Entry-Level Interior Design Associate
The Entry-Level Interior Design Associate at Confidential Client supports customers in selecting furniture and décor, creating room layouts, and delivering exceptional design and sales experiences. This role involves collaborating with the sales team, promoting design programs, and contributing to store sales goals while maintaining strong product knowledge and customer service. It offers paid training, career growth opportunities, and a creative, team-oriented environment within a leading furniture company.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Retail - Furniture & Home Furnishings.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
Confidential Client is looking for a creative, customer-focused Entry-Level Interior Design Associate to support customers in designing beautiful, functional home spaces. This role blends design support with retail sales and customer service.
- Assist customers in selecting furniture, décor, fabrics, and accessories to meet their needs and preferences
- Develop room layouts, design suggestions, and visual merchandising that reflect customer lifestyles and current trends
- Collaborate with the sales team to deliver excellent customer experiences and support store sales goals
- Support in-store design projects, professional home consultations, and special events
- Maintain product knowledge, including materials, fabric options, and features, to effectively advise customers
- Contribute to visual merchandising, showroom displays, and maintaining a clean, inspiring sales floor
Key Responsibilities
- Drive sales by presenting design solutions and product recommendations that meet customer needs
- Promote the store’s design program and assist the lead designer in achieving program targets
- Use consultative selling techniques: needs discovery, customized presentations, objection handling, closing, and follow-up
- Book and support home consultations and present sample selections when needed
- Maintain accurate customer records, order documentation, and scheduling for deliveries/installation
- Assist with training peers on product knowledge and the selling process
- Support operational tasks: showroom upkeep, tagging, inventory displays, and daily system logs
Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent required; bachelor’s degree in Business, Interior Design, or related field preferred
- Strong communication and customer-service skills; ability to build rapport and influence purchase decisions
- Creative eye for color, scale, space planning, and accessories
- Previous retail, design, or customer-service experience is helpful but not required
- Comfortable learning product features, design principles, and basic sales systems (experience with design software is a plus)
- Ability to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
- Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and stand for extended periods
- Must be able to pass background and drug screening as required
Compensation & Benefits
- Training pay: $15.00 per hour during 2–6 weeks of paid training (no commission during training)
- Average annual earning potential after training: $55,000–$75,000+ (base + commission + bonus; individual results vary)
- Post-training base pay example (varies by location): $11.00 per hour plus uncapped commission — 3% on design sales, 2% on other sales; quarterly bonus opportunities (e.g., $1,500) based on sales goals
- Employee benefits (U.S.): medical, vision, dental, basic life insurance; 401(k) with company match (up to 6%); paid holidays; PTO and state-mandated sick time where applicable
- Employee discounts on furniture and home décor; opportunities to build a design portfolio and advance within the company
Work Schedule & Location
- Full-time, typically 40 hours per week; schedule includes retail hours with required evening/weekend shifts
- Location: Grand Rapids, MI (in-person retail role supporting store and customer home consultations)
Physical Demands & Environment
- Ability to lift/carry up to 50 lbs and perform repetitive hand motions
- Frequent standing, walking, bending, and stooping; work performed primarily indoors in a retail showroom
- Must meet any driver/vehicle program requirements if role includes home visits or deliveries
Why Join Confidential Client
- Paid onboarding and training to build design and sales skills
- Supportive, creative, team-oriented retail environment
- A direct path to build a professional design portfolio and grow within a national retail furniture company
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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