With the growing number of homeowners and businesses in the country, interior design is fast emerging as a lucrative career option. The days when interior designing was believed to be all about matching colours and fluffing pillows are long gone. In the present world, it is a sought-after service in both, residential as well as commercial sectors. And while it is difficult to get a footing in this dynamic industry, we are here to help you with that through our how-to on building a career in interior design. Any career in this field is built on the foundation of the following four things Education: It is extremely difficult to thrive in this field without a formal education. Usually any client or design firm expects their interior designer to have at least a Bachelor’s in this field. The better your degree, the more opportunities will you have. Interior designing is different from interior decorating and the former includes many nuances that only a qualified individual would know. So, it is advisable to get some formal training or at least a certification before you start applying for gigs or jobs. Experience: As important as a degree or certification is, they are just the first step on this journey. Once you have the necessary training and qualification, you need experience. This is something you can gain during your course or immediately after it by joining a design firm as an intern or working as an assistant to someone more experienced. This experience that you garner here is what will teach you the inner working of the industry and give you hands-on skills. Portfolio: Like any other field within the design industry, your portfolio is as important as your resume. So, put together your best work in your portfolio and more importantly, ensure that it is always up-to-date. With the growing shift of the design industry to a digital world, it is also imperative that you have an online portfolio or a digital copy of your printed one. People Skills: If you are thinking of entering the design industry, you already know you need a flair for creativity. But interior design also requires a certain charisma. Throughout the process, from ideation to drafting to the final result, as an interior designer you will be communicating with a host of people. You will work closely with the clients to bring their dream home, their ideal workspace, to life. You will work with the architect, the suppliers, the authorities, your employers, prospective clients. All this makes people-skills a must-have. It certainly takes a lot of determination and grit to make your mark in the interior design industry and involves a lot of initial hustle, but once you do, you can revel in a successful and rewarding career, doing what you truly enjoy. 
