Online job boards are a convenient way for architects and designers looking to advance their careers to find their next opportunity. Across industries, 59% of job seekers turn to online marketplaces when they’re looking for a job, making these sites the most popular job search strategy, ahead of social media (39%), professional network connections (25%), and career fairs (23%).

For a candidate in architecture and design, there are a number of different job boards you can use to search for opportunities. Here are some of the most popular options, along with tips to help you use them to their full potential as places to make your next career move. 

Overview of online job boards for architecture and design

There are a variety of websites that can help architects and designers connect with employment opportunities. Finding the right role for your career path starts with knowing which online job boards to use in your search. 

These job market platforms can be broken into two broad categories: sites that only list job openings in the architecture and design industries, and general job marketplaces. Both of these types have their advantages. Industry-specific resources are more targeted, and can be a more efficient way to find your next position. On the other hand, larger all-purpose job boards will usually have more opportunities, though you may need to spend more time searching to find them. Here are some of the top options from each category.

Industry-specific design and architecture job boards

AIA Career Center

The American Institute of Architects has several resources that can help architecture professionals grow their career. These include industry events like the annual AIA Conference on Architecture & Design, courses to help architects fulfill their continuing education requirements, and advice for job seekers like their free resume review service. Their online job board lists jobs in the field at every level, from internships through senior project managers and other leadership roles. 

AIAS Career Center

For students, recent graduates, and early-career architects and designers, the American Institute of Architecture Students has a lot of value to offer in helping you through the job search process. They maintain a resume database for students, and joining it will get your information sent directly to companies hiring architects. They also offer mentorship, education, and competitions that can help students grow their architect practice. Their job board isn’t as extensive as some of the others on this list, but includes high-quality job offers from employers across the United States. 

Archinect

Another excellent site for people in the architecture field who want to grow their knowledge and get guidance during their job hunting, Archinect is a source for architecture industry news and community networking in addition to employment advice. Their job listings tend to be some of the most current, and the employers who post jobs on the site include major firms from across the United States. You can filter the postings by location, type of role, or to search specifically for an employer with diverse ownership. 

Architizer

Architizer’s mission is to provide inspiration and tools for architects. This includes a list of firms, overviews of projects, product guides, and competitions and awards for members. Their job board includes both roles posted to Architizer and select opportunities from other sites around the web, and you can sign up for job alerts to get notified of new postings that could be an ideal fit for your skills and life. 

Coroflot

For a design professional who is looking for their next dream job, Coroflot is the best platform on the internet to find open positions in interior design, as well as architecture and other types of design work. Individuals can also create an online portfolio on the site to showcase their accomplishments and qualifications to potential employers. They also have resources like job interview advice and guides to help you through the application process. 

General online job marketplaces

Glassdoor

The main advantage of using Glassdoor in your job search is the variety of information you can find on the site. This includes tools like their salary comparison and company reviews from employees that can give you a sense for the culture and environment you’ll find at a given firm. 

Indeed

More than half of those surveyed in the 2022 Job Seeker Nation Report said they use Indeed when searching for a role. As one of the largest online job marketplaces, you’ll find a range of opportunities on Indeed. They also have a variety of ways to filter the postings, too, so you can home in on ones that match your salary expectations, education level, location, and specialization. 

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is among the best social media platforms to grow your professional network, and its benefits for members go beyond its power to help job seekers make connections. The site will provide top job picks based on your profile, and you can also search for roles that have been posted on the site. 

Creating an effective job board profile

The resume and cover letter you send when you apply for an opportunity you find on a job board isn’t the only way you can demonstrate your expertise to employers and recruiters. Most of these websites also allow candidates to create a profile. While this is optional, giving this part of the site some attention can help you find success with your job search. Filling in your full profile allows you to establish a presence on the site, giving you another chance to highlight your strengths and specialization and show your personality. It also makes it more likely that recruiters or firms will reach out to you, saving you the effort of manually seeking out opportunities. 

While each site has its own set of information you can fill in, there are some general tips that can help you to perfect your job board profile. Like with anything online, optimizing the keywords in your profile is an excellent first step. Think about the words or phrases that would be likely to appear in job descriptions or employer searches for the type of role you’re looking for and sprinkle them in strategically throughout your profile. If you’re not sure what keywords to include, scan some job descriptions or the profiles of other professionals on the site and make note of the ones that come up the most. 

Your profile is also an excellent place to highlight your greatest professional achievements. The best approach to this is to include measurable, verifiable facts and numbers that demonstrate your success and the impact you made on the project. Using action verbs whenever possible can help these accomplishments shine and make an impact on whoever is reading your profile. 

Once you’ve created a profile on a job board website, you don’t just want to let it stagnate. Stop back regularly to update it with your latest achievements, new skills you’ve learned, or other details that could be of interest to future employers. Keeping your profile updated makes it more likely you’ll be contacted with opportunities, and will also save you time whenever you embark on your next search since your profile will already be ready to go. 

