Are you a Designer? Show it off on your resume!

#design #jobsearching #resume #jobsearch

In my current job searching, I've discovered that creative resumes are a GOD SEND. For the longest time, I've been using a base resume template made with a word document. Which is great, you can't fault a nice, simple resume. Hell, some companies like simple Word Doc Resumes better!

I finally bit the bullet and made a "fancy" creative resume. Two weeks ago I put it into rotation, and in that time I've had 3 interviews, and set up 2 more. This is more than I've ever had in a month with my old resume! And, specifically, I've been getting comments on how nice my resume looks.

And this hasn't just been for UX/UI Designer jobs. This is for Front End, Back End, Full Stack Web Development jobs.

Having a resume that stands out from the crowd makes you stand out from the crowd. Which is exactly what we're all looking for while we're job searching.

But I'm Not a Designer?

That's 100% okay. If you have even the hint of design ability, try to think of ways to make your resume look less "same-y". Add some icons! Throw in some colour (that will still print well in black and white)! Try and make your resume your own. Even tiny little touches will go a long way.

My creative resume isn't even that advanced. It's basically lines and dots leading your eye through the document, adding a bit of hierarchy and colour to the entire thing. But it makes just enough of a difference that I get myself into interviews, where the magic happens.

And if you have no design ability whatsoever? Well, you can also hire someone who does. Or you can just stick with the good ol' standby. There is a reason it is the good ol' standby, after all!

Show Off Your Personality!

One thing I find about resumes - I can never show people what I'm really like. That's always what the interviews are for, but you can't get to an interview if they don't like your resume. It's a catch 22.

Do you have a personal brand? Colour scheme you like to stick by? Let that come through! If you're bold, use bold colours! If you like things a bit more muted, use pastels! Dark? Black is a great colour.

What's your portfolio site look like? How can you translate that into your resume?

These are just some things to think about as you start trying to update and create the best resume for you.

Conclusion

Think about it. Is it something you could feasibly do? Will it help you stand out? What shows off your personality in the right way?

Once you answer all of these questions, you'll know if this is something you want to do. And from there, you get free rein! You do you, folks. Because, if anything is a summary of you, it's your resume.