Hiring Chartered Architects: Interview Guide

You need a chartered architect or senior technologist who can lead design, manage risk and deliver on time and on budget. You might be recruiting for a practice or client-side role, or filling a senior technical position for a housing or regeneration programme in the South West. Either way you want a practical architecture and professional services recruitment process that reduces risk and surfaces the right experience quickly.

Harbron Recruit has more than 25 years of experience placing construction professionals across the South West and the UK, with dedicated sector specialists and one of the region's largest candidate databases. This post explains the checks you should make before interview, technical and behavioural areas to probe, the red flags to spot, a shortlist of interview questions and a simple skills matrix you can use as a checklist for hiring or for candidates preparing for interview.

What to check before you invite a chartered architect to interview

Professional registration and chartered status

• ARB registration: confirm the candidate is on the Architects Registration Board register, the statutory record that allows someone to use the title architect.
• RIBA or RIAS chartered membership: check whether the candidate is RIBA chartered or RIAS chartered for Scotland, and whether their membership is current. Ask for membership numbers and verify if needed.
• Practice status: if you are hiring a practice or a director, check whether the practice holds RIBA Chartered Practice status or carries appropriate professional indemnity insurance.

Portfolio and project experience

• Recent, relevant projects: look for projects of a similar scale and procurement route to yours, whether housing, commercial fit-out, conservation or power infrastructure.
• Clear role description: every project entry should state the candidate's role, deliverables and the contract stage they led: concept, technical design, tender, contract administration or completion.
• Evidence of outcomes: photos, technical drawings and measurable outcomes such as defects reduced, programme improvements or cost savings matter more than glossy imagery.

Technical skills and software

• BIM and Revit: confirm BIM experience and Revit proficiency, including version and whether they have worked within BIM Level 2 workflows. Ask for examples of model coordination, clash detection and output deliverables.
• CAD and other tools: AutoCAD, Navisworks, Solibri, SketchUp, Rhino or environmental tools like IES should be listed where relevant.
• Detailing and building regs: probe for hands-on detailing examples, compliance with Approved Documents and experience producing issue-for-construction packages.

Regulations, CDM and site competence

• CDM 2015 understanding: for senior roles the ability to act as Principal Designer or to advise the client on duty-holder responsibilities is essential.
• Site experience and safety tickets: many architects still need regular site presence. Check CSCS or equivalent site cards, SMSTS or SSSTS for those who attend site regularly, and PTS if the role touches rail projects. For work in education, health or security-sensitive sites consider DBS checks where relevant.

Procurement, contracts and commercial awareness

• Tender and contract exposure: confirm experience with NEC, JCT and design-and-build procurement, including tender production, employer requirements and post-tender negotiation.
• Fee and appointment experience: senior candidates should demonstrate fee setting, fee monitoring and an understanding of how fees map to delivery risk.

Basic vetting you must do

• Right to work: check documentation in line with your recruitment policy.
• References: get referees who can confirm the candidate's role on the projects listed, ideally a client or contract manager.
• Qualifications: confirm degrees, ARB ID and any CPD or specialist qualifications claimed.

Red flags to spot

• Inconsistent project claims, vague role descriptions, or portfolio images without drawings or dates.
• Missing ARB registration if the candidate calls themselves an architect, or inability to produce membership numbers for RIBA or RIAS.
• No clear technical evidence of detailing or regulatory compliance on medium to large projects, especially if the role requires technical leadership.
• Refusal to provide referees or referees who cannot verify the candidate's claimed responsibilities.
• Limited site exposure for roles that require site liaison, or a lack of understanding of CDM roles and duty holders.
• Poor commercial answers on fees, programme and risk allocation for senior posts.

Interview questions shortlist

Technical and design

• Tell me about a recent project you led from technical design to completion, including your role at each RIBA stage.
• Give an example of a technical detail you produced that saved time or avoided a defect. What was the problem and how did you solve it?
• Describe your Revit workflow, including how you manage collaboration and model coordination with consultants and contractors.

