Working with flowers may seem like a dream job, but did you know that you can turn this hobby into a career?
There is a world of opportunity within the floral industry, but becoming a florist is a career that’s reserved for the most passionate and creative individuals.
But as with many jobs, the reality can be quite different from the romantic expectations. Here’s the real deal: being a florist involves more than just creativity — it also requires organizational and communication skills, lots of hands-on training, and perseverance to make it through long work days, grit, passion and band-aids.
If this is something you’re truly interested in, then good news: we can help you get started. In this guide, we’ll give you a rundown of what florists do, the skills required for the job, and provide steps on how you can jumpstart your career as a florist.
What Does a Florist Do?
In a nutshell, florists use their creative skills to organize flowers, whether live, artificial, or dried, into appealing arrangements. These range from bouquets and corsages to larger installations like wedding centerpieces and home decor pieces.
While the primary role of a florist is to create floral arrangements, you will also need to handle business management responsibilities. These usually involve the following:
- Meeting with customers to discuss their design preferences and give them price quotations
- Preparing, packaging, and handling shipments and coordinating deliveries
- Providing occasion-specific or seasonal floral arrangement suggestions
- Billing, invoicing and handling inventory
- Coordinating with wholesalers and suppliers
- Caring for flowers and topping up watering solutions to enhance their lifespan
- Advising customers on how to care for their arrangements
You’ll also need to be able to work with tight deadlines, especially on certain holidays when flower arrangements are in high demand, like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.
Educational Requirement
The good news is that there are no formal education requirements to be a florist.
If you’re planning to be self-employed, then this shouldn’t be much of a problem. However, if you plan to enter the job market, most employers usually require at least a high school diploma or its equivalent, like a GED, but creativity, hard work and passion are the most important skills.
Career Opportunities
Floristry is an exciting and varied career.
Most florists start as shop assistants and then, after a few years, open their own store. Some choose to get into wholesale, design or events.
You can also opt to be self-employed by starting as a freelance florist. In this case, a big part of how much money you make will depend on how well you promote and sell your skills.
If you offer additional services beyond floral design (such as event planning or home decorating), then you’ll have even more potential to earn more.
How to Get Started:
1. Personal Assessment
Whether it’s your first job or a career change, the first step is to take an honest look at yourself, including your personality, priorities, and goals. This will help you decide if you’re ready to make a career out of floral design.
For some added insight, try an online career test or have a talk with a guidance counselor or career consultant.
2. Take The Relevant Classes In School
If you’re still in school, subjects like botany, biology, design, and art can help provide you with the necessary skills for entry into the field. A photography course will also help you develop your ability to see and understand shapes, forms, and patterns. Design classes are very important and hands on experience as a DIY-er is a great way to tip your toes into the industry.
If you want to open your own store one day, taking business and social media classes will also help you a lot.
3. Develop Basic Floristry Skills
Besides learning how to arrange flowers, you should also work on other skills needed for the job, such as customer service, communication,social media marketing, photography and time management.
4. Learn The Basics Of Flowers
As an aspiring florist, you’ll need at least entry-level knowledge about the different kinds of flowers, their meaning, and how to care for them. Read as many books and blogs as you can about flowers, plants, and gardening.
5. Optional Formal Training
As mentioned above, most employers only require a high school diploma or its equivalent.
But since the floral industry has become increasingly competitive, having post-secondary education or formalized training gives you an edge over other applicants and provides you with additional skills.
There are schools that offer a four-year degree in floriculture, horticulture, and floral design. But you can also opt for shorter training courses at vocational schools or community colleges that still offer certificates and diplomas.
6. Get Certified
Yes, it’s possible to earn the title of Certified Floral Designer (CFD).
Every year, the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) offers floral designers the opportunity to up their credentials by becoming formally certified. To get to the accreditation level, you must finish their floral design programs and do well on the qualifying exam.
This certification isn’t required for the job and can be done on your own time, but it does make you look more professional.
7. Seek Hands-On Experience
The best way to gain hands-on experience and business knowledge is to volunteer, intern, or apprentice at a local floral shop or grocery store.
The good news is that lots of employers are looking to hire prospective florists — even fresh graduates — to provide on-the-job training. To get the most out of your training, consider working with an experienced mentor —someone who already has an established career in floral design.
8. Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice as much as you can during your free time—not just with flower arrangements but also with other tools and supplies involved in the job. Study and look for inspiration in books and magazines, or check YouTube for videos on floral design trends.
9. Create Your Own Style
Floral design is all about creativity, so it’s important to stand out with your own unique designs.
While there are foundational techniques that all florists share, you can merge and combine them to find something that speaks to your aesthetic. Keep a list or sketchbook of your favorite designs and find out what techniques work best for your ideas.
10. Build A Work Portfolio
A professional portfolio of your best arrangements is the best way to show potential employers and clients what you can do. Include a variety of different arrangements — like bouquets, centerpieces, or corsages — to show the full range of your design skills. You can certainly use Instagram or Pinterest to work as a portfolio until you are able to create an official portfolio.
Jumpstart Your Florist Career with Us!
By following this guide, you should have knowledge about what it takes to join the floral industry and the basic steps to starting your successful career as a florist.
Whether you’re starting your floral industry career, we could help you by visiting our job openings, or if you want to get into the floral business, you can have easy access to start and get all your floral needs and supplies here at Berkeley Florist Supply!
Berkeley Florist Supply has been providing high-quality wholesale flowers to South Florida and other surrounding areas since 1947. We have hundreds of different kinds of fresh cut flowers from all over the world, so you can choose from a wide range of options for your floral designs. We also sell silk and dried flowers, making us your one-stop shop for cut flowers and supplies. For inquiries about opening an account with us, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Our friendly staff will be happy to cater to all your floral needs.
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