Graphic design is a creative industry where visuals are important, so it is key to ensure that your resume looks good. A visually appealing resume will catch a hiring manager’s attention, but the content of your resume is still crucial. The right certifications and graphic design skills will help your resume rank well in applicant tracking systems (ATS) and convince recruiters that you are the best candidate for the job!
Design and visual elements are fairly important to a graphic design resume as they will stand as a representation of your skills. However, you should not include too many complicated or bold design elements as they can make your resume hard to scan for an ATS. If your resume cannot rank well in ATS, then it will not make it to a hiring managers’ desk.
Rather than investing in fancy design elements, it is more important to create a simple, elegant, and consistent branding through color theory and subtle formatting and elements. If you want to make a strong impression on any recruiters who see your application, make your personal branding and design consistent across your resume and cover letter.
Once you find a graphic design job that you want to apply for, first read the job description carefully. The job description will provide you with all the information you need to fill your skills section with relevant, valuable skills. Here are examples of the commonly listed skills on graphic designer resumes:
These skills will remain relevant and important whether you are applying for an entry-level job title or a senior graphic designer position. As you progress in your career path your resume’s unique selling points will be your specific work experience and the professional certifications you have. Take the time to consider graphic design resume samples for inspiration about what experiences, achievements, and certifications are most beneficial.
Though it is important, the skills section is only one part of a resume. If you want to write the perfect resume and land your dream job, you need to take as much care in the creation of every section. Here’s how to write the best resume you can:
Your resume header should contain all of the contact information a hiring manager will need to reach you if they wish. This means including your full name, phone number, and other relevant contact information. You can also include your LinkedIn profile or links to professional portfolios.
A great resume objective or resume summary can make all the difference to your job application. If you have a lot of professional experience, a resume summary is the best choice. This should be a sum-up of your most relevant and impressive skills and achievements. By contrast, a resume objective is better for those who lack work experience and should be a statement of intentions.
When you write your work experience section, you should feature up to 10 years of professional experience, presented in reverse-chronological order. If you want your professional resume to stand out, you should provide specific examples of achievements and successes in these roles. For example, if you list a role as an art director, you should give an example of particularly effective design work or a highly successful project. Be specific, too, and use numbers or precise measurements where you are able to.
Whether you are discussing your use of design software or your work as a freelance graphic designer, use active language to grab a recruiter’s attention. Rather than saying, “Was responsible for” use phrases like “Planned” or “Created” to take firm ownership of your successes and choices.
If you have professional certifications or a list of freelance projects to feature, creating specific additional sections for this information can be useful. Your education section may contain information like your bachelor’s degree. If you have more than a couple of certifications, you can separate them from academic achievements.
Yes. You should always include a cover letter with your resume. This is the case for a job search in any industry. Your cover letter is a chance to provide additional information about your background and strengths and offers a great opportunity to distinguish yourself from other applicants. The only exception is when a job posting specifically states that a cover letter is not to be sent.
Yes. You can use graphic design resume templates such as those offered via the ResumeNerd resume builder to create your resume. As a graphic design job requires design skills, however, it can be useful to alter these templates slightly to show your design skills in action while maintaining the proper formatting that a template provides.
While graphic design is a creative industry, many large companies hiring graphic designers use an ATS to help filter job applications. This means that readability should still be your main concern. As such traditional resume formats remain the best option. For more information on resume formats, consider the ResumeNerd format guide.
