Photo Editor CV Guide + Tips + Example
A well-written CV is a great place to start if you seek a photo editor job. Not sure where to begin? Don’t worry! Our guide to crafting an effective photo editor CV will help you make the most of your strong eye for detail and marketing skills so you can get the job.
Start by editing this photo editor CV sample template or browse our library of CV templates to find the best one for you.
Photo editor CV example (text version)
Diana Johnson
Queens, NY 11375
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
Personal Statement
Creative and dedicated photo editor with experience in photojournalism and marketing material development. Expert understanding of digital photography and computerized editing programs. Strong teamwork abilities to collaborate effectively with photographers, editors, managers and clients. Proven history of meeting client objectives for final photographic products while improving the efficiency of the editing process.
Core Qualifications
- Photo edits
- Photography tools
- Strategic planning
- Digital design
- Adobe Lightroom
- Web applications
- Time management
- Communication
Education
- The New School New York, NY
Master of Science Media Management - The New School New York, NY
Bachelor of Fine Arts Photography - Minor – Marketing
Work Experience
January 2016 – Current
Warner Media – New York, NY
Photo Editor
- Analyze photograph requirements from clients to determine appropriate lighting, color, tone and overall aesthetic prior to editing.
- Communicate directly with marketing executives to determine photographic requirements for promotional materials, maintaining 95% of client satisfaction.
- Use digital editing programs to modify files to meet requirements for the final product.
- Participate in monthly marketing campaign planning meetings to suggest new themes and promotional photo ideas customized to the client’s stated objectives and budget requirements.
- Create a new client feedback process, reducing 65% of the number of change orders, improving editing efficiency and increasing overall productivity and customer satisfaction.
October 2012 – January 2016
Sfx Entertainment – New York, NY
Assistant Photo Editor
- Worked side by side with the senior photo editor to modify and enhance over 500 photographs to meet project specifications set forth by managers and clients.
- Participated in one-on-one mentorship program to improve editing skills by learning directly from senior editing staff.
- Provided support for five photographers as needed, including communicating new and updated requirements for photograph subjects and composition and retuning constructive feedback following the editing process.
- Utilized photo editing software to adjust lighting, tone, focus and other elements to produce the required final product.
January 2010 – September 2012
The New School – New York, NY
University Newspaper Photographer
- Used DSLR camera equipment and accessories to take photographs as required by the editor.
- Adjusted aperture, shutter speed and camera location to create desired photographic effects.
- Determined quality and quantity of available light and used flashes, reflectors and other equipment to adjust the light as necessary to improve photographic conditions.
- Photographed an average of 12 events per month and edited, toned, captioned and uploaded photographs for publication.
Conference Attendance
- What’s New at Post Production Word, New York, NY – (2022)
- Protect Your Work in 2022: What You Need to Know About Copyright
- Registration, American Society of Media Photographers – (2022)
- Photo Edit Summit, New York, NY – (2021)
- Advertising Week, New York, NY – (2021)
- Photography and Photo Editing Annual Conference, New York, NY – (2019)
Honors and Awards
- International Street Photography Awards, winner – (2018)
- Earned Photograph of the Year Award based on votes of the student body for picture quality and composition. – (2013)
Professional Affiliations and Memberships
- American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) – (2021)
- Professional Photographers’ Society of New York State – (2019)
- Photographic Society of America – (2018)
Certifications and Licenses
- Certificate in Digital Photography and Retouching – (2021)
- Digital Image Editing Certificate – (2019)
- Certified Photo Editor Professional – (2018)
- Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) -(2017)
Profession Relevant Skills
- Thorough understanding of modern photography equipment, including DSLR cameras.
- Excellent artistic eye and ability to modify numerous photo elements to create a final product that meets composition, lighting and aesthetic requirements.
- Expert-level proficiency with Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Lightroom, AfterEffects and Microsoft Office applications, including Access.
- Excellent teamwork skills to communicate with photographers and improve collaboration to make the editing process more efficient.
- Knowledge of advertising, sales and marketing principles to understand desired results for promotional materials and create final products that meet the client’s intended purpose.
Languages
- English
Native or Bilingual - Spanish
Limited Working
Hobbies and Interests
I like to explore different art mediums; for example, I enjoy painting with watercolors and am currently taking a ceramics course. I also play the piano and spend the weekends cooking and baking. My volunteering hours include teaching a Photography 101 course at the local recreation center.
5 essentials of a top CV for a photo editor job
Contact details
Create a section at the top of your CV for your contact information. Without it, a potential employer can not reach you to schedule an interview. Display your contact information as follows: Your full name, then your city, state and ZIP code, followed by your phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add those last.
Personal statement
A personal statement, also called a professional summary, is where you introduce yourself to the hiring manager and pitch your best skills and related work experience. Your CV should include job-relevant skills, the number of years you have been in the industry, and one or two of your most notable professional accomplishments. Your personal statement must be compelling and no longer than five short sentences to grab the hiring manager’s attention.
Skills
Every hiring manager wants to know what skills you bring to the table. Create a separate section for your job-relevant skills and display them with bullet points to make them easy to read. Include a mixture of hard and soft skills that range from your thorough understanding of photography equipment to your expertise in photo editing software, as our photo editor CV example shows. If you are applying for your first job, include transferable skills.
Work history
Whether or not you have work experience as a photo editor, your CV must have a detailed employment history section. List current and previous employers in reverse-chronological order and provide company names, locations and the dates you worked for each. Add three bullet points of measurable achievements for every job you list. If you don’t have work experience in the field or if this is your first job application, display extracurricular activities, volunteer experience, community service and professional and personal projects — anything that shows you have relevant work experience.
