Question:
Interior Design....?
What are the pros and cons of having a career in Interior Design?
Any help would be appreciated,
Heather.
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
If you are considering a degree in interior design, one word of advice...make sure you have researched your school's program. Be sure to select a school that has some kind of either an internship or co-op that is set up as part of your requirements. It may be frustrating while going through it, but it is much easier to find a job once you graduate.
This is probably one of the biggest cons of the profession. Most companies require some experience before they will even consider hiring you to a reasonable position, and without the co-op or internship, it is very difficult to get this.
Also, if you are referring to interior design as in interior architecture, where you design a layout for an interior space, as well as color and finish selections, be prepared for all the time it will require for schooling. It is difficult to have an active social life because you always have projects due, with very little time to complete them. You can expect to spend much of your time in your studio, and lose a lot of sleep. The beginning or your quarter/semester will be tame, but by the 3rd or 4th week, things will start to get hectic. And make sure you have some savings or a way of making money, because it can get expensive between all your drawing supplies (paper, markers, etc.) and the supplies needed to make models (foamcore, balsa wood, good color prints, etc.).
With all that said...believe it or not, there are positive aspects to the job. One nice part is that you tend to have a lot of variety in your day-to-day job. Also, there are many different types of fields within interior design. You have options of tradebooth exhibits, museum exhibit design, theaters, retail, offices, churches, lighting design, set designers, CAD designers where you work with AutoCAD and other computer programs, along with a lot of other opportunities. Once you get into the programs, you will find out more about each aspect, and find out more of what you're interested in.
There are also many different sizes of companies to choose from. There are major companies with hundreds of employees who will have several types of projects going on at the same time, and generally work in teams, so a lot of times you will specialize in one part of the team. But there are also smaller companies with just a handful of employees where you might handle more parts of a project yourself. And don't limit yourself to only working for other people. It is an industry where there are many options for creating your own business, or with a group of people from your classes.
If this is something that you really feel passionate about, I would say do it with all that you have because you'll do well. But if you have any doubts that it is for you, please consider all your options because there is a lot in the process that can be very discouraging. Many people who finish never actually do anything with their degree.
If you are really struggling with this decision, try calling some design firms in your area, and let them know that you are considering design for your future, and would like to find out more about what their day-to-day activities are like, and what you could expect from this career. I'm sure not all of them would take the time, but the ones that are worth it will. And hopefully this will allow you to make your decision, and possibly give you a "foot in the door" for the future.
Good luck!