What to look for in online job postings

Every job posting will include the same basic components: 

• The job’s title
• A description of the company and role
• The key responsibilities of the position
• The qualifications or requirements for applicants

You should carefully read all of these sections when you’re considering whether to apply to a role, and all of them can provide valuable information. This starts with the job title, which tells you both what type of work the role involves and its level in the organizational hierarchy. A student or recent graduate will likely want to look for words like “intern” or “junior” in the positions they apply for. Someone who has a few years of experience may instead want to look for “senior” or “manager” roles. 

The description of the company can provide some valuable insights about the culture and environment you can likely expect if hired by that company. Pay attention to the tone of this as well as the words themselves. A company description written in a conversational tone is more likely to have a similarly casual atmosphere in the office, for example. They may also include information about their diversity, or the values and mission that drive the company, which can help you find an employer that’s aligned to your ideals. 

If the job title and company description catch your eye, the job’s responsibilities are your chance to ensure the position truly matches your skills. Read through what you’ll be expected to do in the role to verify it’s the type of work you want to do. Below this, the qualifications section will reinforce what proficiency or abilities the employer wants to see in candidates. Keep in mind, you usually don’t need to meet every single qualification to be considered for a role. As long as you meet the majority of the requirements, it’s worth sending an application if the rest of the position feels like a strong match.

In addition to these details, employers are increasingly adding information about their benefits and compensation in order to attract top applicants. While it’s not necessarily a problem if this isn’t included, it’s a likely sign that the firm’s compensation is competitive if they do share this information. 

Tips to find the right role on an online job board

1. Make smart use of the site’s filter options. 

The number and type of filters available will vary depending on the job board you’re using, but all of them offer some way to refine your search by location, salary range, or the type of work. Taking advantage of these can be a big time saver, limiting your results to just the posts that are most likely to be of interest. 

2. Set up job alerts to get the best opportunities sent to you. 

Another way to save time in your job search is to spare yourself the need to check the job board every day by setting up customized alerts. These will send you an email or other notification when new jobs are posted that match your search criteria and preferences. You can also normally adjust the timing of these notifications to get sent as the jobs are posted or compiled into daily or weekly mailers, letting you strike the right balance to stay informed on new postings without getting overwhelmed with emails. 

3. Be proactive in engaging with the architecture community. 

Job boards aren’t just a great way to search for opportunities. Most of the websites listed above also have forums where you can chat with other candidates or employers, along with talent and company databases you can peruse to learn more about the site’s other users. Take advantage of these resources, too. Architecture as a field can be very competitive, but making connections within the industry can help you turn potential competition into an ally who can help you stay informed on industry trends or gain insights and advice about the best way to conduct your search. 

4. Don’t delay when you find a post you love. 

When you spot a job that looks perfect for you, odds are you’re not the only one who feels that way. Desirable roles may get dozens of applicants, and the earlier you get yours in, the more likely it will at least be reviewed before the company decides which candidates to interview. While you don’t want to rush to the point you make mistakes, and should still take the time to customize your resume and cover letter to the posting, applying within 24 hours of seeing the posting is a smart move. 

5. Follow up and be responsive. 

Actively engaging with the recruiters and hiring managers who post jobs on online boards demonstrates that you are actively interested in the role, not simply applying to any post you find. You’ll be more likely to make a lasting impression if you send a personalized message to follow up on your application. In the same vein, if an employer reaches out to you, make sure you reply to them in a timely fashion to seize that opportunity. 

FAQs about architecture and design job boards

Can I find an internship on an online job board?

Yes, there are often internship opportunities listed alongside the other positions on job marketplaces. Archinect and the AIAS Career Center are particularly good platforms to use if you’re looking for these kinds of opportunities. 

Where should I look for remote architecture jobs?

Full-remote positions are relatively rare in the architecture industry but they do exist, and online job boards can be a great place to find them. In addition to the sites mentioned above, you can check on job boards specifically focused on remote roles, such as FlexJobs and We Work Remotely.

How can I tell if an online job posting is legitimate?

Some job boards verify the employers who post roles on their site, so you can be confident that they represent real roles with legitimate employers. That said, it is always smart to do a bit of research on the company before applying to any role. Search for them online and visit their website and social media pages. This can help you decide if the company is a good fit for your career goals, interests, lifestyle, and workplace preferences, along with verifying the legitimacy of their posting. 

Scam postings often have red flags right in the job post itself, too. One big red flag is if the qualifications or compensation for a role don’t seem to match the job title and responsibilities. If the job seems too good to be true, be thorough in your research before applying. That is often a sign of a fake post that aims to lure in applicants. Another red flag is if there is little to no information on the company itself. As a rule, you should never apply to a posting that includes no information about the organization you’ll be working for if hired.