Karen Daroff ’70 knows a thing or two about success. She’s been the recipient of numerous interior design awards, and her work is weaved throughout Philadelphia and in cities across the globe. Looking back on her time as a young professional, Daroff shared 10 tips for Moore students who are thinking about their post-graduation paths:
1. Seek out professional internship opportunities early and make sure your portfolio is well-designed and error-free. Focus on building a portfolio that features your creativity and represents you as a brand.
2. Dress professionally for your interviews and be prepared to market yourself. Highlight your capabilities, your willingness to pitch, and your interest in continuing to learn and grow within the company.
3. Be willing to start at the bottom, but look out for opportunities to be mentored by others with more experience. Learn the skills needed to collaborate with other artists, designers, and specialty consultants to achieve your vision.
4. Know your value! Be prepared to speak up for yourself, but be receptive to peer review and critique. Try not to reinvent the wheel—at least not until you know how the wheel actually works.
5. Working as a resource coordinator is a great first job. You become a hub of information team members seek out when they are looking to source new products and information for their projects.
6. Build your network because it can open doors to new opportunities. Join trade associations to connect with your peers. You never know where your next project lead or job opportunity is coming from. Relationships matter!
7. Keep up with technology after graduation. Technical skills have become increasingly valued in many artistic professions.
8. Always demonstrate good interpersonal skill and communication methods.
9. Establish your value by working diligently and following direction. Show leadership that you’re a good team member who collaborates well with others to produce thoughtfully conceived products.
10. Bonus tip for interior designers: Become licensed to practice in a few of the states that now require commercial interior designers to be tested and certified by NCIDQ9.
Want to read more about Daroff’s impact at Moore, in Philadelphia, and beyond? Check out “Paying it Forward: How Karen Daroff ’70 Influenced the Next Generation of Designers,” the cover story for Moore Magazine’s Spring/Summer 2024 issue. Click here to buy your tickets for this year's Visionary Woman Awards on May 22!
Main images courtesy of Karen Daroff '70.
