Graphic Design Resume Samples [+ 3 Examples]

Overview

What is a Graphic Designer?

Graphic designers are responsible for creating much of what you see each and every day. Whether you’re browsing a website, watching a video online, or walking past a billboard on your way to work, graphic designers are often responsible for envisioning visual concepts. The purpose of your work as a graphic designer is to communicate ideas visually – slightly easier said than done!

Graphic Designer Resume

Your graphic designer resume should present your skills in an efficient way – make sure that your skills have been customized to the job posting to which you’re applying, and include all relevant work experience. Depending on the kind of work you do as a graphic designer, you might have experience at a private company, at an agency that serves clients, or as a freelance graphic designer.

Creative Graphic Designer Resume Example and Template

Arguably the biggest part of your job as a graphic designer is to create beautiful, eye-catching designs that effectively communicate a given message. So, of course, it stands to reason that your graphic designer resume can be an opportunity to showcase your creativity before a hiring manager even sees your portfolio!

While browsing VisualCV’s range of professionally designed resume templates, keep in mind that you can customize your chosen template to best demonstrate your knowledge of color theory and other design skills.

Senior Graphic Designer Resume Sample

As a senior graphic designer, you’ll likely have a greater level of experience – and, therefore, more job experience to include in your resume! As you progress into senior graphic design positions, you can begin to put less importance on resume sections such as education. Eventually, your experience should begin to speak for itself (as long as you effectively write about it on your resume, of course!)

What should I put on my graphic design resume?

Research suggests that potential recruiters look at a resume for an average of 6 seconds. With so many variations in a professional graphic design resume, it can be tricky to know what the differences are.

In general, your graphic design resume should contain the following:

1. A summary
2. Your experience
3. Your Education
4. Your skills, including any professional certifications

Many recruiters and companies now use Applicant Tracking Systems to automate and streamline the recruitment process. While this is a great benefit for companies, some applicants have been met with the frustration of their resumes not ever being seen by a real person -- if the resume doesn’t get past the ATS software, it’s usually discarded. Thankfully, VisualCV’s resume templates have been specifically designed to beat applicant tracking systems, making your graphic design resume much more likely to make it in front of the right person.

How to Write Your Graphic Designer Resume Summary

Consider this at your elevator pitch, your potential hook to recruiters that will put you leagues in front of your competition. Use this as a summary if you’re an experienced graphic designer with years of creating eye-catching projects for print and web, making your best skills and achievements stand out.

Your summary shouldn’t be too wordy or personal – that’s what your cover letter is for! This first step in your graphic design resume exists to give hiring managers a brief glimpse into your personality and experience. Not all hiring managers agree that a resume summary is necessary, but if your resume summary is clear, to the point, and hones in on what the job description is asking for, include it!

Sample Graphic Design Resume Summary

Self-motivated creative coordinator and graphic design specialist with many years of experience designing for the diverse internal and external audiences of defense technology and homeland security, healthcare, education, electronics, and transportation. My skill set involves capitalizing on project management, working with clients to assess marketing opportunities and developing visual solutions that can be carried out from conceptualization through production and distribution.

Creative Graphic Designer Resume Summary

Highly creative graphic designer with extensive experience in marketing, magazine design, and print production. Exceptional collaborative and interpersonal skills, dynamic team player with exceptional customer service skills. Highly skilled in vendor and customer relations while building lasting relationships and negotiating partnerships. Accustomed to performing at a high level in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with an emphasis on working within a timetable and budget.

Graphic Artist Resume - Summary

Highly accomplished professional designer skilled in project management, brand management, print production, multimedia production, and presentation graphics. Able to design and build graphics/multimedia assets and presentation strategies under tight deadlines. Adept at setting expectations and achieving high standards of quality on time and within budget.

How to Write Your Graphic Design Work Experience on Resume

This is where you can really start bragging. Alison Green, author of Ask a Manager, highlights the single biggest resume mistake she saw in her time as a hiring manager: “Writing a resume that reads like a series of job descriptions.”

“The bullet points they use to describe what they did for each job just list activities and read like a job description for the role might,” she says. “For example, ‘edit documents,’ ‘collect data,’ or ‘manage website.’”

Have you got experience wowing clients with creative solutions to their UI issues? Were you known as “The Dreamweaver Whisperer” at your last job? Now is the time to make this known to recruiters.

