How to write a graphic designer CV

As a graphic designer, it is very tempting to believe that you should stylise your CV to reflect your skills. Some designers create their own logo using their initials. Others use contrasting colours and other design features in order to showcase their graphic design expertise. This is a mistake. Whilst a graphic designer CV should look professional, it is not a design exercise. It is a written document of your career history and qualifications. A portfolio is the place to showcase your actual design skills.

What roles are you targeting?

You should position yourself in line with the roles you are targeting in the first sentence of your professional profile. Whether this is as a junior or mid-weight graphic designer, art director or more specialist role such as a product designer, be clear from the outset about who you are and what you do. This will allow the reader to concentrate with keen interest knowing the relevance of your application.

Key skills and ATS filters

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) analyse CVs against job descriptions. Include a key skills section with creative, technical and other soft skills. Tailor your CV for every job you apply for as job descriptions can be written very differently.

Keep your graphic designer CV to two pages

Most recruiters spend somewhere between 5 and 30 seconds reading a CV. Whatever the exact truth, it is clear that it is not a very long time! There is therefore little point in having a long CV even if you have a 25-year career behind you. Keep the CV to two pages and focus on your most recent employments. Aim for about 750 words in a 2-page format.

Achievements

Providing specific examples of achievements in your graphic designer CV is the single greatest factor that will get you an interview. After all, it’s not what we do that’s important, it’s how well we do it. Give specific examples of clients and campaigns and include metrics of success where possible.  Awards, nominations, customer testimonials are also worth including too. These will all help to give the reader confidence in calling you to interview.

This article is written by Neville Rose, Director of CV Writers. Please do connect with me via LinkedIn.

Check out our CV writing service with details of our packages that include LinkedIn profiles, cover letters and more. You can get things started with a Free CV review. I am also a qualified career counsellor and provide Career Counselling services for people looking to change career paths.