Table of Contents:
- Professional Graphic Design Resume
- Related Cover Letters
- Graphic Designer Resume (Text Format)
- Graphic Design Resume Tips
Professional Graphic Design Resume
- Candidate is applying for a Senior Designer position
- Candidate has 6 years of experience creating marketing materials for advertising agencies
- Candidate emphasizes their ability to manage a team
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This MS Word Graphic Design Resume
SEE ALSO › Popular Resume Samples By Industry
Related Cover Letters
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Graphic Designer Resume (Text Format)
Address Line 1, City, State Zip * (212) 256-1414 * [email protected]
www.LindseyPeruza.com
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
- Senior Graphic Design Specialist with 6+ years of experience in the management of the complete design process, from conceptualization to delivery.
- Expert at interdepartmental coordination and communication.
- Skilled with Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) Microsoft Office and web design applications (Dreamweaver, HTML).
- Able to stretch the boundaries of web design and digital storytelling to help my client’s brands stand out.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
EXPERION, New York, NY
A B2B marketing firm that has helped over 200 companies position, promote and market their unique brands.
Senior Graphic Design Specialist, May 2011 – present
- Lead in the design, development and implementation of the graphic, layout, and production communication materials while helping clients cut their costs by an average of 12%.
- Delegate tasks to the 7 members of the design team and provide counsel on all aspects of the project.
- Supervise the assessment of all graphic materials in order to ensure the quality and accuracy in the design.
- Oversee the efficient use of production project budgets ranging from $2,000 – $25,000.
STEPPING STONE ADVERTISING, New York, NY
A full-service ad agency devoted to the well-planned execution of customized direct and digital marketing campaigns.
Graphic Design Specialist, Aug 2009-May 2011
- Developed numerous marketing programs (logos, brochures, newsletters, infographics, presentations, and advertisements) and guaranteed that they exceeded the expectations of our clients.
- Managed up to 5 projects or tasks at a given time while under pressure to meet weekly deadlines.
- Recommended and consulted with clients on the most appropriate graphic design options based on their overall marketing goals.
- Created 4+ design presentations and proposals a month for clients and account managers.
EDUCATION
ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, Rochester NY
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design May 2009
- GPA: 3.4/4.0
- Designed the school’s online newspaper
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
- Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop)
- Member of the Society for Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD)
- Skilled in Microsoft Office Suite
- Working knowledge of HTML and CSS
- Bilingual in English and Spanish
Graphic Design Resume Tips
As a critical member of a company’s sales and marketing teams, a graphics designer must harness the power of visual concepts to stimulate an emotional response among consumers. Graphic designers not only need to be masters of art and technology, but more importantly they must have a knack for communication as well.
As a whole, the job outlook for this field is below the average growth of all occupations. This is due to the fact that industry is in a transition phase. The print sector of the graphic design field is projected to see a 16% decline in job growth by 2022. On the other hand, positions in the digital sector are expected to grow by 35% in the same period.
Digital design is a broad discipline that has become ultra competitive due to more employers turning to freelancers from all around the world as a cheaper alternative to complete their projects. This has made it more difficult to for those in the field to find steady work, as well as increasing competition for highly coveted in-house positions.
So whether you are trying to obtain freelance projects or find a steady position with a large company, it’s clear that you need to attract the attention of clients and employers. The first step is to craft a graphic design resume that addresses the specific project or position.
Function Over Fashion: Why “Creative” Resume Designs (In Most Cases) Don’t Work
These elegantly formatted resumes might do well if you meet a potential employer in person, but the buck stops there. If you applying for a position online, these crafty aren’t going to get you far. Here are the reasons why:
1. Risk of becoming chaotic
Look at the resume to your right. If you type graphic design resume into Google’s image search you are bound to find examples just like this one. The problem with these creative formats is that they have absolutely no flow and are too complicated for a HR rep to easily find what they are looking for – that’s even if it is lucky to make it through an applicant tracking system first.
Unlike the example to the right, Lindsey Peruza’s graphic design resume has a natural flow that effortlessly guides the reader through her skills and experience. Peruza’s resume starts off with a professional profile that introduces her most relevant skills, experience, and achievements.
Some of you are probably asking, “If I can’t go all out on my resume, how am I supposed to show off my superb design skills?” The answer is simple. The general rule for graphic design resumes is to add a link to your website or online portfolio. This way, the employer can see the full range of your work and not just what you would be able to fit on your resume.
2. Doesn’t address the job description
A big problem with layouts that out-of-the-box is that they overlook the employers needs. The goal of an experience section is to hit on all the points of emphasis in the specific job description you are applying for. Take this actual job description for example:
Actual Design Job Description:
This position emphasizes the ability to coordinate, cooperate, multi-task, and be involved in the entire design process. Now let’s compare an experience section from an actual creative resume with Lindsey Peruza’s. When comparing the two, try to find evidence that the applicant has any experience that meets the responsibilities of the job posting above. If you were the hiring manager for the position, which applicant would you be more confident in hiring?
‘Creative’ Experience Section
– Versus –
Traditional Experience Section
I think it’s fair to assume that choosing Lindsey’s graphic design resume would be the safer bet for this position. Her bullet points match up well with the responsibilities of the position. With regards to the creative sample, most hiring managers would agree that it does a poor job detailing their past responsibilities. Their graphics do nothing to enhance their experience, and if anything they make the section more confusing.
Before applying for a position, use the job listing to your advantage. Pinpoint the key competencies the employer is looking for and include them into professional experience section.
3. Can Come off as pretentious
We saved the worst part about creative resumes for last. What could be worse than creating a chaotic resume that doesn’t address the needs of employers you ask? Well, how about rating your skills based on your own absurd rating scale. Here’s what I mean:
Now sure, a graphic designer should include skills like HTML 5, MySQL, and php. Yet, saying “I’m this many pencils good at Photoshop” is meaningless. As we have written about before, rating your skill-set makes a few outlandish assumptions. Not only does it assume that the level of difficulty is equal among all skills, but it also accepts that people are objective when rating themselves. Every bit of space on your resume is precious. Don’t waste it by adding a rainbow of pencils to your graphic design resume.
A better way to show off your skills is to make an effort to find clever ways to add them into the experience bullet points. Try something like this:
Developed numerous marketing programs (logos, brochures, newsletters, infographics, presentations, and advertisements) by combining my expert knowledge of Adobe Illustrator and InDesign
If you find that you simply can’t squeeze all your skills into the professional experience section, then feel free to include an additional skills section as Lindsey does in her own.
Final Words
It’s important to keep in mind that one of the main duties of a graphics designer is to create a guided experience that clients can easily follow and find an emotional attachment to. Make sure you keep that in mind when writing your resume.
Good luck on the job hunt!
New Graphic Design Resumes
Now just because you shouldn’t go crazy with the layout of your resume, doesn’t mean that you can’t get creative. We’ve added a new library of stylized resumes that add a personal touch with a mix of color combinations, fonts, margins, etc. Download one today and check out our resume style guide to help give you more tips on how to customize to your preferences. Don’t forget to check out all of our resume designs.