Work Experience - Creative Graphic Designer Resume

Sr. Graphic Designer | 2008-2012

• Created POCs at project start
• Designed all UI elements used, including splash screens, menu screen, graphics screens, bookmark style help page, and abbreviation screen
• Created style guides for conceptional static and animated graphics
• Created styles for grab-based animations
• Created Flash-based conceptual graphics, grab animations, and interactive graphics for Flash-based courses
• Designed and created graphics for Articulate Storyline and Lectora-HTML-based courses

Graphic Design Resume Work Experience Example

Consider this example from one of our graphic design resume templates:

Graphic Designer | FutureBrand | 2005-2011

• Created web pages, graphic elements, and infographics for email newsletters
• Consistently adhered to all internal delivery schedules
• Created graphic materials for the company website
• Developed, designed and produced corporate newsletters and other promotional direct mail items as directed by marketing

To take this entry to the next level, think about the impact your work has had on your company. Beyond listing your responsibilities, tell a hiring manager exactly what you brought to your previous position. For example, “Consistently adhered to all internal delivery schedules” could become “Consistently adhered to all internal delivery schedules, resulting in a 95% retention rate in clients for which I was responsible.”

Professional Graphic Designer Resume Sample

Consider this example from one of our graphic design resume templates: Graphic Designer | Robert Half The Creative Group | 2010-2013

• Collaborated with company CEOs, vendors, and internal departments to coordinate overall marketing efforts
• Studied the project requirements and planned the design and presentation approach
• Designed array of marketing materials for print and web
• Worked closely with printers to ensure best possible pricing and quality for printing projects
• Efficiently adhered to a tight schedule while working on multiple projects.

Again, the point of each segment of your resume experience section is to demonstrate the value you bring to a position. Using numbers, especially, can be a huge benefit to hiring managers, because it allows them to quickly understand exactly what you bring to the table. “Worked closely with printers to ensure best possible pricing and quality,” for example, could become “Worked closely with printers to ensure best possible pricing and quality, saving the company an estimated $10,000 quarterly.”

30 Key Resume Skills for Graphic Designers in 2022

What skills should you include on a graphic design resume? While you should always try and list the skills that the job posting is asking for, there are some skills that come with the territory of being a graphic designer. Looking for more information about adding skills to your resume? Check out our resume skills guide here.

Top 20 Graphic Design Technical Skills

1. Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat, After Effects, Dreamweaver)
2. Logo creation
3. Layout
4. Spacing
5. Storyboard creation
6. Composition
7. Color theory
8. HTML
9. Webpage design
10. Front-end development
11. UX
12. CSS
13. Responsive design
14. Aesthetics
15. Designing for print
16. Photo editing
17. Quark
18. Marketing and branding
19. Typography
20. Social media

Top 10 Soft Skills for Graphic Designer Resume

1. Creativity
2. Initiative
3. Problem solving
4. Collaboration
5. Ability to take criticism
6. Active listening
7. Customer service
8. Team-building
9. Flexibility
10. Multitasking

What skills should I list on my graphic design resume?

What skills should you include on a graphic design resume? While you should always try and list the skills that the job posting is asking for, there are some skills that come with the territory of being a graphic designer. Looking for more information about adding skills to your resume? Check out our resume skills guide here.

Take a look at this graphic designer job description:

• Work cross functionally with marketing, product, and sales teams to create innovative and brand enhancing print assets, web assets, and communications for monthly product launches
• Develop print and digital assets for national marketing campaigns
• Create innovative design solutions in alignment with brand standards
• Collaborate with other team members to ensure a consistent creative direction for each project

When you see a job description, begin to think about which skills you have that align with the description. For example, your collaboration, teamwork, and leadership skills would clearly be welcome at this job, because they’re looking for someone to “work cross functionally” and “collaborate.” Because the word “innovative” was used, consider the ways in which you can demonstrate your creativity. Think about previous print and digital assets you’ve created in past jobs – what softwares and mediums did you use to create these assets? Which of your hard and soft skills were most important during that process? They’ll likely be just as important to the hiring manager for this job.

Related Resumes

Something about this job catch your eye, but you aren’t quite sure if it’s a match? Check out these related resumes and discover where your next career move could take you.

• Designer Resume Samples
• Design Consultant Resume Samples
• Artist Resume Samples
• Marketing Resume Samples

Graphic Design Salaries

Many creative people are interested in careers as graphic designers, because the path allows them to express their creativity while also providing the structure of an “office job” and the benefits that includes. But how much money does a graphic designer actually make?

According to Glassdoor, the average base salary for a graphic designer in the US is $50,000. However, this figure can change dramatically when you consider that many graphic designers take on freelance jobs and may not have a consistent salary. This number can also go up depending on your experience and the company you work for.

Keep in mind that, depending on the cost of living in your state or region, salaries may fluctuate. If you live in a city with a very high cost of living, for example, your salary may be much higher, but your day-to-day expenses will also be more expensive.

How can I highlight my experience as a Graphic Designer on my resume?

