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Today’s Interior Designers are creative design professionals.
Designers work in an exciting field that combines creativity, functionality, computer-aided design, and problem-solving skills into a well-paying career.
Regardless of their success levels, some designers desire a career change.
Working designers seeking to change their careers for more excitement, higher pay, and taking on leadership roles in the design industry can learn more about a few top alternative careers in the informative career guide below.
Interior Designers typically have earned a Bachelor’s degree in design or a related field.
Key skills of an Interior Designer include creativity, storytelling, space planning, and project management.
Designers who couple these highly sought-after skills with technical proficiency can transition into various life-changing careers with expansive opportunities for growth and financial benefits.
In our guide to alternative careers, learn where Interior Designers can use their existing skills to boost or uplevel their careers!
5 Top Alternative Careers for Interior Designers
The top alternative careers for Interior Designers include a mix of occupations where they can use transferable skills to work in vast and glamorous environments like museums, concert halls, and wedding venues, and slower-paced occupations that allow them to set their schedules and work remotely from home.
Following are six alternative careers where designers can easily transition — without requiring extensive education or training.
1. Product Designer
Interior Designers who want to use their existing skills to boost or change their careers can consider becoming Product Designers who create conceptual designs for the presentation of marketable products and manufactured goods.
Product Designers work for technology companies, manufacturing and consumer goods companies, startups, and a variety of diverse locations.
Job Description
Product Designers are tasked with conducting industry research to discover their customer’s needs, preferences, and pain points.
They create designs, prototypes, and mockups using computer-aided drafting tools and sketching tools.
Freelance Product Designers can set their hours and rates making for greater job satisfaction in this creative role.
Transferable Skills
The transferable skills that exist between Interior Designers and Product Designers include computer-aided software knowledge, project management skills, materials knowledge, manufacturing knowledge, and time management skills.
Potential Requirements
Most Product Designers will need to have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a design-related field along with taking related courses that enhance their existing design and software skills.
Benefits
There are a variety of benefits that come along with transitioning from working as an Interior Designer to a Product Designer using your existing skills.
Product Designers can command higher-paying salaries, work independently from a variety of locations, and directly influence consumer industry trends.
2. Furniture Designer
Taking on the role of Furniture Designer after working as a highly skilled Interior Designer is a sensible move that can earn well-trained designers higher-paying salaries and industry recognition.
Furniture Designers can work in Interior Design firms, museums, retail agencies, e-commerce agencies, and as freelancers who set their rates and schedules.
Job Description
Furniture Designers are aesthetic specialists who use their design skills to create made-to-order furniture for commercial, residential, and industrial clients.
These highly sought-after designers create sketches, and 3D models, and bring their client’s ideas to life as a daily part of their job requirements.
Interior Designers can easily transition into this highly similar role with their existing skill sets.
Transferable Skills
Former Interior Designers bring computer-aided drafting, spatial design, technical drawing, prototyping, and the knowledge of ergonomics as transferable skills that help them seamlessly transition between roles.
Potential Requirements
While Interior Designers bring many existing transferable skills to the Furniture Designer profession, they may need to get formal education and training to cement their skills in woodworking, manufacturing, and industrial design using CAD tools and software.
Benefits
Career-changing Interior Designers can take control of their work schedules by providing services as freelancers or contractors.
They can also find a wealth of job opportunities across a variety of industries seeking their unique skill sets.
3. Graphic Designer
Today’s Graphic Designers work as integral components of marketing, product design, and technology teams to create attention-grabbing visual content for promoting products, and services, and providing customer education for clients across a variety of different industries.
Graphic Designers can work independently as freelancers, remotely as employees of high-paying design companies, and as independent contractors for well-known marketing or design firms.
Job Description
Graphic Designers create drawings, sketches, and eye-catching designs for online media, print media, and marketing campaigns.
They may also design graphics, images, and videos including those used to create logos, websites, and digital marketing materials for online distribution.
This is a highly creative role where former Interior Designers can use their keen sense of style to showcase their best work for the variety of clients and customers who seek their services.
