Caught the organizing bug? If you’re looking to take your Type A personality and turn it into a rewarding career, look no further!
Before you can secure a job in the industry, you’re going to need knowledge in the field. Making a career out of organizing goes beyond knowing how to put things away—although it helps! To become an organizer, you’ll need insider professional techniques that allow you to adapt to the needs of various clients. What may have worked for you during your high school days will not work for every client who approaches you. Expect to learn about organizing techniques, navigating client relationships, and essential business skills to get your career off the ground.
If you’re on a time crunch, keep reading. We’re going to show you how to become an organizer in under 6 months!
Get educated
Sure, you can roll out of bed one day and decide you’re now a professional organizer. There’s no standardized test for you to take and no formal training required. But will you really have the skills and professional experience to succeed? There are organizers, and then there are great organizers. The difference lies in the amount of personal investment and education you undertake. Taking organizing classes will prove to yourself and your future clients that you know what you’re doing!
Just like the many professional careers out there, earning a professional organizer certification ensures you learn professional standard organizing techniques. A self-paced course allows you to set your own deadlines. Since you want to finish in less than six months, you’ll need to enforce a strict, weekly study schedule. Carve out time every week and stick to it! You’ll need plenty of self-discipline since you won’t have someone breathing down your neck.
Beyond having up-to-date learning materials, you’ll want access to student support services, expert tutors, business training, and a certification to add to your resume. These features are essential in ensuring you hit the ground running post-graduation.
Pro Tip:
All that being said, don’t rush through the content in your course. You want to start your career as a professional organizer with the tools, techniques, and knowledge necessary to succeed. You won’t retain anything by rushing through it. Be sure to listen to your tutor’s feedback carefully and apply it to future assignments.
Practice
Take every opportunity to practice your skills. If you can’t help yourself, how on earth can you help others looking for some expertise? Once you are able to declutter and cut ties with knick-knacks in your own home that no longer “spark joy”, it’ll be easier to have an objective stance with future clients.
Start small. Begin with your study space. When you have a tidy work environment, you’ll be able to stay on schedule and keep motivated with tasks. A cluttered desk can lead to stress and feeling overwhelmed. Once you clear things off and get organized, you’ll be a happy camper!
Next, offer to test your organizing skills on friends and family. Practicing new techniques as you progress through the course allows you to consolidate your skills. Not to mention how great it is for motivation! It’s a perfect starting point to begin your professional organizing career.
No matter the task or client, the steps remain the same:
- Assess your client – goals, motivations, determining the root cause of disorganization
- Declutter – assessing the value of items
- Optimize the space – determining how and where items should be stored
- Encourage order – help your clients set up systems to make upkeep easy
These elements are the backbone of an organized home, no matter the scale. So any practice or work that you put towards organizing is relevant experience. And when you can work out the kinks in your organizing procedure before joining the big leagues, all the better!
Learn to market yourself
It’s never too early to start thinking ahead! Even before graduating, line up career-related opportunities or resources so you aren’t stuck in a lull after receiving your certification. It doesn’t matter if you’re starting your own organizing business or looking to work for an established company. Take advantage of the optional business training included with your course! You’ll learn all about resume and cover letter writing, writing a business plan, and creating your marketing materials.
It’s hard enough imagining how a potential employer will perceive your resume. Especially if you’re anxious and want everything to be just right. You’ll definitely benefit from a second opinion, and even better if it’s coming from someone who currently works in the business.
Your course’s business training may be the only time where you can have an established industry professional look over your work and offer constructive feedback. They’ll provide insight on the most sought-after skills and experiences along with advice on tailoring your promotional materials to reach your career goals.
Build a Network
You need to take the lead with this one. The reality is that networking is probably your best route to a good job. Especially if you don’t have a lot of real-world experience! While many design associations organize social events, trade shows, and conventions for professionals, it’s up to you to actually attend! We get it: it’s nerve-wracking! Especially if you’re still a student and don’t have any concrete experience yet. But you need to have a motivated, go-getter attitude to succeed in such a competitive industry.
Establishing relationships can be difficult if you don’t have any confidence in yourself. Our advice? Practice a firm handshake, your elevator pitch, and a warm smile. People can smell self-confidence a mile away. Reach out to smaller businesses who are willing to give an up-and-coming planner like yourself a chance. If all goes well, they may recommend your services or reach out again!
Have any other tips for fast-tracking your professional organizing career? Let us know!
