Graphic Designer Resume Examples & Expert Writing Tips
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Graphic designers are creative professionals who translate concepts into unique, eye-catching designs. They work by hand or using computer software to develop designs for marketing agencies, magazines, websites and more.
To thrive in this position, you need to have a creative flair and the ability to transform complex ideas into visually pleasing designs that satisfy both the company and its client requirements.
Get expert advice to create a professional graphic designer resume using our graphic designer resume example and pro tips.
Use this example graphic designer resume or explore the rest of our layouts on our resume templates page for more options. Check out 800+ professional resume examples to get inspired.
Graphic designer resume example (text version)
Bryden Larsen
Providence, RI 02903
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
WWW: Bold Profile
Websites, Portfolios, Profiles
example1@example.com
Professional Summary
Highly creative and detail-oriented graphic designer with 10 years of experience translating clients’ visions into compelling visual designs. Proficient in various design software and a strong understanding of design principles. Proven track record of delivering eye-catching and effective designs to meet clients’ needs.
Work History
November 2021 – Current
Vineyards Management Group – Providence, RI
Senior Graphic Designer
- Lead a design team responsible for conceptualizing and executing creative marketing materials, resulting in a 20% increase in brand visibility.
- Design and implement a new website, leading to a 30% increase in user engagement and a 15% decrease in bounce rates.
- Collaborate with the marketing department to create a visual brand guideline that improved brand consistency across all materials.
September 2016 – October 2021
VUP Media – Smithfield, RI
Graphic Designer
- Developed engaging visual content for social media platforms, increasing user engagement by 25%.
- Created logos and maintained print materials, including brochures and banners, resulting in a 15% growth in event attendance.
- Worked with clients to understand their design requirements, ensuring satisfaction and repeat business.
June 2013 – August 2016
J&R Marketing – Smithfield, RI
Junior Graphic Designer
- Produced visually appealing infographics and illustrations for blogs and presentations, improving content engagement.
- Contributed to the successful launch of two brand campaigns, resulting in an average client satisfaction rating of 4.8 out of 5 and a 15% increase in client referrals.
- Designed graphics for clients’ social media platforms, with a focus on visual storytelling.
Skills
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and CorelDRAW
- UI/UX design
- Print design
- Branding
- Web design
- Typography
- Time management
- Communication
Education
Rhode Island School of Design Providence, RI
Bachelor of Fine Arts Graphic Design
5 essentials of a job-winning graphic designer resume
Contact details
Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can contact you. As our sample medical equipment technician resume shows, your contact information must include your full name, city, state and ZIP code, phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add them last.
Professional summary
Your professional summary should highlight your top skills and work experiences in one to three sentences. A professional summary is a short introduction that works as an “elevator pitch” where you present yourself to the hiring manager and encourage them to continue reading through your qualifications. Check our resume example graphic designers can use for inspiration.
Here’s an example of a professional summary for a graphic designer resume: “Skilled, detail-oriented graphic designer with experience in all aspects of print production as well as design user experience.”
The objective of a graphic designer resume summary is to succinctly detail your artistic prowess and design software skills. In a few sentences, give a brief overview of your best work experiences and skills to date.
Incorporate keywords that match the job description, such as “design user experience for marketing and advertising” or “print production processes and procedures.”
Skills
An excellent graphic designer resume will feature a blend of technical skills, hard skills and soft skills. Soft skills for graphic designers include creativity, the ability to meet deadlines, superior client communication and collaboration. Technical skills include familiarity with Adobe Photoshop and proficiency in coding.
While both technical and soft skills should be highlighted, technical skills should be your primary focus. Mention your proficiency in applications such as Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator and MS PowerPoint. Also include any coding skills you have in areas such as JAVA, CSS, HTML and DHTML.
We recommend scanning graphic designer job descriptions for resume skill ideas to include in your resume. The job description is the best place to find relevant skills that the employer wants to see.
Work history
The best graphic designer resume work history sections focus on key professional accomplishments in addition to daily tasks and responsibilities. Keep this section relevant to the job you’re applying for and only include up to 10 years of work experience.
Instead of listing every single task you had at previous jobs, feature only relevant achievements that show you can handle the job you’re applying for. For example, for a graphic designer position at a magazine, emphasize successful projects for print media and quantify your achievements.
