EDUCATION

Getting an excellent education at a FIDER accredited university is the great place to start. Find the best school you can. But, you say, " I have that! And, I am still having a rough time." It is so frustrating and tiresome. You would much rather be making money and getting down to business. So, why can't you find a job? There are several reasons. And, one of them, timing, can have everything to do with it. It just takes time. It took time to learn and looking for a job is a learning process in itself.

INDUSTRY

It can be extremely difficult to break into the field, even with a great education. The truth of the matter is, you are at the very beginning of a long career in interior design full of ideas and theories. You have no practical experience. You have many questions. You have hopes and desires. You have expectations. You also have many avenues to take. Some may be better suited to your personality, desires and goals than others. Learn your strengths and weaknesses. By working to improve everything you do and by doing the best work possible you will get the work and the experience you need.

Eventually, you will be in a position to design a project on your own. Nevertheless, many times you will have to persevere like a "starving artist." There are many specialized areas to consider, such as commercial, hospitality, healthcare, retail, institutional/government, home automation and others, so tailor your thoughts toward developing a specialty through the life of your career. Not only does the quality of your education and the amount of experience you have factor into the picture, but much will depend on building trends and amount of activity in specific areas of the country.

EMPLOYMENT RESEARCH

Your main public library is a great resource for architectural or interior design firms in your city. You can locate information such as the name of the firm, address, telephone, fax and most importantly, the owner/CEO of the firm, which will allow you to forward your resume directly to the decision-maker.

Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) provides independent financial information, analytical services, and credit ratings to the world's financial markets. Among the company's many products are the S&P Global 1200, the world's first global, equity, real time index; the S&P 500, the premier U.S. portfolio index; and credit ratings on more than 220,000 securities and funds worldwide. With more than 5,000 employees located in 21 countries, Standard & Poor's is an integral part of the global financial infrastructure. Source: Standard & Poor's - CONTACT: Carol Levine, Communications Manager of Index Services for Standard & Poor's, , Website: www.standardandpoors.com/

RESUME

Check your resume and cover letter to make sure they are flawless. Keep the resume one page and consider what you might do to improve it and make it stand out among others, without overdoing it. Perhaps the paper or a logo design might be enough to grab attention. Maybe instead of folding and inserting into a standard envelope, you prepare it in a special presentation package. Perhaps you can burn a CD of your work to a disk to be included. Send resumes to ALL the firms near you, directed to the owner, whether or not they have an opening. Mention in the cover letter your background, goals, and portfolio website address, if you have one available.

CALL

Follow up with a telephone call to introduce yourself and perhaps secure an interview appointment. If no positions are available, make it known you wish to be considered for any future openings. Put your best foot forward on any interview and think of it as a learning experience. Some individuals are really shy, but you must overcome this and make the extra effort, if you are serious about getting work. You can rehearse your introduction and anticipate questions you might be asked and write this down to have in front of you for reference. As they say, "Practice makes perfect."

PORTFOLIO

Take a good look at your portfolio and do whatever you can to emphasize your abilities. Satisfactory portfolios are easy to come by, so figure out a way to make yours dynamic. One new approach is to increase the size of the photograph, slip it into a board with corner clips and then individually pull out each photograph to view, rather than having someone thumb through a portfolio quickly. Show only the best of the best and think about what you might say regarding each photograph and project. Other presentation methods are available:

PowerPoint Presentations

Some firms may have equipment specifically designed for this program. This method creates a slide show with flying text, custom graphics and sound for effective presentations.

Create a CD

This method enables you to leave a sample of your work with a prospective employer to view and generate a "wow" factor. You will have to hire someone to create the CD. Consider eye-catching animation.

Create an online version of your work

This method allows prospective employers worldwide to view your resume. The key to success with this method is keeping it extremely professional and not linking to any personal site, if possible. Scan only your best work and minimize the size of each graphic, so each page loads quickly.

EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

Contact employment agencies in your area that handle interior design placement. Check the Web regularly for postings. There are many online agencies that permit job seekers to post their resumes at no charge. This obviously will not hurt your chances, but again, be sure whatever information you post is grammatically correct. Many employment agency Websites offer valuable advice on how to format a resume, how to handle yourself on a job interview, etc. Doing a brief search through agencies will help you determine which offer the most opportunities. When you locate a good match it would be worthwhile to contact the firm by e-mail to learn how it works and then check its site regularly.

Firms often hire employees when they have more work than they can handle and are usually looking for someone who can ease their workload, rather than increase it. There is always a learning curve and since some employees do not always work out, it is a time-consuming investment to hire someone. Finding entry-level positions via employment agencies is sometimes difficult and they often require a placement fee.

