A great interior designer CV can open doors – literally. Whether you’re working in private clients’ homes, commercial properties or any other type of interior space, you’ll need to communicate your personal style, knowledge of design principles and commitment to seeing the project through from start to finish. Your interior designer CV is the place to convey all your skills and more.
Luckily, you’re not alone in this adventure. Resume.io is here to help with dozens of jobs-specific CV examples and writing guides, backed up by our powerful CV builder tool. Here’s what we’ll cover in this interior designer CV example and writing guide:
If you’re just starting out in the field, competition for interior designer positions can be tough, but networking via professional organisations is a great way to get your foot in the door. Consider the British Institute for Interior Design, for example.
Interior designers are responsible for the planning and implementation of interior spaces such as homes and offices. While architects focus on the structural components of a project, interior designers are concerned with more of the aesthetic elements including colour scheme, choice of materials, lighting fixtures and layout of furniture and appliances.
While the work of interior designers overlaps with interior decorators in that both professionals are designing the feel of a space, interior designers often take renovations one step further by making significant changes to the layout of a room.
An interior designer CV should contain many of the standard sections needed for a complete CV. Here is the structure to follow:
Since interior designers need to prove their skills and expertise through previous positions, the reverse chronological format is the best choice for these professionals. This format centres on the employment history section where you’ll be able to list your previous positions and your duties in each. This format is preferred by both hiring managers and the automated CV scanners built into most online application portals.
If you’re just starting in the field, you may want to consider the hybrid CV format. This format will likely begin with your education, followed by your skills. You can list internship positions in a shorter employment history section further down.
The summary of your CV is like the foyer of your CV – this is the place to give a sample of what you have to offer. Include your education, top skills, achievements and any noteworthy projects here. If you are licensed, don’t forget to mention it. The summary should encourage the hiring manager to keep reading to find out more about you. Check out the summary from our adaptable CV sample below to see how this is done.
Certified interior designer with a creative eye and sustainability expertise. Experienced in designing residential and retail spaces. Passionate about enhancing the lives of clients through innovative design solutions.
For more ideas on writing this central CV section, check out the summaries from our graphic designer CV sample and project manager CV example.
The employment history section is likely to draw the hiring manager’s attention first. Therefore it’s important that this section contains strong organisation. List your job title, employer name, dates worked and location in a clean subheading, starting with your most recent (or current) position.
Underneath, create 4-5 bullet points that describe your duties and skills. Don’t forget to quantify your impact by adding numbers and statistics that show how you worked efficiently to meet deadlines or came in under budget. See the employment history CV sample below for more insight.
Principle Interior Designer at Carol Simon Designs, York
June 2020 - Present
Associate Interior Designer at London Works, London
July 2011 — February 2020
The skills section of your CV might seem pretty straightforward, but this can actually be one of the most difficult sections to master. Make sure to double check the job listing and add key qualities the hiring manager is looking for here. This is the place to reiterate your areas of expertise, add your most important technical abilities and sprinkle in a few personal qualities as well. Our CV sample below can get you started.
The education section of your interior designer CV is one of the most critical sections not to be overlooked. As you likely have a degree in this field or a related one, it’s acceptable to leave off your secondary education if you wish. You can also include a degree in progress if you have yet to finish studying.
The education section is also the place to add any certifications, courses or memberships that may be of interest to the employer. Awards can be placed here as well. See our interior designer CV education sample below.
Master of Arts in Interior Design at Royal College of Art, London
September 2009 - May 2011
BA (Hons) Architecture at Manchester School of Architecture
September 2005 - May 2009
As an interior designer, you certainly know the importance of visual appeal – it’s your entire industry! The same is true for your CV. The layout and design will instantly communicate your personal brand and the type of work you do to the employer so make sure to put some thought into your look.
It’s a smart idea to choose different looks for different openings. A professionally-designed CV template can make this much quicker and easier to accomplish.