Education
Hiring managers want to see your education credentials, so a CV for a photo editor must include an education section. Add all the schools you’ve attended after high school, if any. Use bullet points and display the name of the school and the year you graduated (omit the year if you graduated more than 10 years ago). List your high school information and any post-high school classes taken if you did not attend college.
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Action words for a stand-out photo editor CV
Action words convey confidence and strengthen CVs because they tell the hiring manager exactly what you did. They pack a punch when combined with numbers.
Here’s a short list of perfect action words for a photo editor CV:
- Edit
- Create
- Participate
- Communicate
- Analyze
- Lead
- Manage
- Execute
- Inform
- Oversee
- Determine
- Recommend
- Provide
- Utilize
Need the perfect CV for a photo editor job now? Our CV maker has all the tools you need to craft a professional CV in minutes! You can make edits on the fly, download your finished CV and save it as a PDF, .doc or plain text. Yes, it’s that easy!
Top skills for a photo editor CV
Review the job description carefully and match the required skills to your abilities and traits.
These might include:
- Photo Editing
- Photography
- Photography tools
- Photo editing software
- Technology
- Communication
- Marketing
- Digital design
- Decision-making
- Delegation
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving
- Strategic planning
- Prioritization
- Verbal communication
- Time management
- Patience
- Administration
Certifications for a photo editor CV
You aren’t required to be certified for a job as a photo editor, but having one or more certifications can help you stand out from the competition.
A certification from a respected organization demonstrates a level of commitment and proficiency in farm management that non-certified job seekers don’t have.
There are several certification options for photo editors, including:
- Certificate in Digital Photography and Retouching
- Digital Image Editing Certificate
- Certified Photo Editor Professional
Pair your CV with a matching cover letter
Photo editor CV FAQ
1. What to include in a CV for a photo editor job?
A CV for a photo editor job must always include five primary sections:
- Contact information
- Personal profile
- Skills
- Job history
- Education
After that, your CV can include any number of sections, including:
- Professional memberships or associations
- Presentations
- Publications
- Certifications and licenses
- Volunteer experience
- Related hobbies and interests
The easiest way to determine what sections to add to your CV and how to fill them out is by reviewing the job description. You must match the job requirements to your qualifications and add them to your CV. If you’re unsure where to start, use the photo editor CV sample on this page for guidance.
2. How do you describe achievements on a photo editor CV?
You have many options when it comes to presenting achievements on a CV. Bring up honors that the photo editing field at large recognizes in your summary statement. You may list recognition in previous positions in the relevant entry of your experience section. Mention academic awards in the education section or create a separate section for professional achievements near the bottom of your CV.
3. What’s the best format for a photo editor CV?
A CV for a photo editor job can be in any format that fits the industry, job and your work experience and goals. For instance, if you’re applying for your first photo editor job or are changing careers, it’s best to use a CV format that emphasizes your education or skills. However, if you have a steady career in customer service and have progressed through the ranks, you might want to showcase your work experience.
4. What are some tips for creating an excellent CV for a photo editor job?
Here are our top tips for crafting a perfect photo editor CV:
- Customize your CV for every photo editor job you apply to.
- Use keywords from the job description that match your qualifications to ensure your CV is applicant tracking system (ATS)-friendly.
- Emphasize extra training, certifications, awards, honors and memberships.
- Highlight presentations or speeches in a separate section.
- Showcase volunteer and community service activities that focus on photo editing.
- Create subcategories for your skills under the skills section of your CV. For example, you might want to display your technical and communication skills separately.
Do’s and don’ts for building a photo editor CV
- Use measurable achievements to describe your photo editor abilities and experience.
- Use action words to make an impact on your photo editor CV.
- Tailor your CV to your target photo editor job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your photo editor CV.
- Format your photo editor CV so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Lie about your photo editor experience and skills.
- Boast that you’re the “best photo editor ever.”
- Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Add skills and experience not related to photo editing.
- Forget to proofread. A photo editor CV with errors is unprofessional.
Top 4 tips for acing a photo editor interview
Learn about the organization first.
Before the interview, take the time to learn about the company’s history, goals, values and people. Being able to show that you have in-depth knowledge about your potential employer shows real interest, dedication and commitment, which hiring managers love to see.
Practice makes perfect!
To practice for your interview, start by reviewing some of the most common interview questions, such as:
- What two or three things are most important to you in a job?
- How do you determine priorities?
- What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
Write down possible answers as you review potential questions, and have a friend or relative practice your interview with you. This way, you can get comfortable with the questions and imprint the answers in your mind. Ask your interview partner to review your answers. You’ll feel confident and ready when it’s time for the real thing.
Have questions ready.
Your interviewer will likely ask if you have any questions at the end of your session. And even if they don’t, it’s best to arrive equipped with questions about the job. Job candidates who ask questions are more likely to get hired than candidates who do not because it shows genuine interest and enthusiasm.
Some questions you might ask for a photo editor job are:
- What are the biggest opportunities available to someone in this position?
- What are the biggest challenges someone in this position might expect?
- How do you evaluate success in this role?
Gather references.
You’ll need professional references quickly if the hiring manager is interested in hiring you. Prepare a list of two former colleagues and a former manager willing to speak to your abilities to perform the photo editor job and who you know will give you a stellar review.
If you are applying for your first full-time job, then ask a former instructor, volunteer coordinator, classmate or community leader who can vouch for your character and skills.
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Photo Editor CV Example
Kellie is the content strategist for My Perfect Resume. She has more than 20 years of experience in digital media and is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She has a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.
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