5 Steps to the Perfect Web Designer Resume
If you’re a web designer, having a well-designed resume is extremely important. It’s important for all job-seekers to have great resumes, but for you, as a designer - this is your chance to strut your stuff and make a big impression. It’s also important because all the other designers competing against you should have great resumes, so yours is just average, you’re in trouble. I’ve hired designers before, it makes an impact. When I’m hiring, I want an employee who loves all facets of design and has an eye for detail.
I recently noticed Kevin Fox was leaving Google for an undisclosed startup. For those of you who don’t know, Kevin Fox was the Senior User Experience Design Lead at Google. He worked on Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Reader. His resume is published on his site so I thought I’d take a peak. It’s one of the best resumes I’ve ever seen (and I’m not even talking about his impressive work experience).
Below are five things I gleaned from Kevin’s resume that will lead you to creating your own perfect resume. For comparison, here’s my resume (it’s a little dated). They’re pretty similar, but Kevin’s is better.
Step #1: Stand out from the crowd
Be different. Don’t ever use a standard font in your resume like Times, Arial or even Georgia. Try a different layout. Kevin was thoughtful enough to include the fonts he used in his resume (Gill Sans, Hoefler Text). On my resume I used Frutiger. Now, I advise against getting too wild or using colored paper - but definitely don’t look “standard”.
Step #2: Make them remember you
Put your name in large text. When they think of candidates, make sure they think of your name first.
Step #3: Put the important stuff first
Hopefully, that’s your extensive work experience, but if not - put whatever is most impressive first. If you’re student, get some experience! Help out a non-profit or a friend, do something to give yourself that leg up above your competition.
Step #4: Your contact info isn’t important
One of the things I love above Kevin’s resume is that his contact info is all the way in the top right - out of the way. If they want to contact you, they’ll find your phone number. Don’t put it between your name and your experience. Think like the usability expert you are, help the user “scan” your resume.
Step #5: List your skills and expertise
Don’t be shy, tell it all. This might be the most important part of your resume, so maybe it should go first.
Bonus #1: Show your personality
You’re applying for a creative position, have some fun! Of course, it helps when you’re Kevin Fox and you can have any job you want, so keep it limited.
Bonus #2: Watch the competition
Keep copies of other designer’s resumes that you like for reference. I actually just noticed that I had an old copy of Kevin’s resume saved (he changed “Mobile Interfaces” to “Small-screen Design” under expertise…interesting). I also have resumes saved from Abie Rose, Katie Newell and many others.
What are your tips for creating the perfect resume? If you’re an employer, what do you look for?
hellyeahdude.com:
That is a very cool resume. Although when I was designing mine with in-design, I decided to follow the same grid system I would when designing a Web site. I hope my future employer notices that. If he/she didn’t, I don’t think I would want to work for them.
xavier:
thx for the tip guys
grtz
tawanda:
Here’s something I’ve gotten great reactions to: include a mini portfolio of 9-12 thumbnails on a second page. This is the difference between generating immediate interest or getting thrown into the “look at their portfolios later” pile.
James Paden:
Absolutely Tawanda. If you look at my resume, I also include screenshots and details on recent projects (or projects that were recent at the time). For any sort of visual designer, a portfolio is a must even if it isn’t directly asked for.
lizardboi:
neat! thanks for the tips, I will use them for sure in future resumes.
Julian:
I just wanted to thank you so much for this article. I’m just fixing my resume and now understand what it should include and how.
Thank you!
Career Networking:
The article is very clear! Thanks!
mayhemstudios:
James
Some very good advice. Thank You
Aaron Irizarry:
Great article… very helpful.
Tony Chester:
Good stuff James. I wrote a post a few months ago dealing with the cover letter side of things, may benefit your readers a bit as well - http://onwired.com/blog/the-importance-of-a-cover-letter/
SteamPoweredDesign:
Good article, James, and examples, too. The most frustrating part of the whole thing is trying to walk the fine line between design and looking like a resume. Whenever resume discussions come up, half of the discussion centres around how you should do a really unique design, and then the other half retorts with ‘it needs to take care of business, and that’s that.’ The examples you gave are good pieces of conservative design that still make for a nice, unique resume.
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