According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 9,000 job openings for interior designers appear every year. To apply for one of the jobs and eventually land it, you’ll need a stellar interior designer cover letter.
Despite what many people think, an interior designer is not only responsible for creating aesthetically pleasing and attractive indoor spaces; they also need to make them highly functional. To do so, they should apply their best technical and artistic skills.
A cover letter is one of the best “tools” to elaborate on those skills and how they could be beneficial for a new position. If you’re not sure how to write a cover letter, worry not. With our extensive guide, you’ll be able to create a perfect one!
Key Takeaways
A cover letter is a one-page document that accompanies the resume you send when applying for a new job.
A nicely crafted cover letter should be concise and easy to follow, focusing on elaboration of your skills and achievements.
A cover letter for interior design students gives them an opportunity to pitch themselves and land their first job or client.
Every cover letter should contain several sections, each of which focuses on a specific segment of your professional background, education, skills, and qualifications.
The Best Format to Use for an Interior Designer Cover Letter
While many people consider cover letters unnecessary as they have listed all their relevant working experience, education, and skills in their resume, recruiters actually love them. In fact, a whopping 83% of hiring staff agree that a cover letter significantly affects their decision-making.
Together with your CV or resume, it complements the story of your career path and goals. Plus, with a cover letter, you’re addressing hiring staff directly, which is not the case with a resume alone.
While you might be tempted to just repeat the skills you’ve included in your resume, that wouldn’t be a good call. Instead, you should highlight them by elaborating on your achievements.
To achieve this, it’s critical that you format your cover letter properly. A good format is essential as hiring managers spend 30 seconds to two minutes on it. Normally, you want them to stay at your letter as long as necessary, not discard it immediately. Here’s how to do it:
Cover Letter Format Guidelines
Choose a business letter format that includes a header, greeting, introduction, body, conclusion, and sign-off
Use a professional-looking font that is easy to read, and set its size to 10.5–12 points
Set margins at 1” to 1.5”
Be concise and coherent. The perfect length of a cover letter is 250–400 words
Interior Designer Cover Letter: Key Elements
A cover letter may differ in terms of format and order of information listed based on its overall style. Nevertheless, it should always contain several key elements. Here they are:
#1. Heading
A header is among the first things that hiring staff will notice on your cover letter. As such, it should include all your contact information with a pinch of design elements. Make sure that you list the following:
Mandatory Details
Your full name
Your professional title
Contact information—phone number and email address
Location
Date of the application
Hiring manager’s or recruiter’s contact information
Here is an example of a well-formatted header:
Heading Example
Christina Marques Interior Designer christina.marquez@gmail.com +13166878384 981 Academy Avenue Jamestown, NY 14701 October 31, 2023 Klein & Co, New York Dave Blackley
#2. Greeting
‘Dear Sir or Madam’ and ‘To whom it may concern’ were once considered appropriate greetings. Today, however, that is not the case, as they are overly generic and formal. You want your cover letter to be as personalized as possible, and these two vague salutations are far from it.
The best way to address the hiring staff that will be reading your cover letter is by using their first or last name. In case you’re not familiar with their name, you can address the recruiting team or hiring manager. Here’s how you can put it:
Greeting Example
Dear Mr. Blackley,
#3. Introduction
The introductory sections give you a chance to stand out from other candidates by introducing yourself in a unique way. Start your introduction strong with a compelling and effective overview of your experience and qualifications that will urge readers, i.e., a recruiter or a hiring manager, to continue reading.
If you’re experienced in interior design, list it here immediately. However, if you’re writing an interior designer cover letter with no previous experience, you should include a bold argument to persuade hiring staff that you’re the right person for the job.
Here’s how to do it:
Introduction Example
Klein’s reputation for efficient and sleek interior design has inspired me ever since I graduated. Becoming one of your celebrated designers has been my ambition ever since.
#4. Skills, Qualifications, & Experiences
The body is the crucial part of your cover letter, as it’s your opportunity to shine by elaborating on your professional experiences, qualifications, and skills. Remember not just to list them, as you’ve already done so in your interior designer resume.
