Interior Designer Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

What Does an Interior Designer Do?

Bringing the spaces of a home or office building to life takes talent and skill, and interior designers are pros at creating comfortable, beautiful, functional, and safe environments in spaces of all sizes and kinds. 

Interior designers work to determine space requirements and select which furnishings, lighting, layout, materials, and colors will work best to make the area all that it can be for their client’s needs and style. Interior designers may have clients who range from private individuals to companies moving into new office spaces.

Interior designers collaborate with architects, engineers, and others in their work, reviewing blueprints, building codes, and inspection regulations, as well as universal accessibility standards.

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National Average Salary

Interior designer salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.

The average U.S. salary for a Interior Designer is:

$62,620

Interior Designer Job Descriptions

Crafting the perfect job description may be the key to finding an exceptional interior designer. To help you with your recruiting search, our team has put together some examples from past openings.

Example 1

[Your company name] is looking for a passionate and talented interior designer. We need someone who can work with our clients and principal designers to bring creative ideas into reality. We are looking for someone who is interested in staying up on current trends and discovering new products. You will need to be able to input plans into architect software, create floor plans, and assist in product selection. One of the most important things we look for is that you enjoy working with people. If you are creative, detail-oriented, and enjoy design, this job could be for you.  

Typical duties and responsibilities

  • Develop coordinated interior design solutions for specific needs and budgets
  • Work collaboratively with architects, engineers, and designers
  • Prepare concept boards
  • Guide clients through the selection of materials and furnishings, and the budgeting process
  • Serve as liaison for furniture and interior decorations vendors

Education and experience

This position requires a bachelor’s degree in interior design or a related field, preferably with coursework in drawing and computer-aided design (CAD). Job candidates with an interior design license can help boost their career opportunities.

Required skills and qualifications

  • Expertise in computers and technology
  • Keen attention to detail 
  • Strong collaborative and problem-solving skills
  • Can work independently with minimal oversight

Preferred qualifications

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • Proficiency with Mac Operating System, IOS devices, Microsoft Office and Google Applications
  • Bachelor’s degree in design or another related field

Example 2

We are seeking mid-level interior designers with 8-12 years of experience to work with our team in pushing our interiors practice forward in both our Portland and Bend offices. Ideal candidates will have a background in multi-family housing and interest in diverse project types. They will have an enthusiasm for contributing to all aspects of the work – specifically the ability to translate design into compelling ideas and document them, through a collaborative process with clients, consultants, and team members.

Base qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design or Architecture
  • Excellent design and technical skills
  • Fluency in Revit, SketchUp, and InDesign
  • Strong written and visual communication skills
  • Ability to independently manage priorities and workflow, while seeking input as needed.

Desired qualifications

  • NCIDQ certification holder
  • Sustainable design credential(s) such as LEED, WELL, LFA, etc.
  • Knowledge of, or interest in learning about, Critical Race Theory or other anti-racist/equity frameworks
  • Proficiency in healthy materials criteria, evaluation, and specification
  • Experience using Enscape with Revit
  • Knowledge of health, safety, and, accessibility codes

Responsibilities

  • Establish conceptual framework for projects
  • Generate design studies based on conceptual and functional criteria
  • Contribute to collaborative and conceptual design dialogue
  • Create compelling and informative presentations
  • Present design developments to clients
  • Research and specify healthy materials appropriate for project
  • Develop and manage space plans and client programs
  • Produce construction documents
  • Collaborate with consultants and integrate their work into the design
  • Creation of furniture plans, specifications, and bid documents

Example 3

ABC Company is looking for a full time Interior Designer. The designer will work with both Account Execs and clients to design, specify, and order commercial furniture projects of varying sizes.

Candidates must have the ability to work on multiple projects in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment and possess good written and verbal communication skills. A Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent, in Interior Design is required, and prior experience within the office furniture industry is preferred.

Duties

  • Develop floor plans, interior renderings, and furniture quotes
  • Conducts and organizes product research and special pricing programs
  • Maintains effective communication with project team members
  • Assist with furniture selection, interior finishes, wall treatment, and flooring
  • Assists with construction/installation documentation
  • Maintain ABC Company design library
  • Attend site visits including field measurements and customer presentations
  • Provide showroom sales coverage – help customers choose furniture aligned with design goals and budgets

Desired skills and experience

  • Familiarity with systems furniture, both seating and freestanding in the office environment
  • Strong technical skills in space planning and specification software, Giza/2020 proficiency strongly preferred
  • Creative problem solver
  • Excellent organizational and communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • BA in interior design

Example 4

The Interior Designer will be working with the Director of Design and the Construction Team to progress our remodel and new store strategy. The ideal candidate will have strong communication and presentation skills that will allow that person to effectively collaborate with multiple departments within ABC Company, including but not limited to Merchandising, Marketing, and Store Operations.

It will be a highly motivated, energetic, and passionate individual that will take our design team to the next level and help us evolve our brand image in store and support the growth of our business. We hope you are that person!

Responsibilities:

  • Collaborate with the Design team on Store design projects from conception to build
  • Attending meetings and conducting virtual or in person site visits
  • Space planning & drawing
  • Preparing presentations (mood boards, digital layouts, samples, etc.)
  • Using our design software and other tools
  • Maintains and improves upon standards

Qualifications:

  • 3 years of relevant experience preferred but not required
  • Kitchen and Bath Experience is a plus.
  • Proficiency in drafting and design software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk CAD, Revit, or Sketchup
  • Ability to hand draft or sketch ideas
  • Excellent communication, presentation, organizational, and time management skills
  • Self-motivated and high level of accountability to coordinate multiple projects; develop and adhere to schedules, prioritize workload, and work in a fast paced, challenging, and continually evolving environment
  • Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, as well as convey a positive upbeat personal and professional attitude
  • Requires up to 10- 15% Travel

Candidate Certifications to Look For

  • Certified Interior Designer (NCIDQ). Completion of this program recognizes the competency of an interior designer. This includes a three-part exam: the Design Fundamentals Exam (IDFX), the Interior Design Professional Exam (IDPX), and the Practical Exam (PRAC). Two years of education after high school is required as well as two years of experience.  
  • Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer (CKBD).  Applicants to this program must have a minimum of four years of experience, including two years of kitchen or bath design. Applicants will submit 8 design drawings. They will be scored and those who score 75% or higher will be allowed to take the CKBD exam. The Certified Kitchen and Bath Designer program focuses on design solutions, specifications, graphics and presentation, and mechanics and construction. Those who complete this course show they have the technical and communication skills necessary for this certification.

Sample Interview Questions

  • What drives your design decisions?
  • Do you consider aestheticism or functionality to be more important in design?
  • What section of your portfolio are you most proud of?
  • What do you like most about interior design?
  • Has a client ever been dissatisfied with your work?
  • What interior design course was most difficult for you and why?
  • We are looking for someone who is detail-oriented. Tell me about a time that you caught a mistake.
  • Tell me about a time where your actions didn’t line up with your core values.
  • What is your ideal workspace environment?
  • How do you prioritize tasks for a renovation project? 
  • When designing a room, what is the most important factor to you?
  • What wood do you prefer for designing?
  • How do you ensure you are sticking to the client’s budget?
  • What do you know about sustainable design? 

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