THEN AND NOW: HOW AEC RECRUITMENT HAS CHANGED—aND HOW IT HASn't

In 1998, Robert Ivy, the editor-in-chief of Architectural Record (and later the longtime CEO of the American Institute of Architects) asked me to write an article about executive recruitment in the AEC industry. Rereading it recently, I reflected on how much has changed since then—and how much hasn’t.

Believe it or not, I pioneered using technology in recruitment. At my firm, we developed a system to manage applicants, one of the first of its kind. We ended up selling it to a bunch of Fortune 500 companies. Hoping to cut back on travel, I also tested out video-conferencing for interviews early on, with limited success. Back then, the clunkiness and awkwardness of the technology were hard for many candidates to overcome.

Obviously, technology has been a game-changer since then. Software that automates and streamlines the search and vetting process has made finding qualified candidates faster and easier than ever by sorting through resumes and applications and administering personality tests. LinkedIn and other social media platforms and job sites like Indeed and CareerBuilder amplify job searches and help recruiters reach a larger talent pool, especially for mid-level roles. These platforms also give candidates more transparency by providing access to opportunities and information about employers. 

By enabling more self-sufficiency, these tools also increased clients' expectations from recruiting and search firms. Since clients could easily search for candidates on their own, they began to demand more value and services from recruiters, like faster turnaround times and access to top talent. 

However, while technology has made recruitment more efficient, in the end, it’s just a tool. Humans still need to identify qualified candidates (both personally and professionally) and evaluate their abilities and fit for roles. You can’t tell a software program to find and hire the ideal marketing director.

As a result, relationships and conversations are even more important to recruiting, which is why recruiters still play a pivotal role. When I wrote that article, AEC recruitment focused more on accomplishments—the portfolio and the projects. Personality and cultural fit were probably only about 15% of the equation. Today, there’s a lot more awareness of their importance. Whether a person is an introvert or an extrovert, their Myers-Briggs type, their leadership style, and other qualitative considerations are factors that are just as important as their ability to do the job. And you only learn those things by getting to know them over time.

It's the same process with businesses. When I’m working with a client, I use Zoom, Teams, and social media to get to know the people: everything from how they interact to how they dress. This helps me identify candidates who will fit in with the company and add to it. And that doesn’t happen with an algorithm.

Many of the old-school search methods in the article still work. I love college recruitment programs. College job fairs are a way to discover the best and brightest—and they’re a chance to market your business and brand, making them a win-win on both sides. Building a relationship with institutions can also pay off. I’ve had some unusual searches where I’ve reached out to contacts at colleges and universities and asked them to tell me about recent graduates whose careers they have tracked and who impressed them.

Professional associations can also be helpful for high-level searches, although advertising can be expensive. Today there are also specialized online AEC communities on sites like Archinect and Reddit, as well as city-specific architecture groups. These can be great places to list job openings as well as to gather information and network.

For the most part, I still do the same things I was doing then—but I’m just doing more of it and just in different ways. I’m using technology to simplify and streamline my efforts so I can focus on the human part of the process—which of course is the most important. Finding the optimal candidate for a position and seeing the possibilities and benefits on both sides is a kind of magic that technology just can’t replicate.