Resume writing & design
A primer on how to approach writing and designing your resume
Preparation
Start writing everything you ever did in a word document (Microsoft Word, Google Docs, etc)
Duration: (ex. June 2015 - August 2017, or June 2015 - Present),
Job position (ex. Graphic Design Intern)
Job description (bullet point lists are ideal).
I recommend using a cloud-based application like Google Docs or Sheets to keep all information logged in one place instead of multiple of word.doc files on your desktop.
It serves as good practice to keep track of your work experience, as you never know when you’ll need to reference a job from the past.
Use action verbs for job descriptions
Be direct with what you did.
The clearer and more precise your description, the easier it will be for the reader to understand (especially if you are not there to talk about it in person).
Instead of words like helped, worked, assisted, use action words like produced or designed.
Cheat code for writing a good job description: Look up the companies you like to work at, search for any job listings, and copy it (at least parts of it)!
There is no shame in “stealing” information like this.
Creativity is strategic plagiarism.
Look for keywords in the job descriptions to use throughout your resume.
Proficiency / knowledge of
When adding in your skills, it is helpful to list your ability level, especially if you have a range of abilities across different skills
Instead of using icons or bar graphs (which can be very subjective), it can be more descriptive to use words such as “proficient” and “knowledgeable”
Example: Proficient in: Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop Knowledgeable in: Autodesk Maya and Adobe Lightroom
Resume Content
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Resume Design Tips
Keep it simple: one page (your reader will probably spend less than 1 minute on your page!)
Define the margins for your document (eg. 1 inch, ½ inch, ⅜ inch)
Layout and content first before you make it pretty
Use a legible point size for your typefaces, 9pt or 10pt is a good size to start
Use one or a pair of complementary typefaces
Do not design your resume with a graphical background or colored border because there will be a white border when you print it
If you can’t find anything to edit on your resume, print it out in black and white or in colour.
A hardcopy can help you consider
Is the point size too small or big?
Are there any typos you could not detect on your monitor
How does it read when it’s printed in black and white instead of color? (Employers will probably not print it in color).
How does it look when it’s photocopied - does it lose any readability?
Be consistent (eg. with dates, typefaces, alignment, colour, punctuation)
Type specification (size, leading)
Avoid Widows & Orphans (help them in real life, but avoid them on your resume ;))
Possible Education Format | Possible Work Experience Format |
Format 1: One Location Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) BFA in Major, Expected graduation: Month & Year Location Example: Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) BFA in Graphic Design, Expected graduation: June 2020 Hong Kong Format 2: Two Locations Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) BFA in Graphic Design, Expected graduation: June 2020 Hong Kong and Savannah, GA Format 3: With Honours BFA in Motion Media Design, Expected graduation: May 2019 Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) Hong Kong and Lacoste, France Achievement Honours Scholarship, 2016 – Present | Format 1: Descriptive DEC 2015 – MAR 2016 Paint Artist for Stereo Conversion, Double Negative, Singapore
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Format 2: Less content March 2015 – Present, Graphic Designer MailerMailer, Inc. Rockville, MD, USA
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Adobe InDesign Tips
List your resume content in one text frame or as little as you can
This makes it more convenient to edit the leading or the tracking across your resume listing and make it consistent
Export your resume as a PDF! Do not export as a JPEG or PNG. It is industry standard to use PDF.
Name your resume properly before sending it out:
Example filename: DesmondDu_Resume_2017.pdf
Your resume size should not be bigger than 2mb.
If it is, you’ll want to use Adobe Acrobat to compress it.
Go to: File > Save As Other > Reduced Size PDF.
A final note about resumes
Resume design is subjective can always be improved
People have different preferences in design thinking, but what truly matters is visual communication of your information. In the end, it’s your document, so be prepared to defend any decisions you’ve made about the document when someone asks you questions.
Resume content will always change according to the job.
There is no one-size-fits-all resume that you can submit to different jobs like designing, animating and teaching. You need to change your resume content to fit the job description. Each resume you develop can be 100% truthful while still showing different abilities you have. For example, if you applying for a teaching position, you could list Teaching Experience as part of your resume and perhaps irrelevant content such as your creative projects.
Content first, design second
Get all your information written to perfection before beginning the design process.
Use spellcheck!
Even design software such as InDesign and Illustrator include a spellcheck option. Use it! Even native English speakers make mistakes - so everyone is encouraged to use it. Also show your document to a friend and have them look over it, as it always helps to have a fresh pair of eyes to check for errors.
A resume is not going to land you a job; it is just a prerequisite
No one is going to hire you just because of how your resume looks. The purpose of the resume is to showcase your skillsets and work history in the clear legible coherent format.
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