Salary & Employment Rates for Interior Designers
According to the U.S Bureau of Statistics, there will be about 7,800 openings for interior designers each year, on average, over the decade.
The industries with the highest levels of employment in Interior Designers include:
- Specialized Design Services
- Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
- Furniture Stores
- Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods
- Residential Building Construction
The average salary for an Interior Designer depends on their experience, skills, and education level and is as follows:
- 0-2 years $48,000
- 2-4 years $56,000
- 4-7 years $63,000
How to Write the Best Resume for an Interior Designer?
Interior designers are experts in their field who give advice to their clients and work as consultants for architects, engineers, and contractors. This should be well communicated in your resume detailing any work experience, skill, or educational qualification that helps you showcase your expertise.
Our resume examples will give you an idea of what you should have in your resume, and since it's also important to structure your sections properly, our resume templates will help you with that.
How to Format Your Resume
The format is one of the most important things when crafting your resume.
The first format is the reverse-chronological format, which gives the opportunity to highlight your professional experience. It's perfect for you if you've worked for many years as an interior designer.
The second format is the functional resume, highlighting your skills and educational qualifications. This format is best suited for recent graduates and career changers.
The third format is the combination/hybrid resume. This one highlights your experience and skills and is excellent if you have experience in the interior design industry.
The Layout for Your Resume
The layout needs to be simple with easy-to-read fonts, such as Cambria, Times New Roman, Calibri, and Helvetica. The average hiring manager takes six to seven seconds on each resume and will not hesitate to put your resume aside if it's hard to read. The font should also be visible, and the recommended size is 10-12pt.
The structure of your interior designer resume should have the following sections:
- The header section
- Resume summary/resume objective
- Work experience
- Education section
- Skill section
- An additional section (volunteer work, awards/honors, interests, languages, and certifications)
Begin Your Interior Design Resume with the Header
The header is the first section of your resume and one of the most important ones. If you put incorrect information in this section, you can forget about getting a call from the recruiter.
Therefore, you need to check this section multiple times before sending your resume. Some of the details you'll add here include:
- Your full name
- Contact information
- Location
- A link to your portfolio or website.
CORRECTInterior Designer
647-234-989
kimchandler@gmail.comSan Diego, CA
Kimchandler.com
INCORRECTInterior Designer
647-234-989
kimchandler@gmail.com1299 Pike Street
San Diego, CA
House number 24
Date of birth 06/04/1988
Kimchandler.com
One of the most common questions job seekers ask is whether it's okay to add a photo to their resume.
The answer to this question is you should not because most recruiters believe that it increases the chances of discrimination. However, if your potential employer asks for one, you should send it but ensure it's professional.
How To Make Your Work Experience Stand Out
The interior design field is competitive, but one thing that will allow you to land your dream job is your previous experience. If you can show the recruiter that you can handle all types of clients, you'll have a chance to get the position.
The work experience section will have your employment history, and it's always better to prioritize the relevant work experience. List each of your previous workplaces, starting with your most recent one. The hiring manager needs to see what did at each place, so you'll list three to five roles and responsibilities.
To stand out, don't stop there.
Use figures and facts to quantify your results and show your future employer the value you bring to the company or construction firm. If you don't have too much experience, showcase your transferable skills from other industries and mention how they will be useful in the new position.
CORRECTDesign Source
Interior Designer
January 2018-December 2021
- Wrote 20 bid proposals every month to win new clients, which increased company revenue.
- Picked lighting fixtures for an apartment block consisting of 50 units and ensured that they were all appropriately fixed.
- Coordinated with engineers and contractors to ensure that wall layouts and furniture fittings were installed according to the client brief.
INCORRECTInterior Decorator
June 2016- December 2017
- Drafted designs using 3D software.
- Executed plans for commercial projects.
- Created strategies for businesses and office spaces.
Interior Designer Education Section
In this age of technology, apps like Pinterest have made everyone an artist, and with the right mood board, it's easy for you to decorate your own home. However, you have to agree that hiring an expert can make a huge difference in your space, so most people prefer to look for a professional interior designer.
Most clients will want to know about your education. A Bachelor's degree is the minimum educational qualification for any interior designer from an accredited school. A Master's or Ph.D. makes you stand out even more and increases your chances of landing the job.
In this section, you'll add the degree/diploma awarded, the name of the school, and the year of graduation. If your GPA is exceptional, you can add it too.
Correct example
Cornell University
July 2013
Strengthen Your Interior Designer Resume With Your Skills
The skills section of your resume is your chance to show the client or the recruiter the unique abilities that make you the best person for the job.
When it comes to design, traditional methods and digital ones can be helpful, and having the right mix of both will put you ahead of your competitors.
Your resume should have a list of hard skills that are technical and take some time to learn and soft skills that are the interpersonal attributes that help you relate with your colleagues.
The job description is a good place to check for some of the skills you should have in your resume. It's also advisable to use bullet points when listing your skills to make them more visible.
Let's look at some of the skills you can add to your interior design resume.
Hard skills- AutoCAD
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Color theory
- Flooring and lighting
- Hand-drawn sketches
- Project management
- Wall design
- Budget management
- Interpersonal skills
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Negotiation skills
- Excellent customer service
- Communication skills
- Decision-making
- Problem-solving
How To Write Your Professional Summary
The best way to introduce your resume is by having an eye-catching professional summary. This short paragraph summarizes your top achievements allowing the recruiter to know who you are before they read the rest of your resume. It's a crucial section because if it doesn't get the recruiter's attention, they'll probably not continue reading. You'll also summarize your experience and mention some of your top skills here.
CORRECTINCORRECTProfessional Objective (and why it's essential)
What happens when you've not worked in your field before and don't have any achievements to add to your professional summary? Do you miss out on the opportunity you want?
The answer is no!
You'll add a professional objective instead, which serves the same purpose. In the objective, you'll add your career goals and express your enthusiasm for the job. You can also show the recruiter how your career goals align with the company goals and mention any skills that will be useful in the position.
CORRECT