Project management, CDM and contracts

• Explain a time you acted as Principal Designer or advised on CDM duty-holder responsibilities. What did you do and what documentation did you produce?
• Which contracts have you worked under and what role did you play during tender and contract administration?
• How do you manage change control and variations while protecting the programme and budget?

Leadership and client management

• Describe a difficult client or contractor conversation you managed. What was the issue and what outcome did you achieve?
• How do you mentor junior staff or manage a multidisciplinary team on a complex project?

Skills matrix and candidate checklist

Skill or check	What to look for in a chartered architect or senior technologist	Interview evidence or candidate preparation
ARB registration, RIBA/RIAS	Registered architect, RIBA or RIAS membership confirmed	Provide ARB and RIBA/RIAS numbers, referees who can confirm status
Portfolio quality	Recent, relevant projects, role clearly stated, measurable outcomes	Bring recent drawings, photos and a one-page project summary per job
Revit/BIM and CAD	BIM Level 2 experience, Revit model coordination, clash resolution	Discuss specific models worked on, show outputs or deliverables
Technical detailing and building regs	Produces issue-for-construction details that comply with regulations	Show a detail set and explain compliance and decision making
CDM and site competence	Understands Principal Designer duties, regular site attendance where required	Outline CDM tasks performed, list safety tickets such as SMSTS or CSCS
Tendering and contracts	Experienced with NEC, JCT or design and build; understands commercial risk	Detail tenders worked on and your role in costing and negotiation
Qualifications and tickets	Relevant degree or diploma, CPD records, CSCS, PTS if rail related	Bring certificates and a CPD summary

Use this table as an interview checklist. For candidates, treat each “Interview evidence” cell as a preparation prompt. If you are a jobseeker, you can register with us a candidate and use it to prepare. Employers can convert the matrix into a scored sheet to compare applicants objectively.

Practical interview tips

• Ask for a work package, not just a glossy PDF: request drawings, schedules and a short narrative of the candidate's role a day before interview and give them time to talk through it.
• Test technical depth with follow up questions: when someone describes a solution, ask for alternatives and why they chose one over another.
• Include a site scenario: present a realistic problem such as a thermal bridging issue, party wall complaint or a late design change and ask how they would manage it.
• Check culture fit: for senior posts probe client handling, staff development and how the candidate balances commercial pressures with design standards.

Call to action

If you are recruiting for a chartered architect or a senior technologist, we can help you find candidates who meet these checks and who are vetted and ready to step into your projects. Contact our employers team to discuss your staffing needs or to register a vacancy: phone 0333 00 444 55, email info@harbronrecruit.co.uk. For sector-specific support see our architecture and professional services recruitment page, or get in touch via our employers page.

If you are a candidate preparing for an interview, use the skills matrix above to prepare project summaries and bring clear evidence of your role. To see current opportunities or to register with us, visit our jobs page or candidates page.

FAQs When Hiring A Chartered Architect

How do I verify a candidate's ARB or RIBA status?

You can ask the candidate for their ARB registration number and RIBA membership number, and verify them on the ARB and RIBA/RIAS registers. Ask referees to confirm the status and the role the candidate played on projects.

What if a strong designer has limited site experience?

Assess the role's site demands. For client-side or contract-admin roles site experience is essential. For studio-based design posts you can mitigate by pairing the designer with a technically strong technologist or by arranging supervised site exposure and essential safety training such as CSCS and SMSTS.

Should I expect senior architects to hold CSCS or SMSTS?

Not all senior architects carry CSCS cards, but many visiting site regularly do. SMSTS or SSSTS is valuable for those who manage site teams. For rail projects a PTS card is often mandatory. Decide your minimum site competence up front and include it in the job description.

How detailed should a portfolio be for interview?

Bring a concise portfolio with 3 to 6 recent projects, each on one page: project brief, your role, key challenges, technical evidence and outcomes. Have a fuller set of drawings and models available if requested.