Decide whether to seek visual merchandising employment in a large retail environment or self employment as a freelance window dresser. Retail chains offer more stability, pay and benefits, but the work may be focused more on technical skills and the marketing aspect of retail merchandising than artistic vision. Find out what experience and education are required for the type of work being sought to determine how to become a window dresser in that specific field. Retail chains may look for more of a retail or management training and experience, for example, while freelance work in the area may focus more on visual and artistic work. Get a job in a retail store, even if it's not as a window dresser. This is a good way to learn about the retail environment and see what it's like to work in a store. Part time and seasonal jobs are fairly easy to get, even without experience. Students enrolled in a retail merchandising school can look for jobs as apprentices or interns that are offered either independently or through the school. Take design classes. There are many traditional and online certificate programs, associate degrees or bachelor's degrees offered. Courses in retail

merchandising, graphic design and set design can help land a job and will provide access to career guidance and internships. Volunteer to dress windows at small stores, boutiques and restaurants. This will generate publicity and add to your portfolio. Keep up with trends in fashion and design. Subscribe to magazines and online blogs. Gather tools to do the job, especially for volunteer or freelance work. Inexpensive party decorations and seasonal items can be used over and over again to create store displays. Market and publicize your creative endeavors and any displays that you help to create as a volunteer or on the job. Try to get local press to cover some of the window displays. Use a website and social networking tools like blogs and Twitter to show off your work. Find inspiration everywhere. Get in the habit of visualizing displays and arrangements when looking at items. Check out popular store window displays, and read articles and blogs by window dressers and others in the field of visual merchandising.