Graphic Designer CV examples

A Graphic Designer’s CV isn’t just about listing skills – it’s a chance to show off your design sensibility. Think of it as your first project for a potential employer: clear, concise, and visually appealing.

These steps will help you showcase your expertise, highlight your best work, and writing your CV to stand out in a competitive field.

Your Graphic Designer CV needs a structure that’s as well thought out as your most polished design. Recruiters should be able to find the information they need quickly and effortlessly.

Here’s how to structure your Graphic Designer CV:

• Name and contact details – Place your personal details at the top for easy access. Using a photo of yourself is entirely optional.
• Profile – Hook the recruiter with a clear summary of your creative expertise, technical skills, and career highlights.
• Core skills – Highlight abilities like Adobe Creative Suite mastery, branding, and digital design.
• Work experience – Outline your professional work history in reverse chronological order, focusing on major projects and achievements.
• Education – Include academic qualifications, design certifications, and relevant training.
• Additional info – Optionally, mention hobbies and interests that reflect your creativity or design passion.

A well-formatted CV is essential for Graphic Designers – it’s your chance to showcase your professionalism and attention to detail. A poorly formatted CV is like Comic Sans – it gets noticed, but not in a good way.

Remember, even the most creative candidates can miss out if their CV has formatting mistakes that distract from their talent.

Here’s how to format your Graphic Designer CV:

• Bullet points – Use these to break up details about projects and achievements to help the recruiter skim through them.
• Divide sections – Clear headings make it easy for recruiters to navigate your CV, making the layout more navigable.
• Use a clean font – Go for a professional, readable font and layout that reflect your design sensibilities.
• Keep it the right length – Make sure it’s no more than 2 pages, ensuring there’s enough space to highlight your skills without overwhelming or boring the reader.

Your CV profile is like the splash page of your portfolio – make it pop, but keep it professional (no neon gradients, please). It’s a chance to hook the recruiter and show off your creative and technical abilities.

Here are some tips on what to include in your Graphic Designer CV profile:

• Where you’ve worked – Mention agencies, freelance projects, or in-house roles you’ve held.
• Your top qualifications – Highlight design degrees, certifications, or advanced training.
• Essential skills – Include abilities like typography, UI/UX design, or motion graphics.
• Key projects – Reference standout campaigns, branding projects, or digital designs.
• Design specialisations – Mention any areas of focus, such as web design, print media, or animation.

Your core skills section is a snapshot of your abilities, giving recruiters a quick overview of what you bring to the table.

For Graphic Designers, this should include a mix of technical skills, design expertise, and creative abilities. Tailor this section like you’d tailor a campaign for a picky client: hit all the right notes and leave out the fluff.

Your work experience section is where you demonstrate the impact of your designs and the value you’ve added to previous employers or clients. Highlight major projects, collaborations, and outcomes.

List your roles in reverse chronological order, focusing on key contributions and measurable results.

• Outline – Provide an overview of the company, your role, and the types of projects you worked on.
• Responsibilities – Highlight tasks like designing campaigns, collaborating with teams, or managing client briefs. Use action verbs like “created,” “developed,” or “led.”
• Achievements – Showcase results, such as increasing brand engagement, meeting tight deadlines, or receiving design awards. Include numbers wherever possible to add impact.

The education section is where you highlight your foundational training in design. Include degrees, certifications, and relevant courses that demonstrate your expertise.

List your qualifications in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.