Interior Design Job Prospects
According to the US Department of Labor, there were more than 60,000 interior designers in 2004, with demand expected to increase through to 2014. Of these, three in every 10 are self employed while others hold wage- and salary-earning positions with various companies. These companies include those offering specialized design services, furniture and home fixtures stores, construction companies, dealers in building materials and supplies, and companies providing architectural and landscape design services. Some interior designers also took up freelance work in addition to their regular jobs. The keen competitiveness to be found in this field, coupled with the fact that in many states and U.S territories interior designers need a license to practice their craft, means that neophyte designers will need at least a year of hands-on experience, plus post-secondary education at an accredited designing institution to be successful in this trade. Joining a professional interior designing organization, while not mandatory, is also preferred because of the advantages conferred by membership, especially regarding professional qualifications and competence. Interior Designing Jobs Variety Interior designing jobs cater to a wide variety of clientele, and thus vary widely as well. Because of the ever rising competition, some interior designers choose to specialize in a specific field. One of the major industries that interior designers cater to includes the health care industry. Here interior designers must design an environment that meets the needs of healthcare professionals while keeping patients and visitors as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Another industry that relies heavily on the talents of interior designers is the hospitality industry. Hotels, restaurants, bars, discotheques, and resorts all need to keep their customers happy, with surroundings that fit their needs and will entice them to return to the same establishment at a later date. Today's reliance on eco-friendly construction and design methods and materials has also spurred the development of green interior designs, which involves the use of renewable energy sources -- such as fiber-optic lighting of building interiors using sunlight to cut down on electricity costs -- and energy-efficient construction methods or the use of local building materials and suppliers. These interior designing jobs are but a few of those available in the market.
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