They say you will never get a second chance to make a positive first impression. Well, in this case with a resume it takes about six seconds to smite the recruiter. Gotta be fast!
What is crucial for any designer to attract attention with a CV? Mostly, the portfolio part. The best way to get a job is to effectively demonstrate the achievements on the projects you’ve contributed to. And, of course, flaunting your creativity and web design skills to the fullest.
Ever wondered how to make it one shot one kill? And we’re not talking about precision shooting here.
If you are a graphic/web designer or a creative, having two variants of a resume – a standard one, and the one including design elements would be the best option.
A good way to start is developing a resume focused on the achievements, rather than on design. High-quality content will do you good if a resume is run through an automated screening system. Once you’re finished with the content, get ready to show off all of your designer skills and knowledge to create a designed variant of a CV with a mind-blowing portfolio.
So, what are the tips for putting together a killer designer curriculum vitae?
1. Include must-have elements into a resume
Not only professional designer portfolio is the pursuit of your success, there are also certain standard elements to include into a resume that every recruiter expects to see. What are they?
Contact Information
Six seconds to make an impression, remember? Recruiters and potential employers hate wasting their time, so provide a way to contact you at once. Put contact information closer to the top of your resume, make it clear and visible. Choose an email address that looks professional, you may even get your own domain name or create a business address using modern email services.
Personal Statement
Be concise. Write a statement that lists the benefits of having you hired, i.e. projects you can bring to the company or experience you can contribute.
Experience
Speaking of experience, if you’re a beginner, and don’t have much design expertise, try joining projects that can be included in your resume. More experienced designers might want to incorporate infographics that demonstrate the skills they’ve gained working on specific projects. In general, infographics and video resumes can be a fun and effective way of self-representation if done correctly.
Education
Nothing wrong with being a self-taught designer these days. Having a degree in design is an advantage, as well as training, certificates, or other designer education. Go ahead and list that right!
Skills
Be honest, don’t embellish or lie. If there’s an app or software you’re not very good at, just don’t mention it in the skills section. Better focus on what you can really do, listing your best skills and software you have the knowledge of.
Awards/Accomplishments
Impress your potential employers providing a list of awards for your design-related work. This is a great way to get to windward of the other candidates. No awards yet? Nevermind! List the accomplishments you take pride in.
References
Two to four references are enough to prove that you’re as professional and skillful as you say you are. Make sure the references you’ve listed are ready to confirm that information about you, though.
2. Link resume to your online portfolio
Trust me – it’s not comme il faut to ditch creating an online portfolio these days. Even if you’re a graphic or print designer. Poor knowledge of coding or none at all is not an excuse either. Using the features of various site building apps as well as pre-made resume WordPress themes will definitely help you out. You may want to set up a profile on designer social media like Cargo Collective or Behance.
DW Resume WordPress Theme
DW Resume WordPress Theme by DesignWall is a great way to showcase the work achievements of freelance graphic and web designers creating a resume with an incorporated portfolio.
Web Design CV WordPress Theme
Web Design CV WordPress Theme by TemplateMonster is a fully editable responsive template for a solid online resume/portfolio, presenting its author at their best.
3. Showcase the best pieces of work
No need to post the examples of your creativity and talent that date back to college years (unless you’re a recent college graduate looking for work). Just use your common sense to pick the projects that got the best reviews and present them in a straightforward manner.
If you haven’t got a lot so far, range them in a way to showcase the strongest pieces at the beginning and at the end of the portfolio, placing the not-so-great ones in between. This is a good principle to go by for both printed and digital portfolio because the first piece always creates attention and interest for more.
To understand how it works, just take a look at a few examples:
Charlotte Tang includes the strongest and most recent pieces of work first. The portfolio has a clean structure and speaks for itself.
Valerie Phillips is a photographer who uses full window images to showcase the different areas of her photo expertise – from fashion covers to sketchbooks.
4. Include self-initiated work in a portfolio
Demonstrating your skills is not just about the projects you do for work, but also about the things you do for fun. Don’t be afraid to make self-initiated projects a part of your portfolio. This is beneficial for your personal growth, as well as perfect for demonstrating your creative range to potential employers.
Also, don’t hold back on showing the work in progress. Kyle Wilkinson, a Partner and Creative Director of Top 40 UK Design and Digital Agency, believes that illustrating the way you’ve gone from the very beginning to the end can help people understand your professional level.
Olly Gibbs, famous for numerous creative projects as well as working with the British band Muse, has an outstanding online portfolio demonstrating both work projects and experiments of his own.
5. Be versatile, present uniqueness
Being versatile is challenging, yet rewarding. If you’re a great graphic designer who is also apt at web or UI design, why not reflect that in a portfolio? Introduce various forms of design and illustration, but make sure they work well together within a given website layout.
Oh, wait… Guess, I’ve forgotten to remind you of the KISS method. Being a design professional is also about handling positioning issues as well as making the typography and other elements work in your favor.
For instance, Small studio included a variety of projects in their portfolio and ensured they work together well within their creative website design.
Final thoughts
So, guys, these were 5 essential tips to create an impressive designer resume. Of course, there’s more to the story, but as much as I like telling you about designer portfolios, I’ll leave it at that.
What other tips, do you think, will be helpful in creating a killer resume for designers?
Feel free to sound off in the comments below!
