Graphic Designer Resume Example & Tips

You’re planning on getting hired as a Graphic Designer!

Whoa! That’s a competitive job market! It’s a position that many don’t really understand that it takes more than just a great design portfolio. It takes a person who can listen, understand, visualize and then create something that matches what’s in another’s head.

Standing out from the crowd of other designers comes down to showing how your skills set you apart. 

 And design software skills aren’t everything. You need to show that you can be a valuable member of the team.  

Sounds like an important role – does your resume cover all of that? 

Don’t worry – keep on reading and we’ll show you the keys to making your resume stand out. 

3 Keys To Writing The Best Graphic Designer Resume

People who hire Graphic Designers are looking for designers who have the perfect balance of taste, communication and reliability.

Most designers think that a design portfolio and Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Figma experience is all they need.

The truth is that there is a lot of designers out there who all have that on their resume. So what happens when it comes down to making the shortlist for an interview?

Follow these 3 keys and your resume will jump out of the pile and get your phone ringing.

TIP #1: How To List Skills On A Graphic Designer Resume

Did you know there are different types of design skills to use on your designer resume?

Graphic Design Hard Skills are skills that demonstrate technical knowledge or training. These are skills like being trained in certain design software or having a certification in photography or production.

Hard Skill Example: “An expert in Adobe Photoshop” or “Experienced with Illustrator”

Designer Soft Skills are skills that can’t be measured or quantified but are essential in demonstrating what makes you a great designer and valuable team member in the workplace.

Soft Skill Example: “An incredible communicator who has a creative mind and values integrity in the workplace.”

Listing graphic designer skills on a resume can be worked into the descriptive text of your education or experience. They can also be listed as a featured section. Try to have the experience summary on a resume include both hard and soft skills. A good goal is to have each descriptive bullet include one skill that is relevant to the job your applying for. 

TOP 5 GRAPHIC DESIGN SKILLS FOR A RESUME

1. Adobe Photoshop
2. Adobe Illustrator
3. Communication
4. Reliable
5. Creative

Beyond your design portfolio, the next thing to make resume stand out is the skills you use. If you’re looking to get that call for an interview, then you need your resume to show you can do the job. Don’t be afraid to customize your graphic designer skills on your resume to match what their looking for in a designer. 

TIP #2: LEARN HOW TO WRITE A RESUME OBJECTIVE THAT GETS NOTICED

A graphic designer resume objective is the first thing a hiring manager will read after your name – so you want to make sure it makes a great first impression.

If you’re aiming for a great resume objective you’ll want it to be more than simply stating goals like “To get a job as an graphic designer” or “Get hired as an administrative assistant”. Instead, this is your chance to show your future employer who you are and why you’re going to be a great addition to their creative team. 

It’s a good idea to aim for your objective to 1 sentence in length – this isn’t a place to tell your long story of being a graphic designer. You want it to be a quick and powerful headline to get the hiring manager’s attention so they will read your resume. 

So, where do you get started in writing a Graphic Designer resume objective?

Like any good design, you need balance and a bit of creativity. Imagine your resume objective having 3 parts.

Part 1: Proudly state who you are as a person or an employee. The goal is for your future employer to get a solid idea of what you’re like. Key words to include could be “creative”, “self-starter”, or “responsible”.

Part 2: Focus on things you truly value in your job. By using this tactic for your resume objective you are able to demonstrate your integrity as a person. Key words to include could be “dedication”, “honesty”, or “honor”.

Part 3: Express what your goals are for employment. You want to demonstrate to the hiring manager that you find value in your job beyond simply being paid. Key phrases to include could be “contribute to the growth of the company” or “be a part of something greater than my position”.

 GRAPHIC DESIGNER RESUME OBJECTIVE EXAMPLE:

A creative self-starter who values working as a collaborative part of team and enjoys being a contributor to the growth of a company. 

TIP #3: KNOW HOW TO INCLUDE EXPERIENCE ON YOUR GRAPHIC DESIGNER RESUME

Work experience on your resume is just proof that you’ve had a job before, right?

Wrong.

It’s so much more that that.

In most cases, how you present your experience will determine if you get the interview or not. 

Ok, so writing your resume work experience properly is important! Let’s see how you can put that extra effort in to make it perfect!

First, don’t underestimate the amount of valuable work you did at your previous jobs. If you do, you’ll end up writing your work experience on your resume like it were a list of simple and boring tasks.

Start by taking a look at the job posting to see what they’re looking for in a graphic designer. How do they describe the work they are hiring you to do? Now, think back to your previous jobs to find similar situations that you can use to focus your experience descriptions around.

Now that you’ve shown them you’ve got the experience they want you need to highlight innovations you made in your previous employment. Did you create a new design approval process that reduced errors? Did you design a new template that increased department efficiency? Yes? Then make sure this is included in your resume work experience.  

Lastly, nothing demonstrates success like numbers! So make sure you include them as much as possible in your resume experience section.

If you managed a lot of design project simultaneously, then ask yourself “how many?”. If you created a process that reduced costs and errors, how much did it save? Did you manage a team of graphic designers? How many were on the team? 

Bad example:

• Created a design approval process that reduced errors.

Good example:

• Designed and implemented an approval process that reduced staff time and errors saving the company $50,000+ each year.