Questions, answered.
How working with the original architecture referral registry actually works — for the people we place and the firms we place them in.
Does it cost anything to work with CFA?
No. Our services are always free for candidates — hiring firms pay our fees. You can submit your portfolio, take our CAD assessments, and get placed at no cost to you.
What kinds of roles do you place?
Architecture, interior design, and engineering roles — on a per-project (freelance), project-to-permanent, and permanent basis. Everything from job captains and intermediate designers to project architects, senior engineers, and studio directors.
What's the difference between project, project-to-permanent, and permanent placement?
Per-project (freelance) means working on a project or for a set period. Project-to-permanent lets you and the firm test the fit on a live project before committing to a full-time offer. Permanent is a direct, full-time hire from the start.
Do you place freelance and project-based designers?
Yes — flexible, project-based work is part of how CFA started. We pioneered freelance and flex hiring for architects back in 1984, and project placements are still core to what we do.
Will I get paid for all the hours I work?
Yes. A salaried year is based on 2,080 hours, but design teams routinely work well beyond that during deadlines — with no extra pay, which quietly erodes the real value of a salary. As an independent project professional, you set your own rate and bill for the work you book, crunch weeks included.
Will project work help or hurt my career?
Done well, it accelerates it. A full-time role can pigeonhole you — spend two or three years detailing stairs for one celebrated firm and that's largely what your portfolio shows. Move through projects instead — six months on those stair details, then a corporate interiors job, then residential, then commercial — and in the same span you've built a far broader portfolio and skill set. When you step back into a permanent role, that range tends to make you more marketable and better positioned to ask for more responsibility and pay.
Do you only place people in New York?
We're rooted in New York City, but we place talent with firms nationwide. If you're open to remote or relocation, tell your matchmaker.
Do you place remote or hybrid roles?
Yes, when firms offer them. Many design roles are on-site, but we place remote and hybrid positions where they exist — just tell your matchmaker your preference.
Should I send a résumé, a portfolio, or both?
Both, ideally. For design roles your portfolio often matters more than your résumé — it's how firms judge skill and sensibility. Send what you have and your matchmaker will guide you.
Will my job search stay confidential?
Yes. We don't share your résumé, portfolio, or details with any firm without your permission. Your search stays private.
How do I get started?
Three easy ways: submit your portfolio through our For Talent page, download the CFA Job Search app, or register on our candidate portal. A matchmaker will follow up.
Is the client-driven CAD assessment really free for me?
Yes. Candidates can take our CAD and Revit assessments free, to verify and showcase their skills to hiring firms. More on CAD assessments →
Does freelance project placement count toward my architecture license?
Yes. NCARB's Architectural Experience Program (AXP) credits hours, not employment type — you can be a W-2 employee or 1099 contractor. When CFA places you at a firm and you work under the direct supervision of a licensed architect, those hours qualify just like full-time hours: log them in your NCARB Record and your AXP supervisor at the firm reviews and approves them. Many CFA project professionals complete the AXP entirely through placements.
Is CFA an architect recruiter or headhunter?
No. CFA is a referral registry — a matchmaker that refers architects and design professionals for permanent, project-to-permanent, and project roles. Firms sometimes look for this under architectural recruiting, executive search, or architect headhunting; CFA's difference is that its matchmakers understand portfolios, drawings, software, project phases, and design sensibility. Architecture referrals →
Can CFA refer architects for a single project or workload surge?
Yes. Per-project consulting is one of CFA's core placement models. Firms can add vetted capacity for a project, deadline, leave, or busy period without making a permanent hire. Project referrals →
Who pays CFA's fee — the firm or the candidate?
The hiring firm always pays our fee — candidates are never charged, for placement, CAD assessments, or anything else. If you're a job seeker, working with CFA is completely free.
Isn't a project hire more expensive than a permanent employee?
Rarely, once you count the full cost of a permanent hire. A project fee can look higher at first, but independent consultants cover their own taxes, insurance, benefits, and time off — none of that lands on your firm. A salaried employee's true cost — salary plus benefits and direct personnel expense (DPE) — typically meets or exceeds the all-in project cost, and with project placement you pay only for the hours the work actually requires.
How does project-based referral help with uneven project workloads?
Design work moves in peaks and valleys — several deadlines at once, then quiet stretches between projects. Project-based talent lets you scale up for the busy periods and back down when they end, without the cost, disruption, and morale damage of the hire-and-fire cycle. You carry talent only while the work is there to support it.
How is CFA different from a generic staffing agency?
CFA was the firm that pioneered project-based placement for architects — founded in 1984 by a published designer trained in architecture. We read portfolios, understand project phases, and match by design sensibility, not just keywords. And the senior people who place you have been here for decades.
What are my options for hiring?
