evelyn Lee's career shows how architecture training can move into experience design, organisational culture and technology without losing its design value. Stephen Drew speaks with Evelyn Lee about Practice of Architecture, Practice Disrupted, her role as a Senior Experience Designer at Slack Technologies, organisational culture, people-first design and alternative routes from architecture. The co...

Architecture careers in the Gulf can offer major projects, international teams and a different pace of work, but the move still needs proper research. Stephen Drew speaks with Andy Shaw about his work as Managing Partner at AMA, chairing RIBA Gulf, moving from the UK to Dubai, teaching while running a business and what candidates should understand about architecture careers in the Gulf. The conver...

Architecture careers can feel noisy, so tools that help people slow down, reflect and build clarity are useful. Stephen Drew speaks with Gabriel Chek, creator of Archlogbook and Archloggers, about career clarity, confidence, content creation, architecture courses, working on confidential projects and helping people reflect on their career direction. The conversation covers: Why Gabriel Chek create...

Asking about diversity and inclusion in an interview is reasonable, but the wording matters because candidates are often balancing curiosity, caution and lived experience. Stephen Drew, Tara Cull and Jackie Handy discuss how candidates can ask about diversity, inclusion, company culture and long-term support during interviews without feeling awkward, tokenistic or unsure. The conversation covers:...

Lisa Raynes's Pride Road Architects story is useful because it is not only about one practice. It is about making architecture services easier for clients to understand, access and trust. Stephen Drew speaks with Lisa Raynes about Pride Road Architects, Raynes Architecture, Manchester Curious, practice-building, residential architecture, communication with clients and the franchise model behind Pr...

A covering letter or introductory email is not there to repeat the CV. It should make the reader understand why this application is relevant. Stephen Drew, Tara Cull and Will Ridgway discuss how to use English language in architecture covering letters and introductory emails, including avoiding templates, communicating values, skills and experience, and making applications stand out. The conversat...

This guest appearance focuses on the long game of architecture careers: personal brand, networking, finding the right fit and thinking beyond one job title. Stephen Drew joins Angela Mazzi on Architecting to discuss long-term architecture careers, personal brand, networking, finding the right fit, Architecture Social and what future practice could look like. The conversation covers: Why personal b...

Feeling unproductive in architecture is rarely solved by adding more pressure. Most of the time, the better move is to make the next task smaller, clearer and easier to start. Stephen Drew speaks with Sana Tabassum and Tara Cull about productivity, motivation, getting organised, staying efficient and turning scattered architecture work into smaller, clearer next actions. The conversation covers: W...

Architecture interviews are not only about what you say. They are also about how clearly you listen, explain your work, handle pressure and stay present in the conversation. Stephen Drew, Tara Cull and Emma Wainer discuss how architecture candidates can make a stronger interview impression through body language, tone of voice, listening, presence, communication and preparation. The conversation co...

Presenting your portfolio online is not the same as sending a PDF and hoping people read it. Stephen Drew explains how to present an important document or portfolio online during an interview, including document design, screen sharing, page order, file preparation and guiding the interviewer through the evidence. The conversation covers: Why online portfolio presentation needs preparation How to c...

Online architecture interviews reward candidates who make the conversation clear, calm and easy to follow. Stephen Drew shares practical advice for online architecture interviews, including preparation, camera and sound setup, portfolio presentation, answering questions, avoiding common mistakes and creating a stronger interview experience. The conversation covers: How to prepare before an online...

Laura Simpkins' story is useful because it shows architecture practice life as it actually happens: career ambition, family, pressure, timing and adaptation. Stephen Drew speaks with Laura Simpkins about Pride Road Architects, larger practice experience, family, parenting, the pandemic, career adaptation and launching her own route through the Pride Road Architects franchise. The conversation cove...

Budge Over Budget is a snapshot of the Architecture Social Show when the community format was still raw, live and deliberately informal. Stephen Drew and Will Ridgway host an archive episode of The Architecture Social Show, covering architecture news, projects, live audience debate, informal industry conversation and the early community format behind Architecture Social. The conversation covers: A...

A portfolio is not just a supporting document. It is often the evidence that decides whether an architecture application feels credible. Stephen Drew and Will Ridgway discuss how to make an architecture portfolio more impactful, including online presentation, portfolio templates, interview use, punchy evidence, common mistakes and how to support a strong CV. The conversation covers: How a portfoli...

This archive Architecture Social Show episode captures the early live format: architecture news, project reactions, community updates and informal industry conversation. Stephen Drew and Richie host an archive Architecture Social Show episode covering CV review updates, Tetris Hall, tiny houses, Future Cities, healthcare design, Red Sea Airport, Architecture Social updates and live community discu...

A strong architecture CV has to do a practical job quickly: show who you are, what you have done and why the practice should keep reading. Stephen Drew and Will Ridgway review architecture CVs live, covering layout, work experience, software skills, contact details, space, references, portfolio links, common CV mistakes and practical ways to make a CV clearer. The conversation covers: How to struc...

Architecture careers are not one clean route. They are shaped by education, confidence, personal circumstances, opportunity, support and the willingness to keep adjusting. Stephen Drew joins Amanda, Naomi Bethany, Adonai Ray and Cindy Besmar on the 1 to 100 Podcast to discuss architecture careers, personal journeys, COVID-19, education, Architecture Social, alternative routes, confidence and suppo...

Alternative careers in architecture are not failed architecture careers. They can be deliberate ways of using design training, communication and curiosity in a different setting. Stephen Drew and Karina Armanda discuss alternative careers in architecture, including recruitment, illustration, freelancing, side projects, specialisms, social media, community, academic setbacks and experimenting with...

This Discussed It conversation is useful because it shows Architecture Social as both a career platform and a personal project built during an uncertain moment. Stephen Drew joins Herbie Hudson and Hayden Day on Discussed It to talk about his route through architecture, recruitment, creating Architecture Social, community, digital platforms, career confidence and support in the architecture indust...

This archive Architecture Social Show episode captures the early weekly format: architecture news, events, projects, jobs and community updates in one informal live conversation. Stephen Drew and Will Ridgway host an archive Architecture Social Show episode with architecture news, community updates, MADCon launch events, Red Sea Coral Bloom, Bartlett's digital exhibition, Zaha Hadid's smart city p...

Finding a first architecture job can feel vague until someone explains what actually happens in applications, interviews and early-career hiring. Stephen Drew joins Thomas Rowntree to discuss finding architecture jobs, COVID-19 applications, CVs, portfolios, interviews, work experience, salary expectations, choosing the right practice and moving from university into industry. The conversation cove...

This archive Architecture Social Show episode captures the looser live-show format: project references, community updates, career resources and wider architecture chat in one lunchtime session. Stephen Drew and Will Ridgway discuss Everton's new stadium, home renovation updates, Aussie BIM Guru, small-scale apartments, cabins, community artwork, salary guides, architecture projects and Hyperloop....

Architecture career paths rarely move in a straight line, especially when the market changes quickly and people need a clearer view of their next option. Lisa Raynes and Stephen Drew discuss architecture career paths during the pandemic, market shifts, Architecture Social, job search strategy, franchising, networking, Clubhouse, upskilling and practical ways to keep moving. The conversation covers...