In order to obtain a certification in interior design a person must contact their local board of architects and interior designers and apply for the actual certification. However, before getting to this point a person should be well prepared. Being well prepared means having completed high school, completed at least an associate degree in interior design or a 4 year degree and have good communication skills, a sense of balance and proportion and of course a person must be creative. Having these skills and then applying for the actual certification will lead you on your way to a successful career.
The process for obtaining the certification once you go to the website in your area (Board of Architects and Interior Designs) you will be able to download and complete the actual application, you must be at least 21 years of age, you will have a slight fee to pay usually about $50, and you must be able to provide proof of passing the NCIDQ (National Council for Interior Design Qualification) examination along with a copy of your degree. It helps to show that your professional degree came from a college with a program accredited by FIDER (Foundation for Interior Design Research) and NASAD (National Association of Schools of Art and Design).
Employers in this field usually want clients that have a bachelor’s degree in art or interior design. They will often review a portfolio as part of the interview process. This is simply a collection of the designer’s work which may include sketches of plans and photographs of completed work. For beginners, on the job training is key, and this is usually done after you complete your internship. The more you gain experience the more you will receive and complete difficult tasks and this can sometimes take up to three or four years.
As an interior designer you should know how to make and use plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. It is also good to know sales and marketing; how to advertise and sell your products. Then of course you want to study people. Knowledge of people is an essential part of your job. By this, a person should study mental processes and know how to treat emotional and behavioral problems and because you will have clients of all sorts and knowing how to handle them is a major part of how well you sell your ideas and your products. This job also requires a person to be exact in their work whereas errors could cost clients money.
Obtaining a certification is not difficult at all and once obtained you will find yourself working in a field that is very intriguing. As an interior designer you cover so many things with most of them being fun and exciting.