As a residential or commercial designer, you know how important aesthetics and functionality are. And given the nature of your industry, your resume should reflect those same standards.
While a solid interior design portfolio is essential to land a job as a designer, an interior design resume is equally necessary for listing your work experience, education, certification, technical & professional skills, and any other pertinent information.
In this post you’ll find a detailed guide that will help you put together a professional resume that highlights your experiences and achievements. We also have a free interior design resume template that you can easily download and customize to fit your specific needs.
Download our interior design resume template.
Interior design resume writing guide
If you’re going to create your own interior design resume from scratch, there are some key points to keep in mind. The ones listed below will help you put together a killer resume that will help you stand out from other applicants.
Length: The length of your interior design resume should be no longer than one page. Recruiters and hiring managers will not be interested in reading a novel, so keep it concise and only include high-level and relevant information about yourself and your experiences.
Format: A chronological structure works well if you have previous experience in the field. Work your way from your most recent work experience to your earlier dates. If you do not have a linear work experience, you can list some of the projects you’ve worked on (if any) and emphasize your skills and technical abilities.
Contact information: It goes without saying that you have to include your contact information so the reader knows exactly how to reach you should they be interested in moving forward with your candidacy. List your full name, phone number, email address, a link to your website and/or your digital portfolio, and your location. You can also include your social handles if your work is reflected there.
Education: If you have a degree, certificate or accreditation in interior design, include it in your resume under “Education.” If you have both a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree, list both. Don’t forget to include the university’s name, location and the date range you attended.
Licenses & memberships: If you have a license issued by an official institution such as the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), there is no doubt you should include it in your resume. And if you have a certificate or are a member of an organization such as the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), you can include that information too.
Skills: Now’s the time to show off. If you’ve got special skills, both technical and professional, list them. Are you an expert at 2020 Design Live? Great. Know AutoCAD by heart? Fantastic. Is your niche designing flex office spaces? Brilliant. Can you project manage with your eyes closed? Cool. Write. It. All. Down.
Achievements/awards: If you have achievements and/or awards that you’ve earned over the years that you think will give you a leg up, don’t hesitate to include them in the summary section of your resume. These can be grants, graduation distinctions, high GPA, design awards, etc.
Profile summary: Your profile summary should be at the top of your interior design resume. It should include a summary of your resume (obviously), as well as some of your achievements (as mentioned above), experiences, and skills that make you stand out from other applicants. Make sure it’s punchy enough to catch the reader’s attention.
PROFILE SUMMARY EXAMPLES
- Licensed interior designer specializing in kitchen and bathroom design. Skilled in 3D renderings, project management, color theory and custom storage solutions. Dedicated to delivering functional and beautiful spaces. Proficient in 2020 Design Live and Photoshop.
- Specialized office designer with 8 years of experience creating functional and safe office spaces. Skilled in floor planning, project management, building codes and circadian lighting. Proficient in 2020 Office and AutoCAD. First-place winner in the Flexible Spaces category of the 2020 Office Inspiration Contest.
Work experience: Your resume will mainly be made up of your work experience. Include your job positions, company names, dates, a 1-2 sentence paragraph to give a summary of your position, listing major accomplishments and a brief description of the company, and 3-5 bullet points showcasing your responsibilities. Do not exceed 5 bullet points as your resume will be too cumbersome to read.
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