How to Write an Interior Designer Resume (+ Samples)

Being an interior designer can be challenging. Interior designers often manage between 20 and 30 projects at the same time, while having long hours of work.

The fundamental natures of an interior designer and an interior decorator are a little similar and yet very different. Interior designers have professional design knowledge, and they create functional spaces within a property, while interior decorators furnish a property to achieve an aesthetic vision. 

Often recruiters spend very little time reviewing job applications, so it is critical to pay attention to the interior designer job description for the resume while you apply for the position. Thus, building a good interior designer resume will leave good impressions on recruiters! 

In this article, we will discuss details of writing a good interior designer resume, such as tips for writing different sections in the resume and providing an interior designer resume sample for you to use.

Don't know what a resume is? Read this article beforehand to know the definition of resume!

👍 1. Adopt an ATS-friendly resume format.

An application tracking system (ATS) is a software program that analyzes all applicants' resumes and searches for specific keywords in them.

To have an ATS-friendly interior designer resume format, follow through the steps in this article and create an impressive resume for interior design jobs! 

👍 2. Refer to online templates and examples for writing an interior design resume. 

Free interior design resume templates can be found easily via a search engine when you do not know how to write your first interior designer resume. 

👍 3. Tailor your resume for the job position and insert keywords.

List work experience that is relevant to the job opening. 

Usually, a resume is used for general job searches, while CVs are for specialized fields such as academic and medical positions. 

👍 4. Quantify results on resumes.

When listing your work experience, use numbers and statistics to emphasize your accomplishments.

👍 5. Do not forget to attach your portfolio to your interior designer resume.

Employers frequently request to see your interior design resumes and portfolios while looking for talent as an interior designer. Include your best projects in the portfolio to showcase your prior interior design works.
Learn how to make an interior design portfolio with us!

A resume objective is 2-3 lines or a short paragraph that specifies your goal or the purpose of your career placed on top of the resume. Although it is often not a requirement on the interior designer resume, it gets recruiters’ attention. 

Here are crucial elements for writing a good interior designer resume objective:

• Showcase positive traits. 
  List two to three positive traits that demonstrate skills required for the job help you get the position that you are applying for. 
  
• Specify your achievements. 
  Including relevant job experience in the objective for an interior designer on the resume will help you stand out from the crowd. 
  
• Highlight your career goals. 
  Showing recruiters your realistic and attainable career goals relative to the job listing can help the company see your vision and values. 

A summary statement on the resume is a one or two-sentence passage that explains your experience, skills, and achievements. It is often a section on the resume that is carefully crafted to emphasize your greatest qualities as a candidate for an interior design job. 

Here are crucial elements for writing a good interior designer resume summary:

• Awards and achievements:  
  If you have earned awards from your prior interior design projects, include them in your interior designer profile summary to leave a strong impression on the recruiter.
  
  The same principle applies to your achievements. Some achievements may seem irrelevant, but it’s often helpful to add them to your interior designer resume summary to demonstrate your skills. 
  
• Soft and hard skills:
  Both hard and soft skills are the key things recruiters search for, so include them to get the attention you deserve.   
  
• Educational background:
  Adding the degrees you have completed in the interior designer resume summary is particularly useful for fresh graduates or students. 

The skills section on your interior designer resume is important because it shows the hiring manager whether you have suitable skills for the role you are applying for. It makes the hiring process easier for the recruiters to compare one candidate with another. 

1. Bullet list
   A simple bullet list is the easiest way to write the skills section, but it often lacks details on how a specific skill can be integrated with the work experience. 

2. Expanded bullets
   This is a list of skills with contexts provided. It can be more beneficial for a job seeker due to the evidence and contexts included, but it will likely take up more room on your interior design resume. 

3. Skills integrated with work experience 
   This format is a lot more advanced and detailed, usually suitable for very experienced job seekers. We do not recommend it for freshers or entry-level workers. 

4. A categorized skills section 
   You sort your skills into different categories. It is suitable for those with broad skill sets. However, it can take up more space than needed. 

• Keep it short and relevant. 
  Always keep the skills section short, concise, and relevant. It will leave a clear impression on the recruiter. 

• Make it legible. 
  If you categorize the skills section for interior design resume, use a clean format so it looks more professional and organized.

• Include both hard and soft skills. 
  Many people often forget to include soft skills on the skills section of the interior designer resume, but they are equally important as hard skills. 

• Double-check the job requirements. 
  Always double-check the job requirement and see if your skills and experience fit the job description. 

✅ Advice 1: Choose the right resume format. 

Using the resume format suitable for the job you are applying for can increase your chance of getting the job. 

✅ Advice 2: Adopt a career objective.

A career objective can highlight your values and ambitions. It personalizes your interior designer resume and helps recruiters see who you are. 

✅ Advice 3: Highlight your education.

Education is a crucial part of the interior design career. It is critical to highlight courses you have taken or school projects you have worked on if you don’t have any prior work experience. 

✅ Advice 4: Include your portfolio/projects/personal website.

As mentioned earlier, many employers often require job candidates to submit their interior design resumes and portfolios together. Include projects you have worked on in school or from your freelance experience. 

✅ Advice 5: Write a sincere cover letter.

A cover letter is an expansion of your interior design resume. It shows recruiters your motivations to apply for the role and can help you stand out from the crowd. Learn how to write an interior designer cover letter here!