Be specific in your bullet points. For example, write “Led a team of 13 graphic designers and managed 56 clients simultaneously” instead of using vague statements like “managed a team of designers.” The more specific you get, the more recruiters will understand your capabilities.
If you’re just starting your career as a graphic designer, use a functional format for your resume and focus on your skills. Emphasize your keen attention to detail and expert communication skills with colleagues and clients.
For more guidance on detailing your professional experience, read up on how to write work experience on a resume for tips from career experts.
Education
Feature your highest academic credentials in the education section of your graphic designer resume. Many jobs in this profession will require at least a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related fine arts field.
Add any relevant certifications that further showcase your design expertise, such as a web design certification or an Adobe Creative Suite certification. Adding certification and diploma courses you’ve completed that relate to graphic design shows you’ve devoted the time and work to become an expert in the field.
Include training in areas such as Adobe Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator, PowerPoint, Dreamweaver and HTML, as well as any project management training you’ve had.
See why My Perfect Resume is a 5-star resume builder
Action verbs for your graphic designer resume
If you take a look at our resume example graphic designers can use, you’ll notice that it has a lot of action verbs at the beginning of each statement.
Action verbs make your achievements more tangible. For example, instead of saying, “Was tasked with marketing material and UI content creation to showcase company brand image,” write “Designed marketing material and UI content to showcase company brand image.”
Pack your resume with the right words using some from our list below:
- Create
- Designe
- Implement
- Address
- Deliver
- Develop
- Perform
- Catalog
- Arrange
- Guide
- Support
Use our graphic designer resume template free of charge or craft a new resume using our professional resume maker.
Skills for your graphic designer resume
Make sure the resume skills you include on your graphic designer resume are relevant to the job description and what the employer is seeking.
Although graphic design work focuses on technical skills, soft skills such as being detail oriented or a team player also play an important role.
Here are some graphic designer resume skills examples you might consider:
- Photo editing
- Ability to work under pressure
- Project management
- Team player
- Drafting infographics
- Adheres to deadlines
- Computer languages
- Flexibility
- Adobe Photoshop
- Imaging software
- Detail oriented
- Interpersonal communication
- Typography
- Time management
- Leadership skills
For more skills to include on your resume, take a look at our resume examples for a graphic designer or pull skills from graphic designer job description listings.
Certifications to include in your graphic designer resume
Graphic design certifications are an excellent way to advance your design career and to stand out to potential employers. Including certificates on your resume demonstrates your expertise with specific design programs.
Include your certifications and licenses in your graphic designer resume by creating a separate section for them and placing it under your education. List them out using bullet points.
Here are a few examples of certifications a graphic designer might want to include on their resume:
- Master Certified Web Professional – Designer (CWP)
- Certified Digital Designer (CDD)
- Certified Graphics Communications Manager (CGCM)
- Web Graphics and Multimedia Certificate
- Web Technologies Certificate
Familiarity with Adobe programs is especially important for graphic designers. There are a number of Adobe certifications that you can opt for to demonstrate your expertise.
Here are a few examples:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator Certification
- Adobe Dreamweaver
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Adobe After Effects
- Autodesk 3ds Max Certified
- Adobe Animate
- Adobe Captivate Certification
Review our creative graphic designer resume example for more ideas on how to add certifications to your resume.
Pair your resume with a matching cover letter
Graphic designer resume FAQ
1. Do graphic designer resumes need an objective statement?
If you don’t have much work experience or are changing careers, you might consider writing a resume objective instead of a professional summary. A graphic designer resume objective should explain in a few sentences who you are, your career goals, and your top skills and abilities.
Take a look at this graphic designer resume objective example: “Creative graphic designer with two years of experience creating impactful promotional design materials for the eCommerce company, ABC Company.”
The above resume objective for a graphic designer effectively highlights years of experience and key responsibilities to effectively segue into the subsequent resume sections.
2. How to write a resume for a graphic designer position?
Your graphic designer resume should include the following key sections:
- Contact information
- Summary statement
- Work history
- Skills
- Education
- Licenses and certificates
You can take a look at our example of a graphic designer resume to see a visual of these sections. The order in which you write this will depend on your years of experience.
An equally important element of graphic design job applications is your portfolio. Make sure that you scan the job description for portfolio requirements.
3. What is the best resume template for a graphic designer?
The graphic designer resume template you choose will depend on your stylistic preferences and on the resume format you want to follow. We have a variety of resume templates to choose from in chronological, functional and combination formats to suit your needs.