RETAIL DESIGN SERVICES

One method to help establish you in a particular market is to consider working for a retail furniture store that offers interior design services to complement the furnishings. In these instances, choose the firm carefully. These are often commission-based positions. The focus is selling furniture, but you are put in contact with individuals needing design services and this will provide that necessary experience. You might also consider working in a sales position within the industry. These are often on a straight-commission basis or base salary with commissions. Sales can become a very lucrative avenue and will acquaint you with major manufacturers and design firms. It will familiarize you with how large firms operate, while helping you learn the art of selling and establishing relationships with clients

CONTRACT WORK / PART - TIME

Consider working on a contract basis, rather than full-time work. Many firms hire this way for temporary workload crunches and often, after seeing your capabilities, will consider you for a permanent position. This may or may not work for you, depending on your particular circumstances.

You might also consider accepting a part-time position in hopes of eventually obtaining full-time work. Although full-time work is preferable, working on a part-time or contract basis can get you into places where you might not otherwise have a chance. This allows employers to learn more about individual capabilities and can often lead to full-time work if an individual fits their criteria.

Rather than volunteering your time for no pay, consider working for a firm at an entry-level position even if it is to be a receptionist or a draftsperson. What you need at this point is experience. And to get experience, it would be best to work with a qualified designer or design firm in either a full- or part-time capacity. Get your foot in the door. You then have the opportunity to learn by example. Become familiar with resources and vendors. Find out how these designers secure projects, market their services and supply products to their clients.

Part-time and contract work often leads to a full-time position. There are many other avenues you might take that would help you learn more about the industry, i.e. managing a showroom, becoming a manufacturers representative, selling antiques, etc. What all these positions do is give you EXPERIENCE.

DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS

If you are not already a member of an interior design organization, you might consider joining IIDA, ASID or other associations that specialize in Hospitality, Commercial, Healthcare or some other area of interest. Ask to be included on their mailing list. Groups such as these publish newsletters and many post opportunities. Attend meetings geared toward your preferences and learn who is prominent in your area. Who has the best reputation? Who does the most volume of work? What kind of projects do they secure? Network with your peers and professionals in your area whenever you have the opportunity. Often openings are never formally posted, but are announced "through the grapevine."

NCIDQ & LICENSING

The National Council for Interior Design Qualifications Examination is used by most states where licensing is required, as a basis for determining whether an individual is qualified. Not all designers are certified by NCIDQ, only those who are have achieved the highest standards within the industry. With this certification, you will be able to practice anywhere within North America and be assured you will meet the vast majority of standards set by individual state agencies.

If you are considering establishing a business as an interior designer without an education, please be aware many states now require you to be registered with licensing agencies in order to refer to yourself as an "interior designer." There are often fines associated for practicing without a license.

MARKETING DESIGN SERVICES

What often is not dwelled upon within an educational curriculum is the art of selling. As a designer, in order to get a client you are selling your services. Once you obtain a contract or verbal agreement, you are not only designing a project, but you are often selling product. You will not succeed unless you are capable of marketing your services. So, with this in mind you have to consider your portfolio presentation, your scope of services, what you will charge for those services, how you will supply, receive and deliver products, and warranty issues, as well as, what will be the best avenue to market your services to the public.

A method designers often use to generate leads is to participate in local "Designer Showcases." In this instance smaller design firms often approach vendors they commonly work with to provide furniture and accessories on loan. It requires a great deal of planning, effort and expense, but often it can be a good marketing tool for designers interested in promoting residential design services. This method gets your name out before the public eye.

Entering competitions is another good way to promote your abilities. Many organizations and manufacturers sponsor competitions geared around their specialties. You can then include any accolades within your advertising materials.

OPPORTUNITY & SUCCESS

Make the most of any opportunity that comes your way by providing exceptional design. You will be well on your way to establishing yourself in your market in a positive way. Referrals are the best source for new business. Consider also talking to local builders or contractors for referrals.

Your success depends on many factors. The amount of new construction in your area has a major effect on the industry. The more commercial construction going on, the more employment opportunities you will find. Your success is also affected by other factors: the employer and their needs, your education and your capabilities, your portfolio, your personality, how you carry yourself, how confident you are, how positive your approach, salary requirements, benefits, along with the chemistry that takes place between an employer and prospective employee.

POSTING JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Employers with an interior design positions available may forward them to . We will be happy to post then no charge.

BECOME A MENTOR

For the more seasoned professional, consider passing along to a new generation of designers your unique experiences and perspectives to  help develop interior design specialties and expertise and promote professionalism.

GOOD LUCK

Interior design is a fascinating career. There are many avenues one can take. The work can be very structured or extremely flexible depending on your lifestyle and the avenues you choose to pursue. Perseverance will get you where you want to be and having the help of people around you can make all the difference in the world.