Interview with Interior Designer Sarah Hoskins

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing the interior designer and former University of Southern Mississippi student, Sarah Hoskins. Some background information about Hoskins is that she is originally from Mobile and has worked as an interior designer at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Currently, she works at Capilano University as the Campus Planning Manager. Something from this interview that stood out to me was what she looked for when hiring a designer.

Hoskins says that she doesn't necessarily focus on the creative aspect of it, but that she focuses on whether they can actually get the job done. For her this includes answering the phone confidently, being able to work spreadsheets, and someone that can figure it out as they go along. She adds that while you can be creative, you need to be able to confidently sell your design. This was interesting to me because from my perspective, I would think you would need to be more creative minded. But, it does make sense that you need to have good interpersonal skills and to be able to communicate your ideas. Some additional advice from Hoskins is to be open minded about where your path may take you. Especially with interior design, she notes that the opportunities within the field are vast and can take you a number of places. Hoskins says to go in the direction that you want to go, because if you don't enjoy what you do then you are doing it for nothing. This spoke to me because often we think that we have to stick with one path, but that is not the case. With that being said, I am excited to learn even more about interior design and its vast opportunities.