As a graphic designer, you're probably used to creating a beautiful piece of art—be it an ad creative, online portfolio or logo.
But when it comes to your resume, you might be at a loss of where to start. If this is you, you're not alone. There are dozens of questions that come up in the resume-creation process, such as, how detailed should you be? What experiences should you highlight? How "designed" should your resume be?
Today, we’ll look at several inspiring graphic design resume examples to point you in the right direction. We'll also cover tips on how to make a graphic design resume of your own, plus explore personal website examples that, when paired with a strong resume, can command attention.
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10 graphic design resume examples
Check out these graphic design resume examples by Wix users.
01. Wylona Bouwens
Multidisciplinary designer Wylona Bouwens incorporates a distinct personal logo and branding throughout her resume. The same branding can be seen on Wylona Bouwens’ personal website, where interested parties can find more dynamic showcases of her past work—or even shop some of her Etsy creations.
The About page on her site directs visitors to a beautiful one-page resume. The resume highlights Wylona's various skill sets, including the different mediums and languages that she's fluent in.
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Bold and memorable logo
Clear content hierarchy by color and size
Ample white space
02. Kendall Brandt
Like her online portfolio, Kendall Brandt’s resume embodies her unique personality. Both are straightforward but unmistakably her own. By looking at the font choice and color scheme, as well as the graphical and textual details (peep the "Thanks for hangin' out ♥" at the bottom of her resume), any visitor can get a sense of Kendall's fun-loving nature.
If that doesn't do the trick, Kendall offers a quick intro to herself at the top of her resume...
"Hi, I’m Kendall! I’m a visual designer that has a passion for illustration, UX/UI, and brand development, who loves to collaborate with other creatives."
...in addition to a longer intro on her website.
"Whenever I sit down to start a new project, I always start with asking myself, 'How can I create something that improves and includes others.' My work usually features illustration and lots of bright colors but I am always down to try something new too."
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Clearly divided content sections
Succinct, well-formatted, easily-scannable employment descriptions
Personal touches at the bottom and top of her resume
03. Toni Bonini
Toni Bonini embraces a fiercely bold and bright color palette, potentially inspired by her 12+ years working at a tween lifestyle company that encouraged girls to proudly express their creativity. Despite the bright splashes of color, Toni's resume is still easy to read; neon colors are used to highlight important subheadings, while black text is reserved for the most important details.
Interestingly, Toni's resume has its own dedicated landing page on her website that exactly mirrors the downloadable version. Within her resume, Toni devotes the most attention to describing her most recent and prominent role as an art director.
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Web-based format
Energetic, exciting candy-colored branding
Well-labeled, easy-to-read content
Clear prioritization in the level of detail given under each work experience
04. Virginia Chan
Virginia Chan’s CV has a calming effect with its pastel color palette and breathable layout. The resume is easy to read with its bullet-point format. Each bullet point highlights the projects she has worked on (without being repetitive) in addition to the teams she has collaborated with along the way.
Virginia's resume shows her versatility across platforms, teams and different stages of project maturity. The "achievement" section gives viewers an additional boost of confidence, as does the digital portfolio that's linked from her resume.
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Colorful border and clean dividing lines
Easy-to-follow, minimal design
Well-distributed, balanced content
A clear "achievements" section demonstrating her growth as a designer
05. April McCain
April McCain’s resume features an uncommon three-column layout, choosing to reserve more space for a self-description and CTA ("Let's work together!"). This strategy may be most beneficial for graphic designers who are just getting started. Like April, you may find that providing more narrative around your personal journey and ambitions can help visitors connect the dots between your past work experiences or studies and your current career path.
While April's resume isn’t directly built into her website (there’s a link to the PDF on the About page), it has the same unique flair as her web design does.
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Style and personality
Three-column layout, with an emphasis on the content in the middle column
Icons in the "Software" and "Things I Enjoy" sections
06. Michele Clemmens
Michele Clemmens isn't in the business of overdesigning. True to her practice as a UI designer, Michele makes sure that every bit of her resume is intentionally built. She opts for a heavier, accessibility-friendly font for paragraph text, and strategically uses an all-caps font as headers.
She lists the software she's familiar with in the same area where she lists her skills. While her full resume spans two pages, it doesn't feel overwhelming. Rather, each section is given just enough space and level of detail to keep viewers engaged.
