Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
The skills acquired by an interior or fashion design major are rather specific. It's not like you can get a degree in design and then start working in a chem lab…no matter how well you arrange their beakers. Most programs have a laser-like focus on preparing you for their industry. Even general education requirements are at a minimum, which means, unfortunately, that you may not pick up many marketable skills outside the field of design.
Unless you're at one of the top design schools and are apprenticing for a leading fashion house, companies are probably not going to come knocking on your door. But hey, that's typical of the job market these days, right? Your school of choice will make a difference in applying for jobs, but your portfolio will speak volumes. Presenting a dazzling and creative portfolio is key in securing work.
That's not to say that a degree from a good school and a solid portfolio will send you sailing into the job of your choice. Steady jobs in the arts are hard to come by, and jobs in design—particularly fashion design—are highly coveted. A lot of this will depend on the people you know and the connections you make, so remember to be friendly.
Common Career Fields
Fashion designer. If you go to school for fashion design, then yeah, being a fashion designer is probably the number one job you're looking for. Within fashion design, there are several options. You can take your place as a designer in established fashion houses like Donna Karan or Tom Ford. You can also work in several different fields, from haute-couture to children's wear, intimate apparel to ready-to-wear. If you have the entrepreneurial spirit and vision, you can even lead the way in creating your own fashion line.
Interior designer, commercial. Commercial interior designers work on a larger scale and with a bit less freedom than residential interior designers. They might help design the layouts for large apartment complexes, and create budgets and selecting finishes such as countertops and flooring that suit a builder's demands. Commercial interior designers might also put together the furnishings and décor for upscale hotels, turning a lobby into a dazzling entrance, and a drab hotel room into a luxurious suite.
Interior designer, residential. Residential interior designers take on a variety of roles in making people's houses into homes. From designing the cabinetry and floor plans to selecting home furnishings and accessories, it's their job to turn a blank slate (or, in the case of many home renovations, a hideously pink wallpaper-covered slate covered in a puke-green shag carpet) into a thing of beauty. Interior designers are in charge of paint colors, fabrics, tile and flooring, and can bring a room together better than a cheese spread at a cocktail party.
Magazine editor. Talk about the dream job. From Vogue and Women's Wear Daily to Home & Design and Elle Décor, fashion and interior design magazines abound. Many in fashion and interior design start off as editorial assistants and work their way up the ladder. Imagine being sent all the new designs for the fall season, selecting combinations you'd like to feature, hiring models, and coordinating fashion shoots. It all sounds so glamorous. Even though it's also a lot of hard work and long hours. Like, have you seen the movie The Devil Wears Prada? Totally worth it.
Merchandising. As Mel Brooks said in Spaceballs, "Merchandising! Merchandising! Where the real money is made!" Yeah, it's true that merchandising jobs are often higher-paying. This is because you not only need to have good design sense, but also a sharp business mind. Merchandisers do everything from product development to buying and selling design items. You could work for a textile or cabinet manufacturer, be employed by a retail outlet to select fashion or home accessories, or even own your own store.
Stylist. Picture this: It's the night before the Golden Globe Awards and you're in a room with a frazzled celebrity who's just decided that she hates her dress and wants a new one. (Ugh, nightmare.) As a stylist, it's your job to scramble around and contact designers, show your client new dress, shoe, and accessories options, and put together a look that you hope will knock 'em dead on the red carpet. Sound stressful? Sure. But you also develop great relationships with designers and celebrities, and can receive your own level of notoriety for consistently dressing your clients to the nines. Bonus: You'll also get to wear some pretty killer clothes yourself.
Television personality. Okay, it's not like you're going to graduate from school and immediately start hosting your own program on HGTV. But if you establish yourself as a name in your industry and you've got charisma to boot, then there are a veritable cornucopia of shows you could be on. Whether you're the next "Rehab Addict" or winner of Project Runway, reality TV could very well pave the way for an exciting career full of opportunities you might not have imagined in your undergrad years. Or maybe you did imagine them. Maybe "reality TV star" was your goal all along…sneaky.
Current unemployment of the major
9.2%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
23%Stats obtained from this source.