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overstay your time unless the designer seems to be willing to let the clock continue to run.

       Don't forget to send a thank‐you card!

College advisers and career counselors can be helpful sources of information regarding different design companies. The faculty member that helps set up internships also has her finger on where potential jobs can be located. Job announcements through university career placement offices can also provide information on job openings. Positions with corporations might be available through this source. Department stores, print media, and the federal government may also interview for design staff through the career placement office.

      Students can join student chapters of professional associations, attend the professional chapter meetings at the local level, and perhaps participate on committees. Students can also talk to relatives and friends who might have worked with designers or who know someone in the industry. If you are looking to move to a new city, perhaps your professors can make suggestions. Obviously, the Internet can also be a great help in this situation.

      The Internet and social media provide many opportunities for finding possible job openings. You can search the Web sites of interior design firms. Many have links on their Web sites where candidates can obtain information about possible openings and how to apply for those positions.

      Social media sites like LinkedIn can also help the job seeker find openings. An important part of using a social site is that your page be professional in content—including a professional photo—to give the best impression. Groups in LinkedIn generally allow group members to post job openings or allow a group member to “advertise” for a job. Unfortunately, because so many people use this search strategy, it is easy to get lost in the crowd. Note that many are also international positions.

      Job boards are places where employers post information about jobs and where job hunters can look for jobs. They are usually Web sites that allow for posting of jobs. A candidate can apply online to these postings and get job‐hunting tips. There are numerous job boards and more being created all the time. Some are even advertised on the television. You can easily find numerous job boards by doing a search on a search engine like Google. You can search by specific city as well. One of the best known is www.monster.com. It is a general site meaning many different kinds of jobs will be posted here.

      Interior design‐focused job boards are most often found through the professional associations. Others are also available and can be found through an Internet search “interior design job boards.” A site specific to interior design is www.interiordesignjobs.com.

      Commercial sites aid both the applicant and the employer. Fees are generally required to use the online services, although some sites do not charge. You must sign up with one of these sites; thereafter, you can post a resume or a job opening.

      Professionals are well versed in the concept of its “who you know” concerning job hunting. A professional may hear of an opening based on casual conversation at a professional meeting. Others discreetly put out the word to allied associates, such as sales reps, that they are looking for a new position. Quite a lot of job searching and interviewing occurs during trade shows, like NeoCon in Chicago. This is especially true for designers and others who are interested in sales positions. Of course, students may also hear about openings in similar ways.

If you are an employed professional seeking a new position, you must be discreet in your search. Disregarding your current work responsibilities to go out on interviews is a very bad idea—you must still meet your current responsibilities. Understandably, employers do not like their employees looking for another job while they are still working. Yet, of course, not everyone can afford to quit a current job in order to look for a new one. Almost all books on searching for a job advise readers not to quit the current job before they have obtained a new job.

      Here are a few hints for the professional who is seeking a new job while presently employed:

       Do not use company time, telephones, or supplies for the job search.

       Do not fake client appointments in order to go on interviews.

       It is acceptable to schedule appointments during the lunch hour.

       Use vacation time to interview for out‐of‐town jobs.

       Do not call in sick in order to go on an interview.

       Under the employment‐at‐will doctrine, you should give some notice when you are ready to leave, though it is not mandatory.

      International jobs require careful research. It also requires preparation in order to make oneself more attractive to an international design firm. Learn at least one non‐English language fluently; two is even better. Naturally, target those language skills to the area of the globe you feel you would most like to work. Learn about customs, religious practices, and politics of other countries. In some cases, you might be able to learn about these issues from a faculty member at a community college or university.

      Understanding the culture of other countries helps you have an appreciation on how people work and accept design concepts outside the United States. You might find a “mentor” of sorts affiliated with a local cultural group, such as an Italian‐American club to help with your research. As a student, take advantage of study tours to foreign countries. Subscribe to international magazines and social media sites to learn more about other countries. Schools may have Internet‐based programs that allow students to interact with students at international schools.

      How can a student or entry‐level professional gain background in international issues? Connect with members from professional associations who are located in local area who are doing international work. Perhaps make contact with designers in other locations through association member lists. Information can perhaps be gleaned from online membership lists. Be sure you think through why you are contacting these people before you try!

      Professional employment agencies or executive search firms (sometimes called headhunters) can help you locate a design job. Although some will not take on a recent graduate or someone with only a few years of experience, a phone call can clarify their clientele. If you wish to use this method of locating a job, you need to do some homework about the agency company before you sign on with one. Investigate it thoroughly to be sure that it deals with the interior design and architecture industries. You need to understand all the restrictions and fees involved.

      An executive search firm works on commission paid by the hiring employer. They are usually looking for the senior‐level designer or manager‐level positions in the design firm. Some executive search firms may want you to sign an exclusive agreement with them. Employment experts suggest that you do not do so: It is not appropriate for them to ask this, and it also limits your possibilities. If you are interested in working with an agency, you may want to check The Directory of Executive Recruiters at a local library or on the Internet to find recruiters in your area.

Searching for a position that suits the graduate or experienced professional requires thought and planning—just like any interior design project. You must manage this process right from the beginning. It helps to keep a record of all correspondence, keeping copies of each letter and resume that you send out, and a record of phone calls and other contacts. Taking notes during phone calls and preparing follow‐up notes after interviews are also useful techniques. Look at each negative response as an opportunity to learn how to make future inquiries positive. Most importantly, don't give up!

RESUMES

      A vital tool that any designer—student or professional—will use to find a position is a resume. A resume is a summary of a person's qualifications. Generally, it conveys experience, education, and skills elated to the desired position. Today's resumes are primarily sent online as postings or attachments. However, printed resumes are still needed and useful for the job hunt.

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