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    Graphic Designer CV: Skills, ATS Keywords & Examples

    A