Graphic Designer Resume: Examples and Tips
Graphic designers work closely with developers to create visual concepts and designs for digital as well as print media. Graphic designers can work at ad agencies, marketing agencies, magazines and web portals. For this position, you need to have a creative flair and the ability to transform ideas into designs that satisfy company and client requirements. Soft skills such as creativity, the ability to meet deadlines, superior client communication and collaboration are required, along with technical skills such as familiarity with Adobe Photoshop and coding.
Below are some tips and resume examples that will help you design your own superior graphic designer resume:
Table of Contents
Featured Resume Example: Graphic Designer
Name: CAMILLE MILES
Address: City, State, Zip Code
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Highly skilled, detail-oriented graphic designer with over eight years of experience working with clients in a variety of mediums, including print design and multimedia. Passionate about constructing and maintaining partnerships that result in creative wins that drive customer interest and profits.
WORK HISTORY
- Manage client accounts worth up to $950,000.
- Oversee production on all aspects of graphic design work for 10 enterprise-level clients, including Zyntax and Flight Hybrid Auto.
- Supervise a team of six junior graphic designers in layout, logo design and product illustration work for the websites of 10 SMB-level clients.
- Created over 1,000 digital assets for an extensive variety of clients, including Warner Media, CTV Entertainment and Readathon Publishing.
- Assisted in managing the weekly deadlines and deliveries of a team of three associate graphic designers, completing final quality assurance checks on all work prior to development.
- Managed scope and client timelines for over 100 projects during tenure.
- Selected colors, images, resume font styles and layouts for website redesigns for over 40 SMB-level customers.
- Oversaw final design reviews, with focus on layout and color correction issues, for the shopping catalogs for 17 renowned local businesses, including Seagal’s Department Store.
- Worked with two senior-level graphic designers on finalizing layouts for sales presentations to over 50 potential customers.
SKILLS
- 2D and 3D modeling
- Image manipulation
- Passion for customer satisfaction
- Visual design
- Website graphics
- Adobe Creative Suite
- Branding strategies
- Detail-oriented
- Problem-solving
EDUCATION
Top 4 Characteristics of a Best-in-Class Graphic Designer Resume
- Summary 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.” For example: “Skilled, detail-oriented graphic designer with experience in all aspects of print production as well as design user experience.”
- Skills While both technical and intangible 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 and soft skills such as “detail-oriented,” “problem-solving approach” and “team player.”
- Work history 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. 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.
- Education Feature your highest academic credentials — many jobs in this profession will require at least a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. Add any relevant certifications that further showcase your design expertise, such as web design certification, or Adobe Creative Suite certification.
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Find the Right Template for your Resume
Make sure your resume is a designer’s dream by using these employer-ready, fully customizable templates in our resume builder.
Artistic
This template features a simple yet bold design with a striking black header and mix of colors for the job applicant’s name. Each section is neatly divided into horizontal panes.
Strong
This layout utilizes simple design elements to differentiate each section, with bold, capitalized section headers making it a breeze for recruiters to scan.
Esteemed
This design features a dual-column design that clearly delineates each section, with a mixture of colors and block elements to increase its visual appeal.
Find even more templates at MyPerfectResume’s resume templates page.
Do’s and Don’ts for Your Resume
- DO proofread your resume Mistakes on your resume stand out like a sore thumb to recruiters. Double-check your resume for errors before submitting it. Run it through a spell-checker, and make sure you haven’t made any silly grammatical errors. This is also an opportunity to make sure you haven’t missed out on any important details, or didn’t get specific enough with your skills, experiences and credentials.
- DO use action-based verbs Incorporate action verbs to make your achievements more active. 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.”
- DO mention relevant certifications Adding certification and diploma courses you’ve completed that relate to graphic design show you’ve devoted the time and work into becoming an expert in the field. Include training in areas such as Adobe Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator, PowerPoint, Dreamweaver and HTML, as well any project management training you’ve had.
- DON’T forget to add soft skills Although graphic design work focuses on technical skills, intangible skills such as being detail-oriented or a team player also play an important role. Add soft skills like these, along with others like excellent communication skills and being organized with workflows.
- DON’T make the resume too long Employers have enough resumes to read through already — don’t risk them losing interest in yours because it’s packed with too much unnecessary information. Limit your document to a single page, and concentrate on only the most desirable soft and technical skills you have as well as your best job accomplishments rather than a laundry list of work duties.
- DON’T use the same resume for every job 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.
Pair your Resume with a Matching Cover Letter
