Interior Design Resume Examples [Guide, Skills & More]

Picture this: you just landed your dream job with an interior design firm. Great pay. High-profile work. Contacts with the top designers in the world. It'll launch your career into the stratosphere.

How can you make this dream come true? How do you show that fabulous company you're indispensable?

It all starts with an interior design resume that pops like a living space by Kelly Wearstler.

This guide will show you:

• An interior design resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a resume for interior designers that will land more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on an interior designer resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for interior design to get any job you want.

Here's a sample resume for an interior designer made using our resume builder.

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To see resume samples for similar professions, check out one of these guides:

• Graphic Design Resume Sample and Guide
• Architect Resume Sample and Guide
• Landscape Architecture Resume Sample and Guide
• Artist CV Sample and Guide
• Painter Resume Sample and Guide
• Real Estate Resume Sample and Guide
• Visual Merchandising Resume Sample and Guide
• Resume Examples for All Careers

Interior Designer Resume Example

1. What's the Best Resume Format for Interior Design?

Interior design is all about aesthetics.

Is it a shock then that your interior design resume must have good design?

That doesn't mean using flashy fonts or printing it on geometric-patterned paper.

It means making it clean and clear, so your best achievements pop like champagne corks.

To do that, use the reverse-chronological format. It shows your most recent experience first.

Employ professional resume fonts like Arial and Cambria. Use big headings and negative space to backlight your best features.

As a finishing touch, save your interior design resume as a PDF. MS Word file resumes can turn to kitsch in transit. 

Pro Tip: Double check the job offer to make sure it doesn't reject interior designer resume PDFs. Some do.

Need other ideas to elevate your resume? Check out the template for an interior designer resume up top. Then, see this guide: "3 Resume Formats: How to Choose the Best One [Examples]"

Want to make sure your resume will hook every recruiter and get you that interview? Get our free checklist and learn what makes a job-winning resume: 46 Things You Need To Do Before You Send Your Resume.

2. How to Write a Resume Summary or Resume Objective

The hiring manager at that top design firm? We'll call her Kate.

She's got a stack of interior design resumes up to the crown molding.

How do you get her to read yours carefully?

With a resume objective or a resume summary.

A resume summary proves you're capable of Kelly-Hoppen-level feats by showing your experience.

A resume objective shows passion instead. Use it if your work history is like a freshly demoed living room.

Let's start with resume summaries. Look at these two senior interior design resume samples.

Senior Interior Design Resume Examples [Resume Summaries]

One of these senior interior designer resume examples works. The other, not so much.

That's not horrible, but can you imagine hiring "not horrible" to design your kitchen space?

To wow the hiring manager, do it more like this:

Pow. As eye-catching as a den designed by Peter Marino or Philippe Starck.

If you don't have that much experience, don't worry. Just look at the two entry-level interior designer resume objective examples below.

Two Entry-Level Interior Design Resume Objectives

The first of these two interior design assistant resume examples doesn't please the eye.

Ew. Like Otho in Beetlejuice.

It's not exactly wrong, because it shows the passion needed in an interior designer resume for freshers.

But layer in a few details, and look:

Wow. That job candidate is ready to design for Apple or Google. Yet it wasn't hard to build that much experience.

She cited school projects and jobs for neighbors and friends, plus volunteer work. That all counts as job experience on an interior designer resume.

She also gave a plug to an award she won. If she had publications in design blogs or magazines she could add those too.

Pro Tip: Need more detail on how to get experience on an entry-level resume for interior design? You'll strike gold in the next section.

Creating a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide and use content from Certified Professional Resume Writers to have a resume ready in minutes.

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When you’re done, our professional resume builder will score your resume and our ATS resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

Want to write the best interior design resume summary or resume objective you can? See these guides: "How To Write A Resume Summary: 21 Best Examples You Will See" and "+20 Resume Objective Examples - Use Them on Your Resume (Tips)"

3. How to Describe Your Interior Design Experience

Catastrophe!

You didn't get that fantastic interior design job with the Gensler-type company and the Rockwell-Group pay.

The worst part? The job went to someone with less experience than you.

She just showed it better on her interior designer resume.

Don't fall into that trap.

Your interior designer resume needs to wow like a SoHo apartment by Victoria Hagan.

Add bullet points to each job that fit the job description like tongue in groove.

The creative interior design resume examples below will show you how.

Senior Interior Design Resume Examples [Experience]

These two senior interior designer resume job description samples show the right and wrong way to list experience.

