CAREERS IN DESIGN

College

You could take a course like a Level 3 Diploma in Interior Design or Art and Design, or an A Level in Art and Design. You may need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) including English, maths and a creative subject for a level 3 course

University

You could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a relevant subject like:

• interior design
• art and design
• interior architecture
• spatial design

You'll usually need:

• 1 or 2 A levels for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
• 2 to 3 A levels for a degree

Work

If you join a merchant in another role there are opportunities with in-job training to progress into a design consultant role.

Ideally you'll need knowledge or experience in the following:

• design skills and knowledge
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• customer service skills
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• knowledge of building and construction
• the ability to use your initiative
• the ability to work well with others
• You will be expected to know how to use a computer and tools to benefit this job.

Your day-to-day tasks may include:

• Welcome customers and establishing their needs and wants and give them guided prices of their dream space
• Guide them through the design process
• Understand customer requirements and convert them into inspirational designs that customers want to buy
• Book customer appointments for home measures & design consultations
• Listen and capture customer requirements to ensure design meets or exceeds expectations
• Generate inspirational designs from customer requirements using our purpose built 3D CAD software
• Develop design skills in order to minimise errors for customers and to share design skills with colleagues in order to improve company design skills as a whole
• Confirm all details with customers prior to deliver and gain their sign off using our customer Charters & Contracts to ensure errors are minimised
• Explain key documents to customers so they are clear on what they are receiving as part of their purchase
• Present multiple approved finance and payment methods
• Follow up on customer enquiries who are yet to book showroom appointments
• Adherence to compliance processes as directed by the Showroom Manager
• To generate sales in line with personal targets

You could work in an office, from a buildering merchant’s branch, in a creative studio. If you have a passion for interior design but don’t have a subject degree you could always work as a bathroom and/or kitchen consultant.