Fresh architecture graduates are encountering one of the most difficult job markets in recent memory, with thousands of young professionals struggling to find positions despite completing their degrees. Industry experts across all levels of experience unanimously describe the current employment landscape as "awful," with entry-level positions increasingly requiring prior experience that new graduates simply don't have.

Sana Tabassum, a multi-disciplinary designer and creative director who founded To Scale, an online platform for architects and designers, argues that systematic changes are needed at all levels to improve the situation. The problem has created an impossible cycle where practices demand experience for even the most basic roles, leaving graduates dependent on finding directors or firms willing to take a chance on them. This situation particularly disadvantages people of color and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are less likely to have industry contacts to leverage.

The educational gap has left most graduates without essential job-seeking skills. According to Tabassum, the majority receive almost no guidance on portfolio creation or cover letter writing, and few established networks exist to provide meaningful advice. She experienced these challenges firsthand early in her career, spending an entire year searching for her first architecture position only to discover the job didn't match her expectations at all.

"With no background or mentor figures to look up to, feeling like I didn't fit into the studio culture and struggling to keep up with the vast amount of information I had to learn, I was a little out of my depth," Tabassum explained. After enduring 10 interviews over the course of a year with no job offers, she decided to invest in herself by learning to write a blog, design her own website, and create content. This pivot unexpectedly generated significant online attention and became a regular practice.

Following her master's degree completion in 2023, Tabassum deliberately avoided traditional nine-to-five employment, choosing instead to freelance across various industries including marketing, content strategy, community facilitation, architectural design, and communications. However, when she returned to the architecture job market feeling confident with university commendations, previous experience, and a strong personal brand, she still struggled to find suitable employment.

The changing expectations of younger professionals add another layer of complexity to the job market. Today's graduates are increasingly selective, prioritizing work-life balance and flexibility, and they're not afraid to switch to public sector or client-side positions when faced with low pay and slow career advancement. Unfortunately, this shift in values hasn't reduced competition for architecture practice positions.

While post-pandemic discourse about the job market has been abundant, including debates and panel events, Tabassum notes a troubling trend of discussing problems rather than actively solving them. Some notable exceptions include startup programs like Build The Way, Beyond The Box, and Karakusevic Carson Architects' Key to Architecture programme. However, she emphasizes that grassroots initiatives alone won't create the necessary change – unified disruption from all parties is required.

The Royal Institute of British Architects faces criticism for its approach to student support. While the organization invests in its latest refurbishment, Tabassum suggests it should equally invest time and attention in the student community. She describes their current offerings as "outdated and generalistic at best," arguing that the RIBA should use its reach and reputation to unite and platform existing organizations and initiatives.

Practices themselves need significant reform in their hiring approaches. Much of the problem begins with job advertisements that fail to provide clear salary information. When postings mention "competitive salary" without specifics, it becomes disheartening for candidates who survive hundreds of applications and multiple interviews only to receive lowball offers. Many practices use benchmark salary guides as justification for maintaining an underpaid profession, though transparency in pay should be an industry standard rather than a rare occurrence.

Educational institutions bear responsibility for the skills mismatch between graduates and employer expectations. With the apprenticeship program recently taking a hit, schools of architecture should revisit their teaching models to integrate professional learning earlier in their curricula. The London School of Architecture and Bath stand out with their placement programs, while Leicester offers an integrated curriculum that teaches first-year students about planning. However, it's surprising that fewer than a handful of universities are driving meaningful change.

The fundamental problem lies in the disconnect between skills demanded by prospective employers and university teaching – a mismatch that only becomes apparent after graduation. With cuts coming to many major universities, students are already expressing concerns about teaching quality and supposedly rationed contact time. Tabassum argues that bigger changes in architectural education should start with engaging current students to understand their opinions, needs, and interests.

Students can also take initiative to improve their prospects. Despite the stressful and demanding nature of architecture courses, getting ahead requires advance planning. Tabassum regularly encourages students to build their personal brand both digitally and in person. The architecture industry, particularly in cities like London, operates as a tight-knit community where everyone knows each other, creating both advantages and disadvantages.

Networking plays a crucial role in job acquisition, with referral-based hiring more common than many realize. Rather than viewing networking as an "old-school boys' club," it can serve as an effective way to find like-minded individuals and workplaces with aligned values. This approach reflects a broader shift in how young people view their careers.

In her book "Don't Get A Job, Make A Job," Gem Barton describes education as an "active endeavor" where learning continues beyond graduation. Following this philosophy, young people are increasingly pursuing their passions and using higher education as a place to learn, grow, and experiment. As a result, architecture courses become stepping stones rather than final destinations, and the profession no longer represents a linear career path that should be treated as such.

The current crisis in architecture employment reflects broader changes in both industry expectations and graduate priorities. While the challenges are significant, solutions exist through collaborative efforts between educational institutions, professional organizations, practices, and students themselves. The key lies in moving beyond discussion to implementation of concrete changes that address the fundamental mismatches in the current system.