How To Build a Successful Interior Designer Career: Tips for Students

You may think that having a diploma is enough to be a successful interior designer. We have bad news for you. Graduating from a well-known university is only the first step in career-building. Most students learn from their own mistakes. Let’s outline the most critical steps in building an interior designer career. 

Essential Skills For the Future Interior Designer

Boos your creativity, and be attentive to details

Know Trends, but Be Predictable

Sustainability is a key

Focus on Advanced Communication

Use Computer Skills for Better Practice

How To Choose the Right Design School or Course

Get Your First Job

Final Thoughts

Essential Skills For the Future Interior Designer

Nowadays, you can find various options to start learning interior design. It can be an online course in an open source platform, offline courses in design companies, or even you can enter a university to learn interior design. However, the most important thing is how to use all received knowledge in practice, create your first portfolio, and establish essential skills for a successful job search. Choosing a career path is the most fundamental step in your life, and if you already find that being an interior designer is the best for you - we will help to improve your career journey. 

Let’s jump into the discussion of the critical skills every student in interior design should focus on!

Boost your creativity, and be attentive to details

First and foremost, creativity is king for an excellent designer career, especially when we speak about the interior and your ability to work with complicated spaces. You never know what surprises your clients will have. Create a unique fireplace, decorate an old cabin in a forest, or creatively re-thing “grandmother’s house.” Be ready to be creative with solutions and materials. At the same time, ensure that you can handle all the details your clients provide. Even a tiny mistake can be a cause of a colossal failure. 

Know Trends, but Be Predictable

As an interior designer, you will follow a lot of special exhibitions, communicate with other colleagues, and be aware of the latest trend. However, it does not mean you need to predict what trend will be next. It is always a bunch of materials and trends that will work only for a year or two. But your work should be functional for the next few years. Be critical of all trends in modern design and think about solutions that can be used by your clients for a more extended period. 

Sustainability is a Key

Another important skill you need to be aware of is a sustainable approach to your future design. In 2022 it is already apparent that we need to focus on the most sustainable, green, and climate-friendly solutions. It can use recycled materials to increase the health of home inhabitants. But be clear with what is really eco-friendly and what firms are masters of greenwashing. Not all non-toxic eco-friendly materials are such in fact, they can only be a part of the advertisement. To be a sound designer and build a successful career, be clear with all the details and check everything twice.

Focus on Advanced Communication

You may think that the most critical thing for an interior designer is his talent. Yes, talent is essential, but you also need to understand your clients and be able to speak with them in the same language. This is where you need to invest in developing communication skills. If your university offers a specific course, you can take such credits and get the information from a professor. However, you may also find a separate course in online resources. It would be good if the course would be made for designers, as in such cases you will know more about real cases you may have in your life. 

Use Computer Skills for Better Practice

Last but not least, you need to be a pro in using advanced software for interior design practice. Some software is quite expensive, but there are also many free options in the market. There is no way that you won’t use any computer app or program to plan your design. Focusing on your computer advanced skills at the beginning of your career is better. Try Planner 5D, Floorplanner, or Sweet Home 3D solutions - they have been the most used in the market for the last few years. 

How To Choose the Right Design School or Course

All those skills should be part of your career journey, but choosing the right place to study is still essential. If you want to have a license for interior design, you need to get a bachelor's degree first. It means that your coursework should include drawing, computer-aid design, or interior design to be certified in the future. You can take advantage of a reliable platform of professionals who can improve your work and correct any issues.

What do you need to consider, choosing the right school for study?

• Research classes, you will have. You may even look at the curriculum to understand if this school uses the latest literature and software. 

• Check if this school has a career advising service. Defining your goals and essential steps to achieve them with a professional would be great.

• Contact alumni and check how they use everything they get in the university in their practice. Do most of them have good work? 

• It may also be helpful to check if your design school is at Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). It is not a necessary thing, but it definitely will help you to get a license faster. 

Get Your First Job

Probably the most complicated step for any early career designer is to find the first client and start work on its portfolio. If you don’t have practice and just graduated from the university, you may need an internship before you get your first real job. Quite often, university career centers share the actual internships for students. Another way to get an internship is to ask alumni to support your application. Anyway, you will need a portfolio with the best samples you have created. It can be your class work, class project, or any volunteer design you may do for someone. It may happen that your first internship will be your first work, but in any case, you need to start with something. The internship also will make your CV stronger, and you may get a great recommendation letter for your future job. 

Final Thoughts

A career as an interior designer is quite popular worldwide when many companies invest in efficient working space and recovery zones. At the same time, there is always a higher chance of building a career in cities where interior design is in demand. It can be somewhere in California, Florida, or New York. But it does not mean that you can’t build your career in a native city. Be creative, understand your client's needs, and try to be in a wave of the latest design trends. Be passionate about your career, inspired by the best interior masterpieces, and do your best to achieve your goals. 

We outline essential skills for a good interior designer, what to consider in choosing a design school, and how to get your first job in this field that can help you with your first steps.