IDIAMM

Where are all the graduate junior interior design jobs? This a question I get asked alot….. And sadly there isn’t always 1 simple answer.

At university design revolves around creativity, realism and expression of your design mindset. In the real world design is a business focusing on creativity V time V money driven industry. This is obvious but the below needs to be considered:

1. The Business is generally made on winning tenders. A client proposed a project with a brief and a number of design companies pitch to win that project. That pitch consists of a concept based on the brief and a few proposal. Fewer genders, fewer new projects. COVID/recession/interest rates rising etc all effect projects being commissioned.
2. The industry is constantly being crunches on fee proposals and they are getting lower and lower. Big design houses have a reputation and so a client will pay more for that but that isn’t everyone.
3. The fee proposal is a break down of costs for the project. This includes an outline of staff and fees. Staff will join and leave a project at different times and not always for the full duration. You need a number of projects to have a team, not just 1.
4. A typical project consists of a senior design lead, middleweight and junior designers and their input against a time line / gant chart or project length overview.
5. A junior designer needs to hit the ground running, bringing value to a project. A learning curve isn’t always available in the project and can prove costly if they cannot achieve the work in the timeline as the middleweight may need to assist. You are now spending money where you weren’t supposed too.
6. It’s basic business / maths. You need someone to fullfi the role on time on budget to the professional level expected.
7. And here in lies the problem. Notice how most roles demand a minimum of 1 year experience? That’s basically why. Yes you learn on the project and grow from those above you however that first level of experience is key to opening doors.

But what actually is that experience required to be demonstrated?

1. Demonstrate you can work to a programme. This is key. Working backwards from your deadline date, being realistic against your skillset- what you can do quickly, what takes more time
2. Understanding what to design, to what level and when against the programme. Know how to design a concept fast, sketching means you can cad the basics fast. You don’t over detail as it’s not required at that stage (but if you work out the principles, your design has a strong foundation and can be developed faster at the next stage!)
3. Designing to a budget. Understanding the limitations of the project financially is key to hitting the ground running. This where where Tiering is key. Where you want to spend the clients money shows a good understanding and “robbing from Peter to give to Paul” shows a maturity level that is ofetnt missing at tha start. Carrying the design through but taking it down in quality and finish while being within the design ethos is a great skill and mindset.
4. Cross referencing means you can scale a project fast. Get the basics detail right means you think less because you have already worked out the basics design principles and guidelines. Add basic details to this and you can design at speed. (I do a lecture where I design the basic design and detailing principles of how to design an entire hotel concept in approx 60 minutes!)

I even wrote a note book which you can add fill in to demonstrate and back all of this up and you just fill it in as part of your FMP…..

These are all skills that you need to demonstrate in your FMP. Yes be creative but if you have the foundations in the industry expectations, it will make you more valuable and create opportunities. But you need to demonstrate and actually show you can do these points. Treat your FMP like a live project and you will benefit. Show you have a junior designers mindset from graduation.

All university courses, although under the interior design interior architecture banner are different. Some are more creative that others, some are more industry focused / based. All should make sure the above is demonstrated in your FMP. If it isn’t, there is nothing stopping you from learning, demonstrating this…. Even retro fit this to your project and learn from it to be your mindset …

Look at the blog posts to get ahead of the curve.