Architect CV Example
Updated 22 June 2026
A strong architect CV must do two things instantly: prove your ARB registration and RIBA Part status, and show the scale and sectors of the projects you have delivered. UK practices triage hundreds of CVs by qualification level and software skills, so your CV needs to surface those credentials in the first few lines and back them up with quantified project metrics and RIBA stage breadth. This guide shows you how to structure every section, with real examples at junior, mid, and senior levels.
Architect CV examples
Part 2 Architectural Assistant
entryLeads with Part 2 qualification and software skills, shows RIBA stage breadth, and quantifies early-career contributions with project metrics.
Part 3 Architect
midHighlights ARB registration and RIBA Associate status, demonstrates leadership across RIBA stages, and quantifies project scale and sector breadth.
Senior / Chartered Architect
seniorOpens with ARB registration, RIBA Chartered status, and project scale. Demonstrates sector leadership, award-winning work, and commercial impact across the full RIBA Plan of Work.
How to write an architect CV
CV structure and length
Keep your architect CV to two pages. Practices want a clean, scannable document; save the visual flair for your portfolio. Use reverse-chronological order and a simple sans-serif font. Do not over-design the layout with columns, graphics, or colour blocks, an over-styled CV is a red flag in architecture hiring.
What to include, section by section
| Section | What to include | What to leave out |
|---|---|---|
| Contact details | Name, location (city), phone, email, LinkedIn, portfolio link | Photo, date of birth, full address |
| Personal statement | ARB/RIBA status, Part level, years of experience, project scale (m² / £ value), sectors, key software | Generic adjectives, career goals without evidence |
| Experience | Job title, practice name, dates, RIBA stages delivered, project type and scale, quantified achievements | Duties without outcomes, vague "assisted with" bullets |
| Skills | Software (with proficiency), Building Regs knowledge, sustainability credentials, sectors | Soft skills without context, generic "team player" |
| Education | Degree, institution, Part 1/2/3 status, classification (if 1st or 2:1), relevant CPD | A-levels (unless very recent graduate), unrelated courses |
| Additional | ARB/RIBA/CIAT membership, certifications (Passivhaus, BREEAM), languages, portfolio link again | Unrelated hobbies, references ("available on request" is assumed) |
ARB registration and RIBA Part status
State your ARB registration and RIBA Part level in the personal statement and again in the skills or additional section. Practices filter by Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 (fully qualified), so do not bury this in education. If you are a RIBA Chartered Member or Associate, say so. If you are working towards Part 3, state "Part 2 qualified, seeking Part 3 position."
Software and technical skills
List your software stack with honest proficiency levels. BIM/Revit fluency is the dividing line for many shortlists. A strong skills section looks like:
- Revit (BIM) – advanced
- AutoCAD 2D – proficient
- Rhino & Grasshopper – intermediate
- SketchUp, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign
- UK Building Regulations (all parts)
- RIBA Plan of Work Stages 0–7
- Passivhaus principles, BREEAM
Do not claim expert-level skills you cannot demonstrate in interview. Practices will test your Revit knowledge on day one.
RIBA Plan of Work stages and sectors
In every job entry, show which RIBA stages you delivered (and which you led). Breadth across stages signals you can run a project, not just draw it. Name the sectors you have covered: residential, education, healthcare, commercial, conservation. Sector experience is a key hiring filter.
Portfolio link
Include a live link to an 8–10 page PDF portfolio in your contact details. The portfolio does the visual work; the CV should not try to be a design showcase. If you do not have a portfolio website, upload a PDF to a cloud service and share a clean link.
Personal statement examples
ARB-registered architect with eight years delivering residential and education projects totalling 52,000m² and £95m combined value. RIBA Associate with proven leadership across RIBA Stages 0–6, including a RIBA Regional Award-winning school extension. Expert in Revit BIM workflows, Passivhaus design, and client-facing project management.
Passionate and creative architect with a strong eye for detail and excellent communication skills. Looking for a challenging role in a dynamic practice where I can use my design abilities and grow professionally. Committed to sustainable design and teamwork.
Writing your experience
The result-plus-metric pattern
Every bullet should follow this structure: action verb + specific task + quantified result. Practices want to see the scale of your projects (m², £ value, number of units) and your exact role on each (led design, produced technical drawings, coordinated consultants). Avoid generic "responsible for" or "assisted with" language.
Before and after examples
| Weak (duty-focused) | Strong (result-focused) |
|---|---|
| Responsible for producing drawings and attending site meetings. | Produced full Revit technical package for a £6.5m, 3,200m² primary school, coordinating MEP and structural consultants and resolving 22 design clashes pre-tender. |
| Assisted with residential projects and planning applications. | Prepared planning drawings and design-and-access statements for four residential schemes (combined 7,800m²), achieving consent at first submission and unlocking £14m development value. |
| Worked on sustainability and BREEAM assessments. | Led BREEAM assessment for a 4,500m² mixed-use scheme, achieving Excellent rating and specifying low-carbon materials that reduced embodied carbon by 18%. |
Action verbs for architects
Led, designed, delivered, coordinated, produced, authored, managed, presented, resolved, achieved, secured (planning consent), specified, conducted (site visits), mentored.
