Do I Need To Bring A Portfolio To a Town Planning Interview?

In this blog, you will learn:

• If you need to bring a portfolio to a town planning interview.
• What to include in your town planning portfolio.
• Why a town planning portfolio is important.
• Where the latest town planning jobs are and how to apply for them. 

A town planning portfolio can be an effective way for Town Planners to demonstrate their skills, experience and planning expertise to hiring managers within local authorities and private planning organisations. However, is a portfolio always required at an interview? In our latest blog, we’re exploring whether this is the case, what to include in a town planning portfolio and why a town planning portfolio is important. 

Do you need to bring a portfolio to a town planning interview?

Whilst it is not always necessary to bring a portfolio to a town planning interview, it can be an effective way to showcase a Town Planner’s skills and make a positive first impression on a local authority or private planning organisation.

Bringing along a portfolio is an effective way to showcase a planning professional's skills in urban design and project management, however the requirement for one can depend on the exact demands of the role and expectations of the employer. 

When is a town planning portfolio beneficial?

A town planning portfolio can be beneficial in the following circumstances:

• To demonstrate previous project experience with real life examples and evidence. For example, if a Town Planner has played a significant role in enhancing transportation plans across a town or city, this should be showcased in a portfolio with evidential outcomes and designs. Visuals and summaries around project successes can make a Town Planner's experience more tangible and clearly demonstrate to a hiring manager how they could produce the same standard of work in their local authority or private planning organisation. 
• For town planning positions that involve a focus on master planning, site analysis or urban design. Examples of previous work surrounding these areas are beneficial for crediting suitability for the role. 

When in a town planning portfolio not beneficial?

A town planning portfolio is not beneficial in the following circumstances:

• If the role in question is more administration focused.
• If the job description specifically says not to bring along a portfolio.
• If the interview is of an informal style. In this case, Town Planners may be asked to bring a portfolio at a later stage of the recruitment process.

What should be included in a town planning portfolio?

Key elements of a town planning portfolio can include:

• A comprehensive overview of previous projects worked on.
• Drawings and visuals.
• Positive testimonials. 

A comprehensive overview of previous projects worked on

For a Town Planner, being able to demonstrate the impact of their work on previous projects helps to add credibility when looking for a new planning position. 

Town Planners are advised to showcase the projects they have worked on and include the location, responsibilities they undertook and any challenges faced along the way.

Town planning recruitment specialist, Josh Draycott, says, “Whilst it might feel wrong to speak about challenges experienced, this provides an effective opportunity for Town Planners to demonstrate how they approached these challenges and put solutions in place to overcome any obstacles.”

Josh continues, “Hiring managers will want to know that a Town Planner has the initiative and problem solving skills needed to effectively resolve any issues that might arise during a project and detailing experience of this within a portfolio is recommended to showcase these skills.”

Stakeholder engagement could also be included in a project overview as this will demonstrate a Town Planner's ability to effectively communicate with stakeholders and local residents. Alongside this, project overviews should demonstrate a Town Planner's knowledge surrounding local and national planning policies, such as the National Planning Policy Framework. 

Drawings and visuals

The inclusion of maps, drawings and visuals within a portfolio are a great way to enhance an overview of previous work and showcase the skills required to succeed on these projects.

Town Planners should ensure that any visuals included within a portfolio are relevant, can be explained in detail, attributed to the success of a project and high quality. 

Visuals may include before and after images, 3D modelling and sketches, site plans of completed projects and charts, providing this information can be disclosed. 

Positive testimonials

Professional testimonials from previous clients and colleagues are an effective way for a Town Planner to add credibility within their job application.

Being able to support an application with the insights of other people will show local authorities and private planning organisations that a Town Planner is well respected within their field of work.

References and testimonials are also important for showing a hiring manager that a Town Planner is not misleading them within their CV or portfolio. Direct quotes from previous clients and colleagues can be included within a portfolio to enhance the credibility of a Town Planner.

Tips for an effective town planning portfolio

Tips for an effective town planning portfolio include:

• Include plenty of detail but make sure all overviews of previous projects and visuals are relevant and serve the purpose of enhancing a town planning application.
• Focus on quality over quantity when it comes to showcasing previous work.
• Tailor a portfolio to the local authority or private planning organisation the position is at. 
• Ensure visuals are high quality and consistent in style.
• Use multiple formats to showcase work such as maps, charts, photos and written analysis. 

Why is a town planning portfolio important?

A town planning portfolio is an important method for Town Planners to showcase their professional experience, expertise, skills and their understanding of sustainable practice, economic strategy and national planning policies. 

A portfolio should effectively demonstrate a Town Planner's problem-solving, design and technical skills and can mean the difference between a Town Planner successfully securing a new contract or being overlooked in favour of another planning professional. 
A well-designed town planning portfolio should guide the hiring manager through a Town Planners experience in a seamless fashion, demonstrating the positive impact they have had on a variety of town planning projects along the way.

Contact a town planning recruitment specialist

Josh Draycott is a dedicated private sector and local authority Town Planning recruitment specialist with a diverse background in recruitment. 

With a strong focus on the planning industry, Josh recruits for a wide range of roles, including Town Planners, Policy Planners, Urban Planners, Development Management Planners and Directors of Planning. His expertise lies in sourcing both interim and permanent talent to meet the planning objectives of his clients.

Planning jobs

If you’re searching for your next town planning job, why not take a look at the latest vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available. 

Town planning recruitment services

As town planning recruitment specialists, we support local authorities and private sector businesses nationwide with their temporary, interim and permanent recruitment needs. 

Josh has built long-standing, trusted relationships with numerous local council planning departments, delivering tailored recruitment solutions that address the dynamic and evolving demands of the town planning sector. 

If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, get in touch with Josh Draycott on 01772 954200 to see how we can help.

Who is Spencer Clarke Group?

Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations. 

In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of. 

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