Interior Designer Career Profile | Career Advice and Help Australia CareerNav

Interior Designer *

Last modified: November 07, 2011, 01:25 PM

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This is an ideal career for a creative thinker. As an interior designer your job is concerned with provision and execution of designs for the interiors of buildings. This involves all aspects of the interior environment including structural alterations, fixtures and fittings, furnishings, space decorating, lighting, and colour and texture schemes.

Typical Career Progression

	Position	Remuneration	Experience	Education
Start Position	Graduate	$36,000	None	Tertiary qualifications
1st Promotion	Junior Designer	$43,500	2 years design experience	Tertiary qualifications
2nd Promotion	Experienced Designer	$56,300	5 years design experience	Tertiary qualifications
3rd Promotion	Senior Designer	$69,900	5 years + proven design experience	Tertiary qualifications
4th Promotion	Team Supervisor Design Director	$81,000	5 years + proven design experience	Tertiary qualifications
5th Promotion	Design/Dept Manager	$88,000	5 years + proven design experience	Tertiary qualifications
6th Promotion	Business Owner/Self Employed Designer	$100,000+	Extensive experience in both design and business.	Tertiary qualifications in design & business

**The above table is to be used as a guide only

Typical Accountabilities & Responsibilities

Graduate	Assisting more experienced designers with tasks related to their projects. Commercial use of AutoCAD, Indesign, Photoshop and Illustrator Skills.
Junior Designer	Reporting to the head of Interior design and the senior Interior designer, works on design development, presentations, documentation, finishes and selections on critical components of the project. Strong skills in design software, conceptual design, space planning, communication, presentation & documentation.
Experienced Designer	Responsible for the design development of concepts, CAD documentation, and actively involved in marketing activities, client presentations and negotiations. Well versed in delivering commercial projects from inception through to completion.
Team Supervisor Design Director	Overseeing a team of Interior Designers, instrumental in leadership and the delivery of a key projects. Strong team leadership, budget control and project delivery skills.
Design Manager Department manager	Ensure internal design teams meet key deliverables. Be the interface for the information flow between the design and construction teams. Experienced in managing multiple jobs and design teams.
Business Owner Self Employed Designer	Planning and managing the overall business including financial management, human resources and marketing

Career Path Options & Employment

There are no standard promotional steps or set career path in interior design, as there are in many other occupational fields. Your first five years after entering the workforce is all about gaining experience, developing a strong portfolio, client base and supplier base. During this time, you will grow into your own unique style of designing, which may give you some idea as to which particular area of interior design best suits your abilities and passions.

In design, you have to make your own career in terms of success. You will need to have initiative, ambition, motivation, dedication, and an individual style. To better your chances of success, you need to continue your professional development; building up your portfolio with a variety of projects, utilising marketing and networking opportunities, and developing a strong reputation for yourself among clients. Overseas interior design is well developed particularly in the UK and Europe. A stint working internationally will do no harm to your resume.

Other employers that can utilise your design experience and skills include shopping centre corporations, building industry suppliers, furniture manufacturers, exhibition design providers, and employers working on film, TV or stage set design. You could find a vocation representing suppliers of products such as fabrics, office partitions or furniture or form a working alliance with real estate agents. The sky’s the limit.

About the Author

Individual Interiors

Individual interiors has had over 35 years experience within the industry. A family run business that offers not only experience, but also new design ideas that will suit both your personality and interests. Over the years thay have seen many fads, failures, success and revolutions within design ideas, giving them the expertise to advise on the best possible products available to the customer.