Use "led" when you owned the design or project stage; use "supported" or "produced" when you were part of a team. Be honest about your level of responsibility, practices will ask for specifics in interview.
Key skills & ATS keywords
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords
Education & certifications
Degree structure
List your Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Include institution, degree title, field of study (with Part level in brackets), start and end years, and classification if it is a First or 2:1. If you graduated with a lower classification, omit it. Add a one-line note about your final project or thesis if it is relevant to the roles you are applying for.
Example:
University of Edinburgh, Master of Architecture (RIBA Part 2), 2022–2024. Distinction. Final project: adaptive reuse of a Victorian mill into mixed-use workspace.
Part 3 and ARB registration
If you have completed Part 3, state it clearly and include your ARB registration year. If you are working towards Part 3, say so in the personal statement and flag your Part 2 qualification prominently.
CPD and software training
Include relevant CPD courses and software certifications in the education section or under achievements. Examples:
- Revit Architecture Professional Certificate (Autodesk)
- Passivhaus Designer Certificate (Passivhaus Trust)
- BREEAM Accredited Professional (BRE Global)
- Advanced Rhino and Grasshopper workshop (2025)
Do not list every lunchtime CPD talk. Focus on credentials that differentiate you: Passivhaus, BREEAM, WELL Building Standard, or specialist software training.
Memberships
List ARB, RIBA, and CIAT memberships in an additional section at the end of the CV. State your membership level: RIBA Student, RIBA Associate, RIBA Chartered Member. These are key filters for UK practices.
Common mistakes to avoid
Over-designing the CV with columns, graphics, or elaborate layouts to showcase design skills.
Keep the CV clean and simple. Practices want a readable document; the portfolio carries the visual flair. An over-styled CV is a red flag, not a strength.
Burying ARB registration and RIBA Part level in the education section instead of stating it upfront.
Put your ARB and Part status in the personal statement and again in the skills or additional section. Practices triage by qualification level, so make it instantly visible.
Listing generic duties like 'produced drawings' or 'attended meetings' without project scale or outcomes.
Quantify every bullet with project metrics: building type, m², £ value, RIBA stages, and your specific contribution. Example: 'Produced Revit technical package for a £6.5m, 3,200m² primary school, RIBA Stages 3–4.'
Claiming software skills without specifying proficiency level or backing them up with project examples.
List software with honest proficiency: Revit (advanced), AutoCAD (proficient), SketchUp (intermediate). Then show where you used each tool in your project bullets.
Omitting the portfolio link or burying it at the end of the CV.
Include a live portfolio link in your contact details and reference it again in the additional section. The portfolio is essential evidence; the CV should point to it clearly.
Writing a personal statement full of adjectives ('passionate', 'creative', 'detail-oriented') without concrete evidence.
Open with your ARB status, years of experience, project scale, and a recognised credential or award. Example: 'ARB-registered architect, 10+ years, 50+ schemes totalling 45,000m², including a RIBA-award-winning office renovation.'
Junior vs senior: what changes
| Aspect | Junior | Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Personal statement | Leads with Part 1 or Part 2 status, software skills, and RIBA stages covered during placements or early roles. Mentions seeking Part 3 position if applicable. | Opens with ARB registration, RIBA Chartered status, total project scale (m² and £ value), sector breadth, and awards. Demonstrates leadership and commercial impact. |
| Project metrics | Shows contribution to smaller schemes (e.g. 2,000–5,000m²), supporting role on RIBA Stages 2–4, and tasks like producing drawings or assisting planning applications. | Quantifies leadership of large-scale projects (10,000m²+, £20m+ value), ownership of RIBA Stages 0–7, team management, and client-facing responsibility. |
| Software skills | Lists Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp with intermediate proficiency. May include recent training courses or university software modules. | Claims advanced/expert Revit and BIM coordination, plus specialist tools (Rhino, Grasshopper, rendering software). Shows evidence of training others or establishing practice BIM protocols. |
| RIBA stages and sectors | Demonstrates breadth across a few stages (typically 2–4) and one or two sectors (e.g. residential and education). Limited construction-phase experience. | Shows delivery across the full RIBA Plan of Work (Stages 0–7), multiple sectors, and contract administration. Highlights planning appeals, design review panels, or strategic input. |
| Achievements and awards | Includes Part 1 or Part 2 qualification, software certificates, and academic awards (e.g. best final project). May have no professional awards yet. | Lists ARB registration, RIBA Chartered status, project awards (RIBA Regional/National, local sustainability awards), Passivhaus/BREEAM accreditation, and publications or speaking engagements. |
| Additional information | Focuses on portfolio link, RIBA Student membership, and interests that show design curiosity (e.g. sketching, visiting buildings, parametric design). | Includes professional memberships (RIBA Chartered, ARB), design review or mentoring roles, publications, and evidence of thought leadership or business development. |