Interior and spatial designer : Career development

Typically, interior designers spend the first five to ten years of their career developing and building on existing skills and knowledge, as well as gaining further experience. Beyond that, there is no definite or structured career path, and the extent and speed of career progression depends upon the setting, performance, aptitude and dedication of the individual.

Newly qualified junior designers tend to work alongside more experienced colleagues. They are typically given responsibility for parts of a project and can also assist with gathering information and putting together 'mood' or 'sample' boards for presentations to clients. This can then lead to more responsibility, depending on performance.

Specialisations and further professional qualifications at Masters or PhD level can enhance your chances of promotion. Moving from a larger consultancy to a smaller one can mean more responsibility. Freelance work for consultancies, practices or individual clients is possible, as is setting up your own business or becoming a partner in a consultancy.

It is important to build up a portfolio as you progress in your career. This can help both in terms of promotion within a company or consultancy and in attracting new clients if you are self-employed. The majority of established interior and spatial designers also showcase their work online in order to provide a portal into their services for potential clients.

Designers need to keep up to date with new developments in materials and processes throughout their careers by visiting exhibitions and attending trade fairs. Membership of professional bodies such as the Chartered Society of Designers (CSD)  and the British Institute of Interior Design  can provide access to advice, continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities and networking advice and contacts.

A career move into more specialist areas such as lighting design or theatre set design may be an option for those with relevant experience. Other areas of related work include visual merchandising and exhibition and museum design.

Graduates with experience and further postgraduate qualifications can enter the teaching profession, teaching in secondary, further or higher education.