Graphic Design Resume

What can be said about the graphic design resume? Is it a big deal? It doesn't necessarily show your talent or creativity. This is where many people are getting burned. This is huge. It's the first impression an employer gets from you. But don't over do it....

The Layout (graphic design resume):

There are a few schools of thought when it comes to the graphic design resume and presentation. A few say go for broke (make it a work of art or funky), and others say to keep it conservative & clean. I think you can have both, but generally lean towards more conservative. That's not to say that the conservative one should lack any kind of flare. It just means you're not going to push an aggressive funky visual style on someone who isn't looking for it. You should be keeping it clean and simple. It shouldn't be hard to figure out what's going on for the sake of style or artistic interpretation.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule. Some magazines, newspapers & websites focus more on youthful in-your-face layout (like a skateboarding magazine), so they might want to see your creative flare. In the end, it's up to you to decide what kind of format and look to use. I've seen a few (not many) very unorthodox graphic design resumes get people design jobs. Just try not to lose the job right away by using a layout that is too wacky. Most entry level jobs in the graphic design field require a more conservative approach. Remember that you have a portfolio (graphic design resume) that can show this more artistic & crazy side.

No matter what approach you use, there are some design elements (at your graphic design resume) that should be strong. Considering that you will not be using many graphic elements, you will have to let the typography do a lot of the talking. Look to have strong alignment to create lines and order, contrasting typefaces to organize and separate text, and effective leading and spacing to give a good balance and feel. The body text should be clean and easy to read. Headers should be bold and contrasting from the body text. Save fancy/wavy type to your name, if you use fancy type at all. Remember that faxing might be done, so design around the idea that everything should look good even when getting spit out on the other end. It can be a good idea to have an extra layout designed strictly for faxing.

Keeping it to one page is a good idea, but not if you have to cram a load of information in tiny type just to fit it in. Remember that the graphic design resume should breathe, and have a strong sense of order and purpose. The employer shouldn't have to "work" to find the information they are looking for, or strain their eyes with tiny type or poor typeface selection. And please, keep the look consistent throughout.

Copyright © 2004 A Digital Dreamer.

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