Laura Crosby

What is your current role?

Junior Interior Designer

What aspects of your degree course best prepared you for the transition from a student to a professional designer?

At Uni one of the most annoying things was people doing other degrees that didn't understand why you would always be in uni or at least doing uni work.. Working professionally is the same, you will do longer hours and have late nights, but you will be rewarded both in terms of design and socially. 

How does working in a studio at university compare to working styles in industry?

For me it's quieter, which I'm not sure I like as I can be a bit of a motormouth but similar to a studio where questions are asked and ideas floated around. You do get more work done...

The pace is a lot faster, from concept to detailing happens within weeks, with different projects to skip from one to the other.

In my office there always seems to be a lot of food floating around, no different to at uni, but it's free! 

What skill do you feel is the most relevant for working in design industry?

I think there was a number of skills that you are provided with that translate across. I use Vectorworks now, which without learning autocad I would be completely clueless about. The greatest skill however, I think is sketching. To be able to draw your idea out is often easier and quicker than explaining. Even when trying to build a technical drawing quick sketches help explain this better.

What aspect of the profession do you feel you do best?  

Producing lots of concept and sketch ideas for people to take further. Adding entertainment to the office with all the embarrassing things that happen to me.

If you had to give a young designer one piece of advice what would it be?

As a Junior i think it’s perfectly normal to not have a clue what is going on at first and everyone gets nervous about emailing scary clients.