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Let's chat about crafting a resume for an entry-level interior designer role. This job is all about expressing creativity, but in a business-focused way. Recently, employers are looking for candidates who understand the growing emphasis on sustainability in design and can use digital tools and software like AutoCAD or SketchUp. When writing your resume, it's important to not just list your skills and past experiences but to show how they're relevant to the industry trends and to the specific role you're applying to.
In the world of interior design, showing is as important as telling. Don't just mention your skills and experiences, but tell the story of how you've used them in real-world projects, even if these were done during your studies. This is particularly important with the rapid transition to virtual collaboration and digital tool usage in the industry.
Don't just say you're proficient in AutoCAD or SketchUp, for instance. Instead, highlight a project where you utilized these tools to create a design solution. You could even include a link to a digital portfolio showcasing your work.
Early in your career, you’ll be competing with other entry-level interior designers with similar amounts of education and experience. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to stand out — even without a long work history, your student activities, volunteer work, and personal projects can all demonstrate the essential skills you’ll need as an interior designer. By using action-based bullet points, you can have a professional-looking resume even as a fresh graduate.
Your resume should always prioritize your most recent and relevant experience. As a recent graduate, this is likely to be your education, so consider putting your education section at the top. The more recent your degree, the more detail — like coursework and GPA — you can include, but you should drop this extra information once you have more professional experience.
If you don’t have a lot of paid work experience, that’s okay! Educational projects and volunteer work both have a place on your resume, especially if you’re applying for entry level positions. Structure these the same way you would any other experience, starting with an action verb and focusing on accomplishments, not responsibilities.
We spoke with interior design hiring managers who recruit at top companies like Gensler, Perkins&Will, HOK, and IA Interior Architects to get their best resume tips. They've seen thousands of resumes from entry-level interior designers, and know exactly what stands out. Here's what they recommend:
Hiring managers want to quickly see the specific design skills and strengths you bring to the role. Highlight these in your resume summary, skills section, and work experience. Focus on skills like:
Quantify your level of expertise whenever possible. Instead of just listing 'AutoCAD' as a skill, say something like:
Expertise in AutoCAD, using it for 10+ projects to create detailed floor plans, elevations, and 3D models
A resume summary, also known as a professional summary or career summary, is a brief statement at the top of your resume that highlights your most relevant qualifications for the job you're applying to. While a summary is optional, it can be a valuable addition to your resume, especially if you're an entry-level interior designer looking to provide context or additional details not already included in your resume.
When writing your summary, focus on your key strengths, skills, and experiences that align with the job requirements. Avoid using an objective statement, as it tends to focus on your goals rather than what you can offer the employer. Instead, use your summary to showcase your unique value proposition and entice the hiring manager to read the rest of your resume.
The work experience section is the heart of your resume as an entry level interior designer. It's where you show hiring managers how you've applied your skills and knowledge in real-world settings, even if you don't have much formal work experience yet. Here are some key tips to make this section stand out:
When describing your work experience, choose powerful action verbs that showcase your interior design capabilities. Avoid overused, generic verbs like 'worked on' or 'helped with'.
Instead of:
Try:
Other strong verbs for interior designers include: drafted, specified, sourced, modeled, curated, presented, and consulted.
The education section is a vital part of your entry level interior designer resume. It shows hiring managers that you have the necessary training and knowledge to excel in the role. Here are some key tips to make your education section stand out.
Here are examples of popular skills from Entry Level Interior Designer job descriptions that you can include on your resume.
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Entry Level Interior Designer job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more likely you should include it in your resume.
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