Suppose you’re a graphic designer with over 10 years under your belt. In that case, we recommend using the chronological format and following senior graphic designer resume examples for ideas. Midlevel job seekers with a few years of experience should use the combination resume format.
Graphic designers who are just starting should consider using the functional format for their resumes by searching up “functional resume example graphic designer.”
Read up on how to write a resume for a detailed guide on writing the best graphic designer resume. You can also review the graphic designer sample resume on this page for more inspiration.
4. How should you craft your graphic designer resume if you want to take the next step in your career?
To take the next step up to art director or creative director, consider gaining experience and expertise in the following:
- Roles that allow you to show your leadership skills.
- Projects where you work closely with senior management and clients.
- Creating a wider range of content to suit client requirements.
- Gaining expertise in a wider range of software, such as InDesign.
Exploring example resumes graphic designers can use is a great way to determine what skills and experiences senior graphic designers have.
5. Should I customize my resume for every position I apply to?
Graphic design work varies greatly, depending on the company’s needs. Tailor your resume for each position and job you are applying for instead of submitting a one size fits all document.
Always go through the job description to identify each employer’s individual needs and requirements, and customize your resume to best match your skills and experiences with those needs.
6. How can I incorporate keywords into my graphic designer resume?
Keywords are the important phrases and words present in the job description that define major tasks and responsibilities (e.g., “a solid understanding of design principles” or “customer-ready presentation skills”).
Getting these keywords into your own resume will help you pass applicant tracking systems that recruiters use to scan resumes. Take the time to review the job description and make sure you note skills and work experiences that address these keywords.
Using an AI resume builder is a great way to ensure that your resume targets keywords from the job description. You can also check out our resume graphic designer example for additional keyword ideas.
Do’s and don’ts for your graphic designer resume
- Use measurable achievements to describe your graphic design experience.
- Use action verbs to make an impact on your graphic design resume.
- Tailor your resume to your target graphic design job.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your resume.
- Format your resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
- Don’t lie about your graphic design experience and skills.
- Don’t boast that you’re the “best graphic designer ever.”
- Don’t include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Don’t add skills and work experience that do not pertain to graphic design.
- Don’t forget to proofread. A resume with errors is unprofessional.
Top 4 tips for interviews for a graphic designer job
Research the organization.
A few days before your interview, do your due diligence and check the organization’s website. Read through their mission statement and vision and learn more about their culture. What do they stand for? How happy are their current employees? Can you see yourself working for them?
Practice your answers.
It’s tricky to know what the interviewer will ask you for a graphic design job, but you might have an idea from your past roles. Put together a list of questions you think they might ask and practice your answers with someone you trust or in front of a mirror.
Some commonly asked questions for a graphic design job include:
- “What Makes You Qualified for This Position?”
- “What Motivates You To Do A Good Job?
- “What Are the Most Important Rewards You Expect to Gain From Your Career?”
It’s always a good idea to prepare answers for some possible behavioral interview questions the hiring manager might ask, such as:
- “How Have You Motivated Others?”
- “What’s the Toughest Challenge you’ve Had and How Have You Handled It?”
- “Describe a Time When a Colleague Disagreed With You.”
Go prepared with questions to ask.
Turn your interview into a conversation by asking the hiring manager questions about the organization, culture and expectations. There’s a high chance that they’ll open the floor for you at the end of the interview, so write a list of questions to ask, such as:
- What are the current design projects the team is working on?
- How is success measured in this role?
- What does a typical day look like for someone in this role?
- Can you provide examples of projects I would be working on?
Create a document with your professional references.
Gone are the days of writing “References available upon request” on your graphic designer resume. Instead, save a separate document with your top professional references as a PDF. The hiring manager will ask for your list of references later in the hiring process.
Pro tip: Make sure your list of references has a similar design to your resume template for a graphic designer.
CV examples for the next step in your graphic web design career
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Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Graphic Designers
- BrainStation. Article. What Skills Do Graphic Designers Need?
- Shillington Education. Blog. Stevenson, Oliver. 11 Important Graphic Design Skills That Employers Want to See From a Designer
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Graphic Designer Resume Example
Elizabeth is a content writer for My Perfect Resume. She is passionate about delivering information that empowers job seekers to achieve their professional goals.