Now there's a well-appointed experience section. The hiring manager just gripped the corners of her escritoire.

But lose the details, and we're down in the plaid-and-taxidermy zone:

Yeesh, right? Who put shag carpets on the walls?

As with interior design, resume magic happens in the details.

But what if you're just starting out and you don't have details?

These two entry-level interior designer resume examples will help.

How to Write an Entry-Level Resume for Interior Design

There are two ways to write an entry-level interior design resume.

The first is to say you've got no experience.

The second is to do some small, free (or cheap) jobs, and list them on your resume.

Then, make them stand out like a set design from Mad Men.

Learn how from these two interior design student resume examples.

Two Interior Design Resume Samples [No Experience]

What's the problem with this first sample interior designer resume?

That's as generic as a Motel 6 room. Everyone will say they're enthusiastic and creative.

So, revitalize it with some volunteer work and projects for friends and family. That's what this next entry-level interior design resume does:

Suddenly you've got a nice patina on your student interior designer resume. And all it took was a few days of pro bono work.

You can do a CAD project for a friend in a few hours. Or take on larger volunteer jobs for nonprofits, or cheap work for local residents or businesses.

You can even put your own home in your interior design portfolio.

Pro Tip: Writing an interior design intern resume? Freelance work and education accomplishments are your best friend. Even a compliment from a professor looks good on an intern resume.

Don't bore the manager with cookie cutter language in your interior designer resume. Keep her on the edge of her seat with action words. See our guide: "+80 Examples of Resume Action Words for Every Profession."

4. How to Show Certifications on a Resume

Without a certification, an interior designer is just a decorator in most states.

You worked hard for that title, so make sure they see it on your interior design resume.

If you've got a CIDQ certification, put it right after your name, like this:

Stephanie Molina, CIDQ

Also, add it to the beginning of your resume summary. Then, so it really pops, put it in a special certifications section.

Certifications

• CIDQ Interior Design Certification
• LEED Certification
• NARI Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Certification

Now your certifications are striking and neat, and can't be overlooked.

You might have any of these on an interior designer resume:

• CIDQ – The big one. From the Council for Interior Design Qualification. Requires two years of on-the-job training.
• RIDQC – From the Designer Society of America (DSA)
• CCIDC – California Council for Interior Design Certification.
• AAHID – Certified Healthcare Interior Designer
• LEED – Certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

Pro Tip: Don't have a certification yet? Consider getting one. Most require two years of related experience. If you don't have it, seek an interior design apprenticeship or internship.

Want to know what else to put on a resume for an interior designer? See this guide: “What To Put On A Resume To Make It Perfect [Tips & Examples]”

5. Is Your Education Section Outdated? It Might Be

A bachelor's degree is all the education needed to be an interior designer.

But if you only list it, it's like leaving a big foyer with bare walls and no furniture.

Start with:

• College Name and Location.
• Years in School.
• Degree.

But then add bullet points that fit the job description.

Look at the interior designer resume examples below.

Interior Design Resume Examples [Education]

Here are two creative interior design resume examples. They're for a job description that wants 1. home design, 2. leadership experience, and 3. proven talent.

Who's that, Marmol Radziner before he got his first job? It fits the job offer like you mortised it.

Now look what happens when we remodel it without details.

OK, so it's not all mirrored furniture and wolf skins. That said, our first interior design resume example beats it by a mile of advancing colors.

But add the details, and you're back in the Stantec/Callison zone.

Pro Tip: Education accomplishments don't have to come from coursework. Even an article in the school paper can invigorate an interior design internship resume.

Make your interior design resume education section glow like bollard lights. See our guide: "How to Put Your Education on a Resume [Tips & Examples]"

6. How to Put Skills on a Resume for an Interior Design

Here's the hiring manager's office.

Very chic.

In it, amid crisp, tailored office furniture, the manager sits reading a stack of interior design resumes.

Why does she keep sighing?

Because they all list the same design skills. Like a broken record or a string of prefab kitchens.

Then she gets to your designer resume.

"Finally," she says.

What did you do right?

You picked the right professional interior design resume skills. Then you proved them, like this:

Interior Design Resume Examples [Skills]

The job description calls for skills in residential and commercial design. It also wants AutoCAD skills, and vendor management.

So, you put those in your interior designer resume. Plus, you don't bury them in a million unrelated skills.

