Skills
Architect Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in architects, and how to build and show them.
What skills do architects need?
Architects need technical skills such as design, revit and cad, and building codes, plus people skills like creativity and communication. They also use tools such as Revit and AutoCAD.
Technical (hard) skills
- Design
- Revit and CAD
- Building codes
- Construction documents
- 3D modeling
- Project management
People (soft) skills
- Creativity
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Collaboration
Tools, equipment and technology
- Revit
- AutoCAD
- SketchUp
- Rhino
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Bluebeam
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how architects put their skills to work:
- How to develop a building program with a client
- How to check a design against building code
- How to respond to a contractor question during construction
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Design” and “Revit and CAD.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “creativity,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as State architect license near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our architect glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Architect training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.