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Strategic use of color, line art and typography
Featured headshot
Accessibility-friendly font
07. Liz Buckler
Liz Buckler's resume is specifically tailored to the entertainment industry, for which she works on set design and props. Her headshot is designed to look like an old model Polaroid, while her contact info appears in newspaper-like font.
Unlike the other graphic design resume examples on this list, Liz's resume focuses most on her extensive experience in the film industry. She doesn't waste any space describing her day-to-day tasks but rather lists out all the titles of films that future employers may recognize.
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Eye-catching bio section
A clean list of her film work
A theme that's appealing to employers in the entertainment industry
08. Saloni Joshi
Opting for a clean and simple design, Saloni Joshi presents a resume that's both easy on the eyes and easy to understand. Instead of relying on colors to establish content hierarchy, Saloni uses various text weights and sizes. You might find your eyes land on the words "Google" and "Walmart"; visitors can quickly get a sense of Saloni's experience with large, notable brands. She additionally includes an "in the media" section to add to her credibility.
Note: Saloni's website is just as minimal as her resume, directing visitors' attention to the most important aspects of her portfolio.
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Different font sizes and weights to separate headers from body text
Succinctly gathered skills and experiences
"In the media" section that adds to Saloni's credibility
Consistent use of lowercase headers, adding a personal touch
09. Hili Noy
Specializing in illustration, graphic design and motion graphics, Hili Noy’s broad skill set is instantly apparent in the section above the fold (so to speak) of her CV. Hili's stylish logo is used across her resume and website; the logo itself is a testament to Hili's experience and style as an illustrator.
Within her resume, Hili speaks from a first-person point of view, stating, "I create unique character designs..." and "I love illustrating in..." This gives her CV a personal touch, presenting it more as a story than a dry, traditional resume.
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Well-structured layout
Different font weights and subtle separation lines
Clearly highlights Hili's wide range of skills
10. Marcy Monko
One look at Marcy Monko's resume and you could probably tell that she was trained under the likes of Nickelodeon and Disney. While the bulk of her resume is written in plain black font, she integrates colorful, bubble-like font as headers to add some pizzazz.
When looking at her resume, some people may even feel nostalgic—the colors, line designs and font choices may remind you of some of your favorite 90s cartoons, like Rugrats. This warm and playful feeling follows you onto her online portfolio, where you'll see a matching theme and inviting content.
What makes this graphic design resume stand out?
Bright, playful colors that are reflective of her personality and creative style
Hand-lettered logo
Cohesive branding with website
Why you need a graphic design resume
First impressions matter a good deal when employers and recruiters determine which resume to focus on next. In 2018, a study from Ladders analyzed how long recruiters spend looking at resumes and which details they focus on. The results proved that on average, it takes only 7.4 seconds to make up their mind about a potential applicant.
When a new job or gig opens up, you can compete with dozens to hundreds of other graphic designers working today. To stand out amongst candidates whose experience might look similar to your own, you need a polished graphic designer resume.
Your resume provides a prospective employer or client with relevant details regarding your experience, including:
Education
Employment
Skills
Areas of expertise
Achievements
When paired with an impressive portfolio of work, a professional resume will allow prospective clients to have a more well-rounded view of your personality, professional experience and capabilities. Ultimately, a good resume is a necessary asset for landing interviews and higher-quality job offers.
Ready to land your dream job? Check out the best resume website builders and make a professional resume that gets noticed.
What to include in your graphic design resume
When recruiters and employers scan resumes for important details, they often look for this information first:
Name and location
Current title and employer
Previous job
Dates of employment
Education
While your resume should include these fundamentals listed above, a graphic designer's CV is also an opportunity to stand out. To give potential employers deeper insights into what it's like to work with you, consider including some of these details as well.
Learn more: Resume website examples
Branding
By creating a cohesive visual style for your personal brand, prospective employers can effortlessly move between your resume, portfolio and website. Even if create your resume on a PDF outside of your website, keep the branding consistent with your logo, colors, typography and other marketing assets.
Try this Creative CV template
Contact info
This is a small yet crucial part of your resume that should, at the very least, consist of your phone number, email address and website (when relevant). Some people also choose to add their home address, but this isn’t a must.
