Designer CV Example & Writing Guide

Designers are curious about the world, and they are dedicated to creating solutions to improve it. So are you just as dedicated to branding yourself as a seriously strategic hiring choice with a top designer CV?

Resume.io is committed to helping professionals land an interview for their dream job by creating irrefutably excellent job applications. Our free resources include tips and tricks on creating cover letters and — of course — top performing CVs. You can explore our library of professionally written CV examples tailored to dozens of professions. This CV guide, along with the corresponding CV example will cover the following topics:

• What does a designer do?
• How to write a designer CV (tips and tricks)
• The best format for a designer CV
• Advice on each section of your CV (summary, work history, education, skills)
• Professional CV layout and design hints.

What does a designer do?

As a designer, you are a creative professional who combines visual strategy and artistic vision with practical skills. You could do this in a number of industries or mediums. You may be a graphic designer, industrial designer, fashion designer, or even interior designer. Regardless, your role involves understanding clients' or users' needs, conducting research, brainstorming ideas, and translating concepts into tangible designs.

Designers use their observations about the world and convert them into well-considered solutions. That process requires an understanding of concepts like colour theory, layout, typography, and aesthetics to produce visual assets.

You could be working on deliverables such as logos and websites, physical products, or interiors. You likely have expertise in a number of design tools. Ultimately, designers play a pivotal role in creating the visual identity of brands, improving user experiences, and shaping the world around us.

How to write a designer CV

The very first step in writing your designer CV is understanding what sections to include. Your CV should contain the following elements:

• The CV header
• The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

As you know, structure and medium has just as much of an impact as the content itself. This is true for your designer CV, too. Whilst the document should impress the hiring manager, functionality is key. Make sure that your CV includes the sections above in order to make it easier for the hiring manager to skim through.

Choosing the best CV format for a designer

Your CV format is important in making the right impression. The most common CV format is reverse chronological. That’s because it’s the most appropriate way to communicate professional experience for the majority of jobseekers.

The reverse chronological CV format focuses on the previous employment section, where your previous roles will be listed in — you guessed it — reverse chronological order. That means that your most recent experience will be easy for the hiring manager to find by being listed closer to the top of the document.

CV header

Before you start writing the rest of your CV content, it’s important that your CV header is clear and legible. The hiring manager must be able to clearly read your name, your job title, and your contact information. If after reading through your CV the hiring manager decides that you are the designer of their dreams, you want them to be able to call you as soon as possible.

CV summary example

Your CV summary is a snapshot of who you are as a professional designer. Of course, this snapshot needs to be relevant to the job in question. Choose some key points that are relevant and impressive to highlight for the role that you’re applying to. You can gain some inspiration by looking at the skills and responsibilities that are highlighted in the job description. 

If you need some ideas on how you can frame your skills and experience to make it as snappy as possible, check out the CV sample content below.

Employment history sample

Your employment history section will be the focus of most designer CVs, assuming you’re using the reverse chronological format. List your most recent professional experience at the top of the section and work your way backwards. Each job you list should include the job title, company name, dates of employment, and location.

For each position listed, include several bullet points that break down the most important aspects of your job. Remember, the importance of the examples you choose to talk about is measured by how relevant it is to the position that you’re applying to.

Some ideas of what you can write here include your top achievements during your time in the role, pertinent responsibilities, and even client feedback. Remember to use those all-important keywords that you identified in the job description. 

CV skills example

The skills section of your CV is important in reaffirming how the hiring manager should consider your professional profile. So make sure you take a look at the most important responsibilities and skills for the job and update your skills section accordingly. 

Don’t simply scribble down any skills that make you a designer. Take the time to order the skills the job asks for by how important they are to this role.

Your CV skills section should also aim to include those keywords that the ATS will be looking for. However, always keep it honest. If a keyword doesn’t apply to you, find a way to include it that is truthful or simply leave it out. 

Look at the CV sample content below to see how it’s done.

Designer CV education example

Your education is an important part of your story as a designer, regardless of the training you do — or don’t — have. If you have a higher education degree there’s no need to list your secondary education. This section should also be in reverse chronological order with the qualification, institution name, dates attended, and location listed for each.

In this section you can include a bullet point if you have any truly impressive accolades linked to your time in your studies. However, if you have enough things to mention that fall under a single category— such as awards and accolades — you can consider adding a new section dedicated just to this under a different subheading.

CV layout and design

You may know a thing or two about design, however, remember that the visual communication of your designer CV is about showing that you are the professional for this particular job. This involves considering the type of working environment that you are applying to and the style they will respond to. Of course, functionality is important above all else. The content of your CV should always be presented in a clear and legible manner.

If you want to save time but still have confidence that your visual communication hits the mark, consider checking out our variety of professionally designed CV templates. The designer in you can rest assured that the visuals will do justice to your professional skills. That way you can concentrate on the part that only you can do best — writing the contents of your killer designer CV!

Key takeaways for a designer CV

1. Designers blend creativity and practical skills to come up with innovative solutions. Your CV should do the same!
2. While your CV should show your creativity, respecting the standard structure by including the correct sections in your CV is important.
3. Show off the most impressive points of your profile as a designer by writing a concise and engaging summary.
4. Every step of the way, make sure you are aligning the way you present yourself as a designer with the specific job that you are applying for in mind.