IDIAMM

What are employers really looking for and what can I do to stand out from the crowd? Not all job descriptions are the same however they all have 1 thing in common…… They want someone who can save them time, effort, energy and money!!!

So how do you interpret a job description and stand out from the crowd (note this is what I look for, others may be different……. if your folio doesn’t demonstrate these, cut corners and consider adding them in now i.e. sketch details, add a full tech drawing pack at the back of the project, do a drawing issue sheet, research building control and ergonomic studies then add SOARs in your different projects and drop them in your interview to add gravitas).

“ABILITY TO UTILISE CAD TO PRODUCE PLANS, DETAILS AND SCHEDULES”
1. understanding of cad packages, level of information required
2. drawing issue sheet, cross referencing, drawing number system
3. ability to develop a Cad package from visuals and fill in the blanks or expand
4. typical door details,door schedule with cross referencing
5. ability to take a design intent pack and develop to tender/for construction

“PRODUCE SKETCH DETAILS OF DESIGN ELEMENTS”
6.sketch principals for standard details I.e. standard walls, floors,ceiling and joinery to flow through and align design and elements
7.develop a principle design element and carry details through to add continuity to joinery items as well as value engineer the principals to align to the project budget and client expectations

“PRODUCE SKETCHES OF SPATIAL LAYOUTS”
8. good understanding of building regs to sketch based upon realism and approved principals
9. ability to see issues within a design and propose alternatives
10. ability to value engineer a design to standardise detailing to save time effort energy and money
11. form follows function – ergonomics as a foundation to your design layouts
12. function follows form – think outside the box then ground it in realism, functionality and practicality and compliance

“ABILITY TO LIAISE WITH CLIENTS /CONTRACTORS TO DEVELOP THE DESIGN”
13. fast, efficient, proactive, team player and more importantly adds value to the project
14. good verbal communication skills with the ability to bond, align a concept and sell it to a client or a design change to a contractor
15. visual and verbal communicator with the ability to take a client’s idea and sketch Infront of them to develop and agree sign off saving time, effort, energy and money

What do all of these have in common? They all show a real world designers mindset and approach to a project, meaning as a graduate, you can save time, effort,energy and money to an employer and add value straight away……