Instead, tell stories about what you have accomplished throughout your career. Be as specific as possible, and add facts and figures wherever you can. Here is what this section should look like in your cover letter:
Skills, Qualifications, & Experiences Example
Having completed a bachelor’s degree in interior design at Penn State University, I found employment at Northman Design, where I learned directly from three of the industry greats. I honed my AutoCad knowledge, perfected my concept presentation skills, managed every aspect of the design process, and understood the rigors of running a project to a prescribed budget.
I have specialized in office design for the past six years and have worked on some of the most innovative projects in New York. As the commercial real estate industry has realized the value of the inspirational workplace, my multi-award-winning office environments have received countless plaudits. Among others in my enclosed portfolio, the Haines & Barton building design won “Best Small Office” in the 2018 NY IntDes awards.
#5. Reasons for Applying
As you’re drawing towards the end, use this opportunity to echo your passion for interior design and explain why you’re applying for the position at the company. Make sure that you express your zeal for a chance to contribute and grow with the company and focus on how you can contribute to the success of the organization you’re targeting.
This is how you can phrase this section:
Reasons for Applying Example
The opportunity at Klein & Co. would offer me the chance to build on my experience in the technology sector. I understand the differing workplace requirements of tech professionals, believing that my design and visualization skills, together with my flair for innovation, would contribute to taking Klein’s office spaces to the next level. My real/virtual software developer meeting rooms for Epoch Gaming were featured 85 times in industry press.
#6. Call to Action
The closing section is a good opportunity to let a recruiter know that you’re prepared for the next stage of the application—the interview. Avoid just thanking the hiring manager for dedicating their time to reading your letter; this will only result in them dismissing your job application for an interior designer.
Show your initiative by requesting an interview directly. Let the hiring staff know when you’re available and how they can reach out to you.
Call to Action Example
I enclose a link to my virtual portfolio and would welcome the opportunity of an interview to walk you through some of my most successful projects.
#7. Conclusion & Sign Off
Conclude your interior designer cover letter with phrases such as ‘Sincerely,’ ‘Kind regards,’ ‘Cordially,’ ‘Yours sincerely,’ or ‘Yours faithfully.’ Don’t forget to add a comma right after the closing phrase, and then write your name in the next line like this:
Conclusion & Sign Off Example
Sincerely, Christina Marques
Here’s an example of an interior designer's cover letter. Check it out and pay attention to the order of key elements.
6 Expert Tips for Crafting an Interior Designer Cover Letter
As we’ve already mentioned, crafting a compelling interior designer cover letter demands a perfect blend of creativity, professionalism, and attention to detail. To help you achieve it and make yourself visible to employers, we present you with six expert tips for crafting a perfect cover letter.
Interior Designer Cover Letter Writing Tips
Use strong action words. Whenever you’re listing your hard and soft skills, use words such as ‘managed,’ ‘orchestrated,’ ‘redesigned,’ ‘conceptualized,’ etc. Don’t forget to focus on the company’s needs and how you can contribute to its success.
Polish your cover letter. There should be no grammatical errors or typos in your letter whatsoever. Proofread it carefully to check whether there are any and correct them. A good idea would be to proofread it a day after you create the first draft, as this will increase the possibility of spotting a mistake.
Begin enthusiastically. The very first sentence of your interior designer cover letter should show your enthusiasm for working at the company as well as your passion for the profession.
Show your design skills. Demonstrate your creativity and artistic skills by making your cover letter visually attractive. Use formatting and color schemes that show you have an eye for details and aesthetics.
Be concise and professional. Keep your letter brief and coherent while maintaining a professional and respectful tone. A cover letter should not be long—a maximum of 400 words and one page long.
Reference past projects. Mention specific projects you have previously worked on. Focus on the results and accomplishments, and provide particular figures or awards if possible.
Final Thoughts
Though many people dread it, an interior designer cover letter for both entry-level and senior positions is a must to make yourself visible to the hiring staff. It can also serve as an interior designer introduction letter to a client, where you’re expected to introduce yourself and showcase your skills to a prospective client.
This one-page-long document may help you secure an invitation to an interview if done properly. The aim of our comprehensive guide was to help you come up with a perfect one and help you land your dream job!