Transferable Skills
Interior and Graphic Designers share skills that include proficiency in top industry tools like Adobe Creative Suite, CAD software, color theory, typography, and prototyping.
Potential Requirements
Working Interior Designers preparing to switch to the role of Graphic Designers should have a creative portfolio to demonstrate their experience and competency in the field.
They may also be required to get formal graphic design training or software training for using the latest digital design technologies.
Benefits
One of the top benefits of working as a Graphic Designer is having the creative freedom to implement your designs using the wealth of color, typography, and design knowledge gained through years of experience in the field.
Graphic Designers are highly sought after in a variety of industries making this a stable career for incoming candidates.
4. Exhibit Designer
Former Interior Designers looking to bring more excitement and creative control into their careers can consider becoming Exhibit Designers.
These well-paid creative professionals plan and design crowd-pleasing exhibitions for museums, galleries, trade shows, and high-end events held in public spaces.
Job Description
Exhibit Designers use their knowledge and training in spatial planning, material selection, visual storytelling, and technical drawing to create breathtaking spaces for exhibiting products, and services, and hosting events in a variety of venues.
Designers who work in some of the world’s most notable locations can write their tickets as consultants, freelancers, or independent contractors who command their rates.
Transferable Skills
Interiors seeking to become Exhibit Designers have a low entry barrier as they already have many of the skills required for success in this role.
Space planning, storytelling, visual communications, project planning, and industry research are top transferable skills that Interior Designers bring to the role of Exhibit Designer when they transition.
Potential Requirements
Moving into the role of Exhibition Designer will require Interior Designers to showcase their professional experience in computer-aided design, presentation, and visual communication skills with potential clients or employers.
Benefits
Working as an Exhibit Designer allows for high levels of creativity, and combines cultural, and artistic interests, making for a well-paying, satisfying, and stable career.
The ability to work remotely or independently can provide high levels of job satisfaction for overworked Interior Designers seeking to work at their own pace.
5. Event Designer
Making the leap from Interior Designer to Event Designer prevents little challenges for career switchers thinking of using their existing skills to transition into more exciting roles.
Event designers are responsible for managing every aspect of events from A to Z.
Job Description
Event Designers manage the aesthetics, seating, venues, and project management aspects of large-scale events such as weddings, corporate gatherings, concerts, and trade shows as their primary job duties.
Transferable Skills
Interior Designers and Event Designers have many common skills.
They share skills like project management, budget management, spatial design, creativity, event management, and communications to name a few.
Potential Requirements
Making the change from working as an Interior Designer to becoming an Event Designer can be a relatively easy transition with few additional requirements for working in the new role.
Benefits
Event Designers work in some of the world’s most amazing spaces making this an ideal career for someone with transferable skills seeking to enter this high-paying and rewarding career.
Tips for Transitioning Careers
- Interior Designers seeking to make a career change should research the qualifications and requirements needed to take on their new careers. Research pertinent information including job descriptions, average annual salaries, and job satisfaction levels for people currently working in your desired field.
- Designers preparing to take on more challenging and expansive roles should be prepared to prove their levels of commitment and competency by showcasing portfolios of previous work and providing examples of consistently getting results for satisfied clients.
- Career switchers should take advantage of career fairs, job shadowing opportunities, and job fairs which provide unlimited networking opportunities for job-changing professionals.
- Consider getting your foot in the door of your new career by taking on freelance opportunities or working as an independent contractor who sets their schedules, rates, and appointments.
Conclusion
Interior Designers have a vast set of skills that are highly sought after across a variety of industries.
They can easily begin new higher-paying and more exciting careers in any of the fields above by making sure they meet the qualifications of their desired new careers and committing to short periods of formal education or training if required.
Research crucial components of your new career role before taking the plunge and the next steps of applying to local certification programs or enrolling in classes as you prepare to change your career.
When you’re officially ready to change your career, take the next steps.
Create a roadmap for making a smooth transition from one top-paying career into the next that includes expected timeframes for completion, relevant agencies, industry contacts, and career-related educational resources.
Source
Interior Designers – BLS
https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes271025.htm
