How to hire a residential designer

How to hire a residential designer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step residential designer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a residential designer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new residential designer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the residential designer you need to hire. Certain residential designer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A residential designer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, residential designers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of residential designer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Residential Designer	Description	Hourly rate
   Residential Designer	Interior designers make interior spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements and selecting decorative items, such as colors, lighting, and materials. They read blueprints and must be aware of building codes and inspection regulations, as well as universal accessibility standards.	$17-43
   Design Consultant	A design consultant is a professional who provides expertise incorporating functionality and aesthetics to a space or product based on the evaluation of the needs of customers or clients. Design consultants may collaborate with other professionals such as architects, graphic designers, or fashion designers to cater to the needs of their customers... Show more	$24-57
   Interior Design Consultant	An interior design consultant is responsible for designing the interior space of a client's property according to their specifications and budget requirements. Interior design consultants draft their initial layouts, including the cost forecasting and resources for the operations, to determine the client's approval or revise plans as necessary... Show more	$20-42

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CAD
   • Construction Drawings
   • Design Services
   • Revit
   • Sketch
   • Design Concepts
   • Building Materials
   • Space Planning
   • Design Development
   • Residential Homes
   • Custom Homes
   • Construction Methods
   • Design Ideas
   • Design Firm

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Modify SRV-1 source code using JavaScript software to attain tracking at any instantaneous time.
   • Modify AutoCAD construction documents and create new Revit construction documents of residential designs for a large variety of clients.
   • Develop original concepts from thumbnail sketch to finish product.
   • Design, modele and render graphically intensive exteriors and interior environments and animations utilizing the latest in visualization technology.
   • Monitor orders using the retail point of sale (POS) system.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your residential designer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A residential designer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, residential designers' average salary in mississippi is 50% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level residential designers earn 59% less than senior-level residential designers.
   • Certifications. A residential designer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a residential designer's salary.

   Average residential designer salary

   $58,162yearly

   $27.96 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level residential designer salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a residential designer job description

   A residential designer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a residential designer job description:

   Residential designer job description example

   Western States Fire Protection (WSFP) and its subsidiaries are more than a company. We are a family of unique individuals committed to our purpose, our values, and each other and we believe in making our own luck, creating our own opportunities. WSFP accomplishes this by constantly innovating, finding ways to create new value and seizing new opportunities.
   
   Protecting lives and property since 1985, WSFP and its subsidiaries specializes in Life Safety Systems. Our values are simple: integrity, quality, safety, professionalism, commitment.
   Visit us at Fire Protection Company | Western States Fire Protection (wsfp.com) to learn more!
   
   What we offer:
   
   + Health, Life, Dental and Vision Insurance
   
   + Flex Spending (FSA) (Cafeteria Plan)
   
   + 401(k) Plan
   
   + Employee Stock Purchase Plan
   
   + Paid Time Off (PTO)
   
   + Paid Holidays
   
   Residential Designer
   
   This individual will design; coordinate and work directly with the design manager for the fire sprinkler systems for single family, multi-purpose podium, wrap-style, and large multi-family residential buildings. He or she will design and create the finished representation for the sprinkler systems using drawing and drafting skills and tools. The drawings produced will be used as a guide by every other link in the chain of construction, both on-site and in the office. The designer will have responsibility for the initial planning of a project including scheduling of time, creating material stock listing, analyzing changes, and solving problems. Close coordination with the project manager, project superintendent, and sales representative will be required throughout the life of the project.
   
   Job Responsibilities
   
   + Review construction contract documents and coordinate with sub-contractors and General Contractor/owner to gather the required information to design the project's sprinkler system
   
   + Thorough use of analytical thinking and problem solving, determine construction feasibility and systems possibilities
   
   + Create detailed drawings through extensive use of AutoCAD and/or AutoSprink programs
   
   + Create stock list for all material required throughout the project
   
   + Perform hydraulic calculations
   
   + Develop initial schedules for preliminary project work
   
   + Maintain design historical records for future use
   
   + Develop positive and ongoing relationships with customers to ensure company is meeting customers' expectations
   
   + Coordinate with other departments within office to ensure proper handover of job information
   
   + Perform Project Manager functions as required
   
   + Complete other assigned responsibilities as directed by immediate supervisor or other WSFP management personnel
   
   Job Qualifications
   
   + Applicable degree from a technical school or college
   
   + NICET certification is a plus
   
   + Demonstrated ability with AutoCAD, AutoSprink, or other specialized fire sprinkler layout software
   
   + Project management experience a plus
   
   + Proven ability and track record of performing work in a timely manner and meeting deadlines
   
   + Three years' experience in multi-family residential design
   
   + Detail-oriented and skilled in free hand and mechanical lettering and drawings
   
   + Possess good communication skills; both verbal and written
   
   + Willing to coordinate and work well with others
   
   + Willing to pass a post-offer drug screen test, background and reference check
   
   All qualified applicants with Western States Fire Protection Company will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin or status as a qualified individual with a disability or protected veteran.
   
   VEVRAA Federal Contractor

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find residential designers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any residential designers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level residential designers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your residential designer job on Zippia to find and attract quality residential designer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit residential designers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new residential designer

   Once you've found the residential designer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new residential designer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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