In today's job market, you may want to include links to your social media accounts as well, since these are commonly looked at as professional assets that give offer a deeper dive into your creative and professional capabilities. Depending on the position, some recruiters will want to see an active LinkedIn profile, on top of your ability to manage an active Instagram, TikTok or Facebook account.
Try this Creative CV template
Summary
Your resume's "Summary" section is like an elevator pitch—summing up your experience as a graphic designer, your major achievements, as well as your mission going forward. As you can see in the graphic design resume example below, a paragraph of between two and three sentences is sufficient and a great way to introduce your work.
Try this Creative CV template
Past experience
A section on employment history will always provide the bulk of a graphic designer’s resume. It includes a reverse chronological list of your most relevant and recent employment or freelance work.
Each item in this section should include the following details:
Job title
Employer or client (if relevant)
Location (if relevant)
Start and end dates
One-paragraph description
You may also want to add a bulleted list of key achievements to each role, and when possible, quantifiable data to support these achievements.
Try this Business CV template
Education
This section details all of your relevant educational experience—from formal training at a college or university to short-term courses and certifications you’ve earned along the way.
Each item will include the following:
Academic institution or program
Start and end date
Degree or certificate awarded
If you find it valuable, you can also provide a description of the program and your personal academic achievements.
Try this Creative CV template
Skills
Recruiters and employers will carefully look for a well-rounded set of skills on a graphic designer’s resume. When building yours, include both hard skills and soft skills that prove you'll be the right person for the job, and don’t forget to include tools and software that you're proficient in.
Hard skills to list on a graphic designer resume include:
Adobe-certified professional
Typography specialist
Storyboard creation
Logo design
User interface design
Web design
Soft skills to list on a graphic designer resume include:
Communication
Organization
Creativity
Problem-solving
Time management
Try this UX designer template
Awards (optional)
If you’ve received recognition for your graphic design work, include a list of awards and press in this section, along with the organization that issued it and the date each was received.
Memberships (optional)
Let prospective employers know about professional memberships you participate in, conferences you’ve attended, and meetups you’ve organized. Even if you're a freelancer working on your own, you'll make a positive impression by highlighting teamwork, a desire to learn from others, and collaborative skills.
Languages (optional)
If you design for brands around the world, highlight your multilingual capabilities to give yourself a competitive edge and grab even more opportunities.
Interests (optional)
While your professional website will give prospective clients or employers a good idea of your character, you may want to devote leftover space on your resume to your interests.
How to create a graphic design resume in 10 steps
By now, you know that a graphic design resume is the key to landing high-quality work. When you go off and create your own, make sure to follow these 10 steps on how to write a resume and design an effective one.
01. Build your personal branding
A graphic designer without a clear visual style to show potential clients is like a web designer without a website of their own. Before you do anything else, focus on your branding by creating your own logo, and narrowing down your personal brand's colors, typography, visual style and tone of voice.
Visually communicating your design experience to hiring managers is a critical part of the hiring process, so it's also crucial to make sure your own website and portfolio reflect your style. If you're just beginning the process of creating a personal website, check out these personal website examples for inspiration.
02. Create two to three types of resume formats
You can get your resume into the hands of a prospective employer or client in three different ways:
Give them a hard, printed copy of it in person.
Share a PDF file with them online—via email, a job submission platform or on your portfolio website’s About page.
Point them to a dedicated resume website or landing page.
While you might not need a printed version of a resume, every designer should have a digital version available. A PDF resume gives you something tangible to share and upload. If you apply to jobs over email or third-party platforms, you’ll find that many employers request a resume in this format.
One of the benefits of creating an online resume in addition to a PDF, is that it allows prospects to learn who you are (from your About page), see samples of your work (from the Portfolio page) and then dig deep into your professional background (from your Resume)—all in one place. Secondly, search engines can index and rank online resumes, which means that employers searching for candidates via Google can discover you that way.
03. Start with a graphic design resume template
If you want to spend more time on writing and branding and less time laying your content out, use a resume website template.
In addition to kick-starting the process, resume and CV website templates can provide you with inspiration. As you can see from the graphic design resume examples above, you can lay out and style your CV in many different ways.
