Graphic Design Resume Examples for 2023

As a graphic designer, you probably already know how to create an eye-catching design for your resume. But knowing what information to include on your resume to impress employers might not come so easily.

Whether you’re trying to track down more freelance projects or simply want to find a steady graphic design position, here are five tips for creating a great graphic designer resume that highlights your skills without sacrificing visual appeal:

Begin with a strong resume summary

A resume summary provides a quick, three-to-four sentence overview of your relevant experience, achievements, and skills.

If you’re applying for a competitive graphic design role, resume summaries are an ideal way to grab the attention of busy hiring managers who might not have time to look through your portfolio.

For graphic design work, you want your resume summary to communicate four key pieces of information about yourself:

• How many years of design experience you have
• Your job title
• Your most important accomplishments or projects
• Your most valuable technical skills (like Figma or Adobe Creative Suite)

Here’s an example of a strong graphic designer resume summary:

Graphic Designer Resume Summary

Senior Graphic Design Specialist with 6+ years of experience in the management of the complete design process, from conceptualization to delivery. Spearheaded the design of new branding guidelines for my last company, helping to increase conversions by 15%. Skilled with Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) Microsoft Office and web design applications (Figma, HTML).

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After reading just the first sentence, employers already know the candidate’s professional level, years of experience, and that they’ve managed all levels of the design process.

Highlight key graphic design skills across your resume

Employers need designers who are experienced with the latest design software and have a well-developed set of skills. The best way to impress any company hiring graphic designers is by putting together a clear, detailed resume skills section.

Whether you’re a freelancer or looking for an in-house job, here are some of the top graphic design skills that employers are looking for:

• Media production
• Infographic design
• Photo editing
• Web design
• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe After Effects
• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Figma
• HTML
• CSS
• UI/UX design
• Print design
• Logo creation
• Branding
• Color theory

However, your technical abilities aren’t all employers care about. The best graphic designers are also strong communicators, responsive, and creative. To show employers that you have these qualities, be sure to include a balance of hard and soft skills on your resume.

Here are some important graphic design soft skills for your resume:

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Teamwork
• Idea exchange
• Self-management
• Decision making
• Organization
• Brainstorming
• Inspiration
• Imagination
• Creativity
• Innovation
• Experimenting
• Patience
• Time management
• Goal setting
• Planning
• Delegation
• Flexibility
• Persuasion
• Negotiation

Describe your design work experience

While it may be tempting to present your work experience creatively, it’s not usually an effective way to convince employers that you’re the best person for the job. Instead, the goal of your work experience section should be to address the needs laid out in the job description.

When you build a resume for a graphic design job, start by going through the job ad for the position you want and taking note of the qualities listed in the “Requirements” section.

Take this actual job description for example:

This position emphasizes the ability to cooperate, coordinate, multi-task, and be involved in the entire design process.

Here’s an example of an experience section from a graphic design resume that addresses the requirements of this job:

Graphic Designer Experience Section Example

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%.
• Worked with the marketing team to develop innovative graphics and materials.
• Supervise the assessment of all graphic materials to ensure 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.

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Notice that the skills mentioned in the job posting are featured extensively in this example. This is one of the most effective ways to impress employers and demonstrate to them that your experience perfectly matches what they want in a new graphic design hire.

What to do if you don’t have work experience

Writing a resume for your first job as a graphic designer? No problem.

You don’t need a ton of formal experience to land work in design. Instead, focus on the qualifications you do have. For example, fill in your experience section with independent design projects, university projects, or freelance work that you’ve done.

Make sure that you put together a portfolio of your work to show employers that, even though you don’t have work experience yet, your design skills qualify you for the role.

Add a portfolio section to your resume

Ultimately, the most important thing an employer considers when hiring a graphic designer is that the candidate’s work is high quality, and that it fits their needs.

However, the quality of your work can’t easily be put into words on your graphic design resume. That’s why it’s essential to provide a link to your portfolio, so that employers can easily take a look at your work themselves.

Start by creating a new section on your resume and titling it “Portfolio” or “Projects.” Then, list out the different types of design work you did, followed by a more in-depth explanation of the projects you’ve worked on (or are currently working on).

Here’s an example of what a graphic design portfolio section looks like on a resume:

How to add a portfolio section to your resume

PORTFOLIO
www.designportfolio.com

Infographic Design
Created a series of 12 infographics for LegalTemplates.net illustrating the different forms of lease agreements.

Web Design
Led a redesign of Wicket Software’s homepage, utilizing Material Design principles.

Document Design
Created a series of Microsoft Word document templates for Golf Weekly using InDesign.

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If you’re running out of space on your resume, consider just adding a link to your portfolio in the header of your resume instead of creating a dedicated section.

Keep your design functional

As a designer, it’s tempting to make a visually unique resume that’s eye-catching. However, the problem with using a nontraditional format is that your resume ends up being difficult to read and makes it hard for hiring managers to find the information they’re looking for.

Ultimately, the best graphic design resumes are both functional and attractive. So while you don’t need to make your resume look bland, you should stick to a traditional resume format that lays your information out in a logical, easy-to-read fashion instead of using a unique layout.

Graphic design resume templates

Here are two examples of graphic design resumes that are eye-catching but still functional:

Full-color page

This resume example features a full-color background, helping it stand out in a big way. Notice though that aside from the background, this graphic designer resume example plays it safe with a basic layout and minimal distractions.

Subtle background details

This resume example’s sidebar and subtle gray shapes in the background give it a modern, creative feel. However, everything else about this graphic designer’s resume sticks to tradition.

The details on this resume make it a great example of how to balance visual appeal and information when making a resume as a graphic designer.