Then you prove them in your bullet points, like this:

• Designed awe-inspiring interiors for residential and commercial clients.
• Used AutoCAD to create 40+ high-end, compelling interiors.
• Received 99% positive client feedback in exit interviews.
• Managed vendors, reps, and subcontractors for 98% on-time delivery.

Wow! Your skills tie into your experience like a rabbet joint.

Need an interior design resume skills list to get started? Use the one below.

List of Skills to Put on an Interior Design Resume

Let's get you underway with a list of interior designing skills you can use.

Add to it by looking at interior designer job descriptions online.

Take the steps above, and your interior designer resume will make you look like Marcel Wanders or Jean-Louis Deniot.

Need to reimagine your interior designer skills section? See our guide: "+30 Best Examples of What Skills to Put on a Resume (Proven Tips)"

7. How to Add Other Sections for an Effective Resume

Let's get back to our design firm hiring manager, Kate.

She's dredged through 200+ interior designer resumes today. Her eye bags have eye bags.

All the resumes show some experience. They all list at least a bachelor's degree.

Not all of them show passion.

That's where you can stand out.

Add special "other" sections to make your resume get oohs and ahs like an investment piece.

List conferences, awards, customer kudos, and professional association memberships. You can also throw in volunteer work and publications.

These two interior designer examples show how to do it right:

Interior Design Resume Examples [Other Sections]

This first professional interior design resume sample clashes horribly.

That's the resume equivalent of hound's tooth and doilies.

Yes, they're interests, but they don't show a passion for design.

Contrast them with this aspirational interior designer resume example:

Wow. Timeless. You've just given your resume an Extreme Home Makeover.

Testimonials complement a resume for an interior designer. However, since most experts say to leave them off, think hard before you add them.

The test score, professional membership, and other details show you've got the qualifications needed to be an interior designer at a high-end firm.

Pro Tip: Consider joining the ASID, IIDA, or IDS. They look great on an interior designer resume. The networking opportunities can refresh your career too.

Need more tips for "other" sections in a creative interior design resume? See this guide: "+20 Best Examples of Hobbies & Interests To Put on a Resume (5 Tips)"

8. Here's the Most Common Myth About Cover Letters

"Nobody reads interior design cover letters."

That's only true if they're generic.

Make yours sit up and get attention. Make it passionate and personal.

Use the hiring manager's name.

Share a fact that's guaranteed to wow the manager like David Collins. To do that, read the job description and research the company.

Last, close it with a call to action.

With that interior design covering letter, you could get a job creating the interiors for Karl Lagerfeld's apartment. 

Don't have that much history? Are you writing a cover letter for an entry-level interior designer?

See if the hiring manager has published articles you can learn from. If she's got a podcast, listen to it. Then, cite it in your cover letter.

Pro Tip: After you deliver your interior designer resume and cover letter, follow up. A follow-up email in three days gives your application a second chance to get the interview.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

Create my cover letter now

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Want more specific help to write a textured cover letter for your interior design resume? Check out our guide: Interior Design Cover Letter Example and Guide

9. How to Add Contact Info to Your Resume

Here's the single biggest mistake interior designers make on their resumes:

They bungle their contact info.

Of course they add:

• Full Name
• Updated Phone Number
• Professional Email Address

Like so:

Stephanie Molina, CIDQ, stephaniegmolina@gmail.com, 917-749-5567

But for an interior designer, an online portfolio is almost as important as the resume itself.

You should at least have a LinkedIn portfolio. A personal website is even better.

Need ideas? Search Pinterest for "Interior Design Portfolios." You'll get hundreds of beautiful results.

Pro Tip: Your Facebook profile doesn't belong on a resume for interior design. Clean it up anyway, since some employers seek it out. See our guide to cleaning up your online presence for some valuable tips.

Want to explore more ideas to make a creative interior design resume that doesn't skimp? See our guide: "How to Make a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide (+30 Examples)"

Key Takeaway

This guide shows how to write a resume for interior design that gets the interview. Follow these tips to do it perfectly:

• Tailor every resume you send to match the job description.
• Don't just list experience and education. Add details to make your interior design resume stand out like a 50/150 paint job.
• Highlight your CIDQ or other key certification. Put it by your name, in your resume summary, and in a special section on your interior designer resume.
• Add other sections that list conferences, memberships, and publications. Those things show your passion for interior design.

Do you have questions on how to write a great resume for an interior designer? Not sure how to describe your skills or achievements? Give us a shout in the comments! We love to help!

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