Writing your resume as a graphic designer might feel like a daunting task. You are used to getting creative, designing infographics, or making graphics for social media posts. Either way, some graphic designers might feel they do not know what to write in their resumes as they are used to expressing their thoughts and ideas through visuals.
You probably have a portfolio with artworks that show your experience. But when you apply for jobs, you need a resume too. A resume writing service can help you craft your resume, but it is still up to you to decide on what to include in it. So, if you are a graphic designer looking for ways and tips to craft an impressive resume, you’ve come to the right place. Here we will discuss more what to put on a graphic designer resume.
Include Information About Yourself
First, you need to decide on what information you want to include. It will be easier to choose a resume template or make the design after you know what information will be there. Usually, resumes should have your contact information so that recruiters can easily reach you.
Next, a few words on your work experience and jobs you had or projects you were involved in. your education and extracurricular activities should be included too. It is important to keep in mind that you should customize your experience depending on the job you apply to.
Maybe you have some skills, qualifications, or certifications that could be more relevant for other jobs. It is important to note that your resume should be light, clear, and concise. So, stay away from the temptation to include a lot of information.
Do Not Forget About a Link to Your Portfolio
As a graphic designer, it is important to show your talent and artwork. There are two ways you can do this. You can create a portfolio with all your artwork and invite recruiters to look for them there. Or, you can list a few of them on your resume and then include a link to the project.
For example, you might have collaborated with a start-up on designing their logo. You can write about this collaboration on your resume and then invite them to follow the link to see your graphics. Whatever the option you will choose, it is important to not forget about this portfolio link.
Pay Attention to Keywords More Than Aesthetics
You are a graphic designer. You are playful and creative. You might want to show your talent and ingenuity in your resume too, so you might want to design your own template. Well, nothing is wrong with this, but we suggest you research a graphic designer cv example and notice the attention to detail in their example. You can easily do it and show your personality through your resume.
However, it is important to note that you should pay attention more to the keywords you use than to aesthetics. There are some tools recruiters and companies use that help them sort through the resumes. And for yours to be selected, it needs to contain specific keywords.
The tool will take a look into what you have written, not in your design. If your resume reaches recruiters, for sure they will appreciate a creative, eye-candy, and ingenious resume. Whatever design you choose for your resume, make sure you make the information easy to find.
Choosing the Right Keywords
Well, the next step you need to make in crafting your resume is choosing the right keywords. Unless you send your resume directly to the recruiter, it will most likely be selected or not by a tool they use. So, to make sure you pass this first selection step, you need to include the right keywords. But how do you identify the right keywords? Well, you could search for jobs online.
LinkedIn is the best platform where you can find jobs, but Upwork is nice too. Read those job descriptions and identify the keywords recruiters are using. Then, you can include them in your resume because these are the keywords the tool will search in your resume too. In a graphic design domain, recruiters might search for specific keywords such as the tools and software you might use to make graphics.
For example, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, or others. They might look for content types you might have created, such as logos, campaigns, flyers, social media posts, and so on. Media, sketch, visual, or web are other keywords recruiters search for, so if they fit your experience and profile, make sure to add them to your resume.
Relevant Technical Skills
Everyone can write in their resume that they are creative, ingenious, hard-working, and persevering. Communication, team-working, or conflict management are some soft skills you can list in your resume. But it is equally important or even more important to highlight your relevant technical skills. Including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, or any other tool you use to make graphic design is a must. But the most common mistake graphic designers make is stopping here.
How are you going to stand out from the crowd if you list the same technical skills as your competitors? For sure the competition is fierce and some of your skills will overlap. Most graphic designers know how to use designing software. But how many of them have other complementary skills? For example, if you have video editing skills, you can list them here. Maybe you have designed newsletters too, so you are accustomed to tools designed especially for this, such as MailChimp.
Final Thoughts
Finding a job as a graphic designer or new projects to take on might seem complicated. The competition is fierce, so you need to stand out from the crowd. It is important to decide on what information to include in your resume.
Make sure you highlight your technical skills but mention your soft skills too. Pay attention to the keywords used by recruiters and include them in your resume, if they fit your experience. Do not forget to mention your collaborations and include links to your projects and portfolio. Show your personality through your resume and unleash your creativity.