04. Keep the design simple
While common practice is limiting a resume to one page, two-page resumes are becoming more common and acceptable for those with more professional experience. Depending on the length of your design career, you might feel limited in how much and which pieces of information you can share.
But whether it's one or two pages—you don’t have a lot of space to work with when it comes to creating resumes. So when designing your own, keep it simple. Use colors, lines, white space and borders to create a visually interesting layout. Also, keep in mind that the only images you should add to your resume are your logo or headshot.
05. Use legible typography
Although you can use fancy and experimental fonts in logo design and in some parts of your website, that type of typography should be avoided on a resume. Since font sizes on a CV should range between 12 and 20 points, your main focus should be on using highly readable fonts.
For the paragraph text, we recommend you use system fonts like:
Arial
Calibri
Garamond
Helvetica
Roboto
Times New Roman
For headline fonts, you can get a little more creative. Still, it's a good idea to skip the handwritten and futuristic fonts, opting for typography from serif and sans serif families.
06. Tell a logical story
According to research by Nielsen Norman Group, people’s eyes follow four patterns when glancing at a page. In each of these patterns, their focus always starts at the top, so place the most important information on your graphic design resume's header, including:
Branding
Contact info
Summary
Then, use what you know about recruiters to lay out the rest of your story. For example, you may find that employers look for the "Employment" and "Education" sections first. Those should generally appear directly below the resume header content.
From there, fill in the remaining space with your most important and impressive details. Depending on how much experience you have, you might feel as though you need to fill more than a page. In the past, many professionals felt discouraged from doing so. This often meant leaving off relevant info or trying to cram all of it into a single page—neither of which is ideal.
However, recent data from Zety suggests that recruiters prefer resumes that are longer than a page. According to Zety’s research, the average resume length is 489 words. One page is about 380 words, so it appears that many resumes these days break that single-page mark.
What’s more, recruiters are 1.4 times as likely to choose an applicant who has a two-page resume for entry-level work and 2.9 times as likely for a more experienced position. 77% of employers also prefer to hire seasoned professionals who have a two-page resume.
07. Make your content "skimmable"
It takes about seven seconds for a recruiter or employer to decide if they like you as a candidate. To make a positive impression in that time span, make it easy for recruiters to get a bird’s-eye view of your personality and experience. If you do it right, they’ll go on to read the rest.
A clean and well-organized layout will help make your resume more "skimmable", as well the way you structure its content. This includes:
Writing no more than a paragraph of text for each point under the sections "Summary," "Employment" and "Education"
Creating a distinctive hierarchy where headers and sub-headers are bigger and bolder (and even more colorful) than the other text
Using bullet points to list out points (like under "Key Achievements") rather than writing full paragraphs
08. Choose your words wisely
According to a Cultivated Culture analysis, 51% of resumes include cliches, buzzwords and other poorly chosen words that can all too often frustrate recruiters. You want to avoid this by carefully choosing the words used in your resume.
For starters, leave out the words that are exhausted and overused on today's resumes, like these from CareerBuilder:
Driven
Expert
Extensive experience
Motivated
Organizational
Responsible
Strategic
In some cases, you should avoid using jargon as well. While words and phrases related to design systems, principles and processes might make sense to you and impress certain clients, they may confuse recruiters. Instead, use clear, concise and accurate copy, including action verbs to describe your day-to-day and capabilities.
09. Check spelling and grammar
Before you send out your resume or publish it on your website, proofread it. You can use a friend, colleague or an AI grammar tool to check for spelling and grammatical errors. It's also helpful to read your resume out loud, helping you spot awkward phrasing or run-on sentences.
10. Tweak your resume for each application
According to information from CareerBuilder, 54% of applicants don’t send a custom resume for each job or gig application. If you want to stand out from the pool of graphic designers sending the same resume to every job opening, then personalize yours.
You don’t need to worry about redesigning your resume each time you send it out. It's enough to update the following sections to ensure your pitch aligns more specifically with the job you're applying for:
Your resume "Summary"
The "Skills" section
Other sections like "Awards," "Memberships" or "Languages" can differentiate you from others
Also, read through the job description carefully and make note of relevant keywords and skills the employer might look for. If you can update your resume's "Experience" or "Education" sections with some of those terms, do it.