Resume example · For job seekers
Graphic Designer Resume Example
A graphic designer resume example, with summaries by level, the design skills and tools to list, portfolio advice, and how to keep a designed CV readable.
The short answer
A strong Graphic Designer resume opens with a short summary, groups the skills employers will test, and backs each role with bullets that show what changed because of your work. Below is a full example, summary wording for graduate, mid level, senior or lead and freelance candidates, and how to get through applicant tracking systems.
- One page is ideal; two at most for senior designers.
- Let your typography and spacing show your skill, but keep the reading order simple and the text legible at normal size.
- Keep one version that is designed and one plain version for online application portals.
A graphic designer resume is a design sample in its own right, but it is not the portfolio. Its job is to get someone to open your portfolio, and it does that by showing the kinds of work you do, the tools you use and the clients or teams you have designed for. This guide covers the sections of a graphic designer resume or graphic design CV, with a full example, summaries for each career stage, and how to make a layout that looks considered without breaking the screening software many employers use.
Example Graphic Designer resume
Sofia Marquez
Graphic Designer
Bristol, UKsofia.marquez@example.comexample.com/sofia-portfolio
Summary
Graphic designer with five years in-house at a consumer brand, producing campaign, packaging and retail design from concept to print. Keeps the brand consistent across agencies and markets.
Skills
- Design
- Brand identity, Packaging, Typography and layout, Campaign artwork
- Software
- Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Figma, After Effects (basic)
- Production
- Print specification and proofing, Web and social asset preparation
Experience
Graphic Designer · Northwind Foods, Bristol
2022 – present
- Designed packaging and launch assets for a new product range, approved at first presentation.
- Adapted seasonal campaign concepts across print, digital and in-store formats.
- Wrote the brand guidelines now used by three external agencies.
- Built a template library in InDesign and Figma for routine marketing assets.
Junior Designer · Contoso Studio, Bath
2020 – 2022
- Produced identities, brochures and social assets for local businesses and charities.
- Prepared artwork for print and checked proofs with suppliers.
Education
BA (Hons) Graphic Design · Contoso School of Art
2017 – 2020
Selected clients
- Northwind Foods, Contoso Housing Trust, Fabrikam Coffee (all illustrative)
Summary examples
Three or four lines at the top of the page. Pick the one closest to your situation and rewrite it with your own tools and work.
Graduate
Mid level
Senior or lead
Freelance
Skills to list
Hard skills
Soft skills
List only what you could be tested on. Soft skills carry more weight shown in a bullet than named in a list.
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Experience bullet points
Brand and campaign work
- Designed the visual identity for a new product range, including logo lock-ups, packaging and launch social assets, approved at first presentation.
- Produced campaign artwork across print, digital display and in-store, adapting one master concept into dozens of formats.
- Wrote and maintained the brand guidelines that three external agencies now design to.
Production and process
- Set up a shared template library in InDesign and Figma, so marketing could produce routine assets without waiting for design.
- Managed artwork through to print with suppliers, checking proofs and colour so reprints were no longer needed.
- Introduced a simple brief form that cut back-and-forth on new requests.
Leadership and clients
- Briefed and art directed freelance illustrators and photographers for seasonal campaigns.
- Presented concepts to directors and turned their feedback into a final route within the week.
- Mentored a junior designer from placement to permanent role.
What to include
Header and portfolio link
Name, location, email and, most importantly, a short portfolio link that works on a phone. Put the link at the top so nobody has to hunt for it.
Profile
Two or three lines on the kind of design you do (brand, editorial, packaging, digital), the sectors you know and the role you want.
Skills and software
Group design skills and software. Plain text works better than star ratings or progress bars, which say little and confuse screening software.
Experience
Reverse chronological, with clients or projects named where you are allowed to. Show the range of outputs and what each piece achieved.
Education
Degree, foundation or diploma with dates. Graduates can mention a degree show, award or live brief.
Selected clients or awards
A short line of clients or recognitions, if you have them and are allowed to name them.
Formatting
- One page is ideal; two at most for senior designers.
- Let your typography and spacing show your skill, but keep the reading order simple and the text legible at normal size.
- Keep one version that is designed and one plain version for online application portals.
- Use a portfolio link with six to ten of your strongest, most relevant projects rather than everything you have made.
- Export as a small PDF with real, selectable text.
Getting past applicant tracking systems
- 1Make sure the text is live and selectable, not outlined or flattened into an image.
- 2Avoid placing the main content in multiple columns or text boxes when uploading to a portal.
- 3Name software exactly as the advert does, for example “Adobe InDesign” and “Figma”.
- 4Use standard section headings so the parts are recognised.
- 5Keep your portfolio URL as plain text as well as a link.
Common mistakes
- A resume so designed that the job titles and dates are hard to find.
- Skill bars and percentages that mean nothing to the reader.
- A portfolio link that is broken, password-protected or slow on mobile.
- Listing software without showing the work it produced.
- Showing every project instead of the ones that match the role.
Common questions
Should a graphic designer resume be creative?
It should show good typography and layout, but clarity comes first. Keep a plain version for online portals and use a designed version when you email a person directly.
Is a graphic design CV different from a resume?
In the UK a graphic design CV is the same short document a US designer calls a resume. Follow the country’s conventions on personal details and length.
Do I need a portfolio as well?
Yes. For design roles the portfolio usually decides whether you get an interview, and the resume’s job is to get it opened.
What software should I list?
The tools named in the advert that you use confidently, typically Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop and Figma. Add motion or 3D tools only if the role uses them.
How many portfolio projects should I include?
A focused selection of your strongest, most relevant work is better than everything. Explain the brief and your role for each project.
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