A Day in the Life: Design Assistant for Interior Design Firm

8:00 AM: Arrive at the office before the rest of the staff, brew coffee and ensure the office is in order. Wash dishes left over from yesterday's client meeting.

8:30 AM: Check voicemail and e-mail for messages. Review calendar for day's appointments and call for confirmations. Adjust schedule as necessary.

9:00 a.m.: Other employees arrive. Answer incoming calls and take messages for staff who are unavailable. Field calls from sales representatives requesting appointments with designers. Interface with clients and vendors.

10:00 AM: Speak with head designer. Receive instructions on several tasks, such as picking up fabric samples from design center, contacting dealers regarding memo items (pieces on loan for display only) for a client meeting, dictation of an email for a potential client that must go out by noon.

11:00 AM: Work on projects assigned by head designer while continually answering calls. Complete important client email and send to head designer to proof. Contact dealers regarding memo items and arrange shipment with local delivery service.

12:00 PM: Send revised letter to potential client. Escape for lunch—a reprieve from the switchboard for at least an hour. Pick up lunch for yourself and other office mates at nearby café. Pick up fabric samples on the way back. Visit several fabric houses and leave design center loaded down with bags. 

1:30 PM: Check voicemail and e-mail when you return. Open and sort snail mail and packages. Enter addresses into contact database for bookkeeper. Prepare office for client meeting at 2:30. Run up the street to purchase a new orchid for entryway. Brew more coffee and tea. Ensure conference room is organized and clean. Gather any last minute information head designer needs for meeting.

2:30 PM: Show clients to conference room, offer drinks and snacks. Work on additional projects other staff members have requested: errands, scheduling of appointments, shipments of furniture. To ensure clients do not get parking tickets while in meeting, feed the meters.

4:00 PM: After clients leave, clean conference room, wash dishes. Empty trash bins throughout office. Return calls on behalf of designer and schedule additional appointments for remainder of week.

5:00 PM: As there's nothing urgent left to complete, you get to leave on time today!