Florist Jobs Overview
If you have a creative flair and want to work in an environment that always smells good, floral design might be for you. You can find florist jobs in traditional flower shops and grocery stores. Floral design can be an ideal profession if you want to own a business. You’ll work with brides, funeral homes, office buildings, hotels, and restaurants that keep fresh flowers or plants on display. Many florist shops also offer other decorative items for special occasions. These include balloons, wedding ring pillows, aisle runners, and other wedding day supplies.
If you take the entrepreneurial path as a floral shop owner, you will spend a large portion of your day on activities that do not include flower arranging. This includes things like answering the phone, helping customers in the shop, cleaning, accounting, material preparation, payroll, inventory, and ordering supplies.
If working in art jobs interests you, you can expand your search to related jobs such as:
Florist Training and Skills
There are lots of different ways to become a florist. You can start with a high school diploma or equivalent and get on-the-job training. Or, you can take classes and earn a diploma or certificate from a private floral design school, community college, or vocational school in four to 12 weeks. If you want to own a floral shop, many of these programs offer business classes that are designed especially for florists.
You also have opportunities to start as a floral hobbyist to develop your skills and build a photo portfolio of arrangements and displays you’ve designed. Classes and workshops are offered by local garden clubs, libraries, and city park and recreation departments.
Florist classes include:
- Principles of floral design
- Identifying types of flowers and greens
- Familiarity with materials used in floral designs
- How to store flowers and other materials
- How to choose containers and vases
- How to wire flowers and tie bows
Classes for floral shop owners can include:
- Writing a business plan
- Choosing a niche, name, location, and signage
- Start-up budgeting and funding
- Hiring and managing employees
- How to get and manage contracts with hotels, restaurants, and office buildings
Although they’re not required, you may choose to take classes and pass an exam to become a Certified Floral Designer, a credential from The American Institute of Floral Designers.
To become a successful florist, you will also need to develop your:
- Artistic ability
- Creativity
- Customer-service skills
- Organizational skills and attention to detail
Update Your Florist Resume
If you’re looking for florist jobs, you’ll need a resume that includes your experience and training. Look at Monster’s classic resume template to get started. It will show you a sample resume and give you resume writing tips. You might also need a cover letter to personalize your application package.
For help creating your florist portfolio, Monster has tips for what to include and how to showcase your floral arrangements online.
Interviewing for a Florist Job
Even if you’re applying for a florist job in a smaller shop, you’ll need to go through an interview. Don’t let the business’s size trip you up—you need to practice to answer questions professionally and effectively. What questions, you ask? Read about the 10 most common interview questions and suggestions for how to craft your answers.
Here are three from the list:
- Why do you want to work here?
- What salary are you seeking?
- What are your goals?
How Much Do Florist Jobs Pay?
According to Monster, the median pay for a floral designer is $14.39. This is based on your experience and location. Monster’s Salary Tools will tell you what salary to expect in a florist job in your area. Be sure to look on that page to find out the next steps you can take in your florist career and where florists are in high demand.
Want to Learn More About a Company You’re Interested In?
Before you walk into an interview, it’s a good idea to know a little bit about the company. Monster’s Company Profiles are a way to get information to help you determine if the job might be a good fit. If a company is in our database, you’ll see things like:
- the number of employees.
- their specialties or markets they serve.
- how long they’ve been in business.
Monster Is Blooming With Florist Jobs for You
Want to see what florist jobs are sprouting up in your area? Click on the jobs on this page to get started. Then, grow your job search by completing your free profile on Monster. Creating a profile will allow recruiters and employers to find you. Setting your preferences will also tell us what job postings and career advice we should send to your inbox.