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firms) that provide the kinds of design work you wish to do. 4. Which of the following is most important to you in your career: money, recognition, self‐satisfaction, or creative expression? 5. If you had the means to do so, what would you most like to do—personally and professionally? Remember, no restrictions. 6. What do you think you need to change to make yourself happier in your professional and personal life? 7. What frustrates you most about your professional and personal life? 8. What do you like most about work in interior design? What do you like least? 9. When are you at your best and most secure (professionally and personally)? 10. Do you prefer to work independently or with a group? 11. Write a paragraph that sums up what you most want to be remembered for in your professional (and/or personal) life. 12. On a sheet of paper, make two columns. On the top of one column, write the word Problem; on the other, the word Solution. Then, in the “Problem” column, write those things that you feel are holding you back or are problems in your professional and/or personal life. In the “Solution” column, write down potential solutions to each problem. In some cases, you may find that you are really writing down thoughts rather than true solutions, but those thoughts will help you find solutions to the problems.

Here are a few sample strategies:

       Work with a residential firm for five years to gain experience in residential practice. Perhaps also work for a commercial firm to gain experience in that area of design.

       If necessary, take additional business classes at a community college or enter an MBA program to gain the business knowledge to own and operate a studio.

      What are some additional strategies that might be feasible and useful for Beth?

      The process is the same for any goal, and in some ways is never ending. New opportunities arise all the time—the trick is to recognize and act upon them. Unexpected problems and challenges might derail you momentarily or even forever. Although staying on track to accomplish goals in the shorter term is always a good idea, keeping oneself open to opportunities that might have long‐term implications is important. But isn't that part of the fun?

       Personal Branding

      Who are you? How do you want potential employers and clients to perceive you?

Personal branding is the image you create of yourself. In a sense, your brand helps tell others what you can offer to them. Knowledge, efficiency, loyalty, responsibility, enthusiasm, and being a good communicator are only a very few of the attributes that can make up a personal brand. And incidentally they are the kinds of characteristics that a business is looking for in an employee and clients are looking for in the service providers that hire.

      You will see in Chapter 24 the importance of branding for a business. This brief section talks about your personal brand; how you wish to be perceived as well as how others perceive you.

      Defining who you are and who you want to be lays the groundwork for developing your personal brand. Ongoing performance clarifies that brand to others. When you meet your obligations to clients and your employer—such as always meeting deadlines—this action reinforces your brand. Always being late with projects, missing classes, and finding excuses for the lack of performance tarnishes your brand. Soon others will not know if you can be trusted to do the work required by the deadlines that exist.

      You no doubt wonder why the same designers win awards year after year or consistently obtain the great jobs. It is not magic. It is because they have established a brand and the performance characteristics that clients can depend upon. The client then has no qualms in hiring that designer again and in recommending that designer to others.

      There are numerous ways to develop and establish your personal brand. A few have already been mentioned. Here are several more:

       Clearly understand who you are professionally and what you stand for.

       Don't promise what you cannot deliver.

       If you make a mistake, correct it quickly and work hard to not make that same mistake again.

       Reevaluate your goals (and brand image) annually to be sure that what you thought you want is still what you want.

       If you don't think your design philosophy meshes with a client's demands, then don't take the job.

      There are numerous books available about personal branding. A few are mentioned in the General References at the end of this book. Many others will be found on the Internet.

CAREER DECISIONS

      Your first real job in the interior design profession is a significant milestone. For everyone, it is the first step on a journey that can lead to a rewarding and successful future in a career full of challenges and excitement. That first position can also chart a direction toward a goal for the future; more often, it becomes a stepping‐stone to other opportunities.

      Interests in specific kinds of design work obviously influence career options. Outside interests or experiences from a previous career can move you toward a particular specialty. Understanding who you are and what your interests are will help you make the decision as to which area to go into in interior design. Completing the sections on goals in this chapter can be quite helpful.

      Few designers remain with the same company for decades. It is likely that you will be with three or more firms before you retire. Some sources say graduates may change jobs as many as 10 times before they retire. And that's okay: It is important to keep yourself open to new opportunities, especially after you have gained some on‐the‐job experience.

At the beginning of your career, be advised that employers will expect you to “pay your dues”—and this does not mean to a professional association. Despite the new employee's training and talent, the interior design firm will want to train and observe the employee for some period of time before giving him substantial project responsibility. In many cases this means doing what graduates refer to as “menial work,” such as maintaining the library, calling for pricing, gathering materials for presentations, and organizing sample boards. There is nothing wrong, however, with maintaining the library. All of these tasks are part of the design process and are undertaken by the most experienced professional as well as the beginner.

      It simply takes time to transition from entry‐level recent graduate (or new employee) to having the responsibility of dealing directly with clients. Internships play a vital role in speeding transition.

      Here are several factors that may influence your career decisions:

       In a small firm, the new employee might be able to work on a variety of projects sooner than those who begin work at a larger design firm.

       Expectations for productive work—alongside experienced designers—will be high in a small firm.

       Entry‐level designers generally progress more slowly in larger firms.

       Larger firms give an entry‐level designer the opportunity to see how a variety of bigger projects are

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