Three: per-project (freelance) referral, project-to-permanent, and direct permanent placement — which can run as a confidential retained search for principal-level roles. We'll help you pick the model that fits the work and the budget. See how we hire →
Do you place interior designers and engineers, or only architects?
All three. Architecture is where we began, but we help complete interior design and engineering projects too — including MEP, structural, and CAD/BIM specialists.
How do you vet candidates before I see them?
Every candidate is screened by matchmakers who read drawings — we review portfolios, interview for technical skill and design sensibility, and can verify CAD/Revit proficiency with client-driven assessments before anyone reaches your desk.
How fast can you send candidates?
We maintain a deep, curated talent pool, so for many roles we can present qualified candidates within days. Specialized or senior searches may take longer — your matchmaker will set clear expectations up front.
Can you help complete a single project or a short-term surge?
Yes. Project-based referral is one of our core models — bring on flex talent for a deadline, a single project, or a busy stretch, with no permanent commitment.
What does it cost to hire through CFA?
Fees depend on the engagement type and the role. Contact us for a straightforward quote.
What happens if a hire doesn't work out?
We stand behind every permanent placement with a refund guarantee: if the person leaves or is let go for any reason within the first 30 days, 100% of the placement fee is refunded — 66% within 31–60 days, and 33% within 61–90 days. (Applies to permanent placements invoiced and paid on schedule.)
Do you offer client-driven assessments of candidates' CAD or Revit skills?
Yes — the CFAeX Knowledge Assessment is one of our services, including assessments built to your firm's own standards so you can verify skills before anyone starts. CAD assessments for firms →
Do you handle confidential or executive searches?
Yes. For senior or sensitive roles we run discreet searches and present the opportunity only to candidates who fit your criteria.
How are candidates screened?
Through portfolio review, matchmaker interviews, and — where useful — client-driven CAD and Revit assessments. We match on technical ability and design sensibility, not just keywords on a résumé.
What do you need to start a search?
The role and seniority, your must-have skills and software, the sector, and whether you want project, project-to-permanent, or permanent. The more you tell us, the tighter the shortlist.
Do you verify licenses and certifications like RA, NCIDQ, PE, or LEED?
Yes. Where a role calls for specific credentials, we confirm them as part of vetting.
How large is your talent network?
We've built a curated network of tens of thousands of design professionals since 1984 — many of whom we've known and placed across multiple roles over the years.
Do you place candidates nationwide?
Yes. We're headquartered in New York and place talent with firms across the country.
Which software do your assessments cover?
Autodesk Revit, AutoCAD, and AutoCAD Architecture, covering the current and prior releases — so skills are assessed against the software firms actually run.
How do the assessments work?
Candidates answer practical, image-based questions across multiple difficulty levels, timed to reflect real proficiency. Results place each person at a clear skill level. More on CAD assessments →
Can assessments be built to our firm's standards?
Yes. Alongside our standard assessments, we can build assessments around your firm's own templates, standards, and workflows.
Are the results reliable?
Questions are drawn from large pools and timed, so results reflect genuine ability — giving firms verified proficiency before anyone is hired.
Is CFA a staffing or employment agency?
We are not a temp, contract, or employment agency. The New York State Department of Labor has recognized CFA as a Referral Registry. We refer architects, interior designers, and engineers to the design firms that hire them.
When was CFA founded?
1984 — making us the firm that pioneered project-based placement for the design community. We've guided clients and staff through four major recessions since.
Were you the first to match architects with firms?
No — temp agencies came before us. What CFA pioneered in 1984 was project-based, flex-core placement: bringing the right designer onto the right project, built for how design firms actually work. We didn't invent matching architects with firms; we invented a better way to do it — and four decades on, it's the standard.
Who is David McFadden?
CFA's founder and CEO — a published designer trained in architecture who ran his own design practice before building the firm. He started CFA to connect design talent with the firms that need it.
Who runs CFA?
Founder & CEO David McFadden, alongside a senior team whose tenure is measured in decades rather than months. Meet the team →
Where are you located?
276 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1008, New York, NY 10001 — serving design firms nationwide.
What architecture roles do you fill?
Project architects, job captains, architectural designers, and project managers, from intermediate to studio-director level. Architecture referrals →
Which interior design roles do you place?
Interior designers, interior architects, FF&E and project designers, and design directors across workplace, hospitality, healthcare, retail, and residential. Interior design referrals →
Do you help complete engineering projects?
Yes — MEP, structural, and plumbing / fire-protection engineers for A/E firms and consultancies. Engineering referrals →
Do you place CAD/BIM and Revit specialists?
Yes — Revit and AutoCAD drafters, BIM coordinators, and BIM managers, with client-driven assessments available before you meet them. CAD & BIM referrals →