Christina Salvo

JOB ANALYSIS
Job title: Interior Designers

Beginning Salary: $48,840 per year

Skills required:
Artistic ability. Interior designers use their sense of style to develop designs that are
aesthetically pleasing.
Creativity. Interior designers need to be imaginative in selecting furnishings and fabrics and in
creating spaces that serve the clients needs and fit the clients lifestyle.
Detail oriented. Interior designers need to be precise in measuring interior spaces and creating
drawings, so that it can be used by other workers such as engineers or other designers.
Interpersonal skills. Interior designers need to be able to communicate effectively with clients
and others. Much of their time is spent soliciting new clients and new work and collaborating
with other designers, engineers, and general building contractors on ongoing projects.
Problem-solving skills. Interior designers must address challenges, such as construction
delays and the high cost or sudden unavailability of certain materials, while keeping the project
on time and within budget.
Visualization. Interior designers need a strong sense of proportion and visual awareness in
order to understand how pieces of a design will fit together to create the intended interior
environment.
Education required: Bachelors Degree
Experience required: Interior designers usually need a bachelors degree with a focus on
interior design.
Positive Features:
Benefits:
-Paid vacations
-Paid holidays
-Sick leave
-Health insurance
-The self-employed must pay for these perks out of their pockets
Promotion Opportunities:
Voluntary certification in an interior design specialty, such as healthcare interior design, allows
designers to demonstrate expertise in a particular area of the occupation. Interior designers
often specialize to distinguish the type of design work they do and to promote their expertise.

Certifications usually are available through professional and trade associations and are
independent from the NCIDQ licensing examination.
Other Considerations* (Such as travel, expense accounts, bonuses, working hours, training
programs, etc.)
Work Environment. Many interior designers work for the specialized design services industry
or for the architectural, engineering, and related services industry. In 2014, about 1 in 4 were
self-employed.
Travel. Most interior designers work full time. They may need to adjust their workday to suit
their clients schedules and deadlines, meeting with clients during evening and weekend hours
when necessary. Interior designers also travel to the clients design sites.
Work Schedules. Most interior designers work full time. They may need to adjust their workday
to suit their clients schedules and deadlines, meeting with clients during evening and weekend
hours when necessary. Interior designers also travel to the clients design sites.
Training Programs. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits about 320
postsecondary colleges, universities, and independent institutes with programs in art and
design. The Council for Interior Design Accreditation accredits more than 180 professional-level
(bachelors or masters degrees) interior design programs.
Bonus. Many designers specialize in a particular type of building, such as homes, hospitals, or
hotels; a specific room, such as bathrooms or kitchens; or a specific style. Some designers work
for home-furnishings stores, providing design services to help customers choose materials and
furnishings.
*Include the job outlook for your career
Negative Features:
Employee expenses:
-Complex software to create two-dimensional or three-dimensional images
-Computer
-Travel
Work requirements:
-Search for and bid on new projects
-Determine the clients goals and requirements for the project
-Consider how the space will be used and how people will move through the space
-Sketch preliminary design plans, including electrical and partition layouts
-Specify materials and furnishings, such as lighting, furniture, wall finishes, flooring, and
plumbing fixtures
-Create a timeline for the interior design project and estimate project costs

-Place orders for materials and oversee the installation of the design elements
-Conduct the construction administration of the project and coordinate with general building
contractors to implement the plans and specifications to build the project
-Visit the site after the project is complete, to ensure that the client is satisfied
Other Considerations* :
-Voluntary certification in an interior design specialty, such as healthcare interior design, allows
designers to demonstrate expertise in a particular area of the occupation. Interior designers
often specialize to distinguish the type of design work they do and to promote their expertise.
Certifications usually are available through professional and trade associations and are
independent from the NCIDQ licensing examination.
-Employment of interior designers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2014 to 2024, slower than
the average for all occupations. Designers will be needed to respond to consumer expectations
that the interiors of homes and offices meet certain conditions, such as being environmentally
friendly and more easily accessible.