» Should Graphic Designers Design their Resume?

The discussion going on right now on the Speak Up article Top 10 Design Questions: Student Edition had me thinking about resumes. Currently a small debate is being hashed out about whether designers should design their resumes (i.e. conceptual) or just apply good typesetting. More specifically I find myself disagreeing with the Speak Up user agrayspace’s comment:

Also, DO NOT DESIGN THE HELL OUT OF YOUR RESUME. Typeset it professionally with sophistication and intelligence. Don’t forget to write it that way as well. But for god’s sake, if your resume has a “concept” your dead in the fucking water in my book.

In the time leading up to graduation I remember my professors saying that it was wise to design my resume. I remember visiting their personal websites and seeing that even they had designed versions of their resumes online for download. So I blindly followed, and was met with only enthusiasm towards my resume. But then again, how often do you hear something negative when applying for a job? Typically you may hear that you don’t have enough experience, or something of that nature but never that your resume sucks.

Let’s break down the situation
I don’t see why in an industry that supposedly values creativity that we would choose not to include it in our resumes, which typically are some of the most boring documents on the planet. I can’t think of a better design problem than a resume. Let’s first take a look at the project restraints:

There is a limited amount of space (typically one side of an 8.5 x 11 sheet)
Typically there is no bleed, unless you have a larger printer or access to one
Various other restrictions, such as a one color version for picky corporate HR departments or to ensure a clean fax (but who does that anymore)

Now that we have a list of our restrictions lets take a look at our goals:

Encourage the employer to call you for an interview
Display your prowess, creativity, and professionalism

So what we have here essentially is a set of restrictions and goals for a piece of visual communication. Or what we might consider a visual communication problem that is in need of a solution. Isn’t this what most designers claim is our intended purpose? Plus, won’t our creativity help us stand out from the designers who did not take the effort to design their resumes? So I stick by my initial decision to design my resume, however I would like to take the time to share a couple of comments/tips posted by other speak up users.

A couple of things to keep in mind…
Kristine Putt’s Comment regarding the length of you resume:

ONE page if you are just getting out of school, no more than TWO if you have past work experience, and NEVER list more than 3 previous employers. Think of a resume as a “bait to hook” - not a book!

Kangaroo Deziner’s comment:

Think of your resume as a design piece. Apply what you know about design to it. Make it interesting visually, and make sure the copy (text) clearly communicates the most important things to the person reading it. A lot of people just think they need a lot of information on it, but no one cares your dog is a black lab named Fluffy.

Gigi F.’s comment:

Use grids and typography to the best of your abilities. Show everyone what you’re capable of. And NEVER EVER do it in Word, unless you have the ability to lay it out as strongly as you could with InDesign/Quark.

My final thoughts and advice
While I may not be a hiring manager, I believe that showing you skills and talent in your resume is probably a good idea overall considering the nature of our industry. Remember that your resume is only the first step, don’t put everything on the sheet otherwise you won’t have anything to talk about when you land the meeting. Also, make sure your portfolio is solid, and invest in a good up-to-date website. In today’s job market employers expect that they can view your portfolio online, and not having a website can really work against you.

So what do you think?
If you are in a position that has the responsibility of acquiring new talent I would love to hear what your stance on the issue is. Please remember to let us know what your position is and why you feel the way you do…

02/27

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10 Responses to “Should Graphic Designers Design their Resume?”

Dean
February 28th, 2008 at 3:18 am

Well executed typography IS design. Thats all a CV needs.
Rob
February 28th, 2008 at 7:41 am

I always viewed it as a study in information design…do everything you can to make the information more persuasive, informative, and digestible to your reader. I’ve seen many resumes hit the trash because of bad margins, weird typography etc. Afterall, if you can’t make a single sheet look good, what are you going to do with a real project?

On the other hand, remember that designers love nothing more than tearing apart their peers, so design-for-design’s-sake on your resume will just get you criticism.
Denis
February 28th, 2008 at 8:14 am

For a long time I always designed my résumé… but recently notice that a lot of people are making it real simple… So My move is going to clean and simple and let them go visit my website to see what can design. But does any of you have good exemples?

P.S. for this post been thinking about this for a while…
Pete
February 28th, 2008 at 9:33 am

I’ve always designed my CV and it’s always got me an interview.

A couple of good points regarding content:

Keep it impersonal. A lot of CV’s I’ve read have massive “about me” sections or try to be funny. List your hobbies, tell them your interests but keep it concise an employer doesn’t care about the kind of person you are (not at this point anyway), they have a pile of CV’s to get through so stick to your strengths and achievements. Bullet points are a great way to summaries your achievements in past job roles.

Don’t be afraid to brag. Not to the point where you start to look big headed. This is a checklist of your skills. Why does this employer need to secure you before a competitor does?

Never use the clichéd “I can work well in a team or on my own” (not sure if this applies to anybody outside the UK, basically its a sentence that most school leavers put on their CV’s because they think its what the employer wants to hear). Of course you can work well on your own, and if you can’t work in a team, why are you applying for a job? I’ve seen CV’s thrown straight into the bin soley because they contain this sentence.

Keep it short, to the point and don’t include any unnecessary information.
Zinni
February 28th, 2008 at 12:43 pm

These are some great comments, thanks for the posts guys. I can see where each of you are coming from, hopefully this article will be helpful to those designers who are graduating soon and are looking for some tips, I know it would have been good for me.
James Paden
February 28th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

This reminds me of a recent post on my blog about designing the perfect web designer resume. As someone who has hired designers on multiple occasions, and I cover this in my post, every resume should be well designed and stand out from standard resumes. That said, a resume is a written document or list - I do not believe it should ever become a graphical document or portfolio.

Remember, many resumes will be seen first by human resources and not by a fellow designer. The content of your resume is by far the most important part.

http://www.xemion.com/blog/5-steps-to-the-perfect-web-designer-resume-19.html
Sara
March 7th, 2008 at 4:51 pm

I turned a boring resume into a brochure that I can print out at home, or on a press/copier. I have gained a lot of inquiries, which most of them led to actual work. I’ve also been approached by several potential employers, all of whom said my resume stood out from the rest, and also because I had the experience to go with it. They also told me that it was refreshing to see someone take design to a new level.

When they ask me why I picked a brochure instead of other formats, I tell them it’s simple. Brochures are commonly used for promotional purposes, or to ‘sell’ an idea. They can be tri-fold letters, or they can be much bigger. I tell them that I chose the brochure because I’m trying to sell my skills. My resume is simple, with a small paragraph about myself, then I get into my skills and employment history. It’s a simple design, not too flashy, but just enough to stand out, and I always use my company colors.

Granted, there are some industries that want to see the block design, one page, boring resumes, but when we’re talking about graphic design, have some fun. Those who are looking for something creative can appreciate it. Those who don’t are usually looking for something very specific, and ideas are not good. (It’s one thing to start with an idea, but another to get completely stuck on it….)

So have fun! Make something stand out and shout “HEY - LOOK AT ME!” Or you can go with the single-page linen resume…
Zinni
March 8th, 2008 at 8:03 am

Those who are looking for something creative can appreciate it. Those who don’t are usually looking for something very specific, and ideas are not good.

Sara, your comments are completely true. I personally would not like to work for someone who does not value creative ideas. These are not the people who let you express yourself, and instead force you to design within their restraints… Not my style. I prefer working in a place where there is time for personal exploration.