To effectively highlight your experience as a Graphic Designer, focus on your creative skills, the diversity of your design projects, and the impact of your work. Detail your expertise in visual communication, including creating branding materials, digital media, and print designs. Mention specific projects you've led or contributed to, such as advertising campaigns, corporate branding, or web design, and include any measurable results such as increased brand engagement or improved user experience.

What are the key skills to feature on a Graphic Designer's resume?

Key skills to feature on a Graphic Designer's resume include creative design, typography, color theory, user interface design, and digital content creation. Highlight your proficiency with design software, such as Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign), and any experience with web design tools like Sketch or Figma. Also, emphasize your ability to work collaboratively in a team and manage time effectively to meet deadlines.

How do I demonstrate my ability to adapt designs to different formats on my resume?

Demonstrate your ability to adapt designs to different formats by providing examples of how you've successfully translated visual concepts across various media. Mention projects where you've adapted a core design into formats such as digital banners, printed flyers, and social media graphics, ensuring brand consistency and effectiveness in each format.

Should I include metrics on my Graphic Designer resume? If so, what kind?

Yes, including metrics on your Graphic Designer resume can be highly beneficial. For example, you could mention specific outcomes like the increase in social media engagement due to your campaign designs, improvement in website traffic from updated web graphics, or higher conversion rates due to redesigned advertisements. Metrics that demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs in achieving business goals are particularly impactful.

How can I showcase my experience with brand identity projects on my resume?

Showcase your experience with brand identity projects by discussing how you developed or refreshed brand identities for clients or employers. Describe your role in the creative process, from initial research and conceptualization to final design delivery. Highlight any specific challenges you overcame, the strategies you used, such as color schemes and typography choices, and the positive feedback or results from the project.

What kind of achievements should I highlight as a Graphic Designer?

Highlight achievements such as awards won for your designs, successful client pitches, or projects that have significantly boosted your employer's or client's market presence. You could also mention collaborations with major brands, contributions to high-profile campaigns, or your work being featured in design publications.

How do I address a lack of experience in a specific area of graphic design on my resume?

If you lack experience in a specific area of graphic design, emphasize your foundational design skills and how they apply across various design disciplines. Highlight any relevant coursework, workshops, or self-directed learning you've undertaken to develop those skills. Also, consider including related projects from your portfolio that demonstrate your ability to learn and your potential to succeed in new areas of graphic design.

How important is software proficiency for a Graphic Designer role?

Software proficiency is crucial for a Graphic Designer role, as it allows for the efficient creation and manipulation of visual content. Detail your experience with industry-standard software tools and any additional skills with emerging technologies or platforms that may set you apart from other designers.

How do I demonstrate my ability to collaborate on design projects on my resume?

Demonstrate your ability to collaborate on design projects by mentioning any team-based projects you've worked on. Discuss your role in the team, the collaborative tools you used, and how your contributions helped achieve the project's goals. Highlight any interdisciplinary projects that involved working with marketers, developers, or other professionals.

Should I include certifications on my Graphic Designer resume?

Including relevant certifications can enhance your Graphic Designer resume by demonstrating your commitment to professional development and mastery of specific skills. Certifications in Adobe Creative Suite, UX design, or other relevant areas can be beneficial, showcasing your technical abilities and knowledge in key aspects of design.

How to Become a Graphic Designer

The most important tool you have in your arsenal as a graphic designer (besides your professionally designed CV, of course!) is your portfolio. To become a successful graphic designer, you’ll need a portfolio of your work that showcases your talent and skill to prospective clients and employers. Many graphic designers participate in internships or do freelance work at lower rates when they’re starting out in order to build out their portfolio. Once your portfolio is complete, you can begin applying for graphic design jobs.

What Should You Study to Become a Graphic Designer?

Degrees aren’t generally required to work as a graphic designer, but studying graphic design is usually an important first step on your path. On-the-job training is a big part of growing as a graphic designer. As you begin to work in the industry, you’ll pick up on new skills, learn new software, and have opportunities to expand your network and portfolio. Many junior colleges and independent schools offer diploma programs in graphic design, which will allow you to learn all the required skills for your first graphic design job.

Final Thoughts

If you have an eye for design and also enjoy working with technology, graphic design may be the perfect intersection for your career. Whether you’re helping a client launch a splashy new brand, designing a website, or creating materials for print, you’ll be able to work on a wide variety of projects as a graphic designer.

A professionally designed resume is one way to make your application stand out from the crowd. Whether you choose to use eye-catching color, a unique format, or simply a clean and polished template with your skills and achievements on display, a VisualCV Pro membership could be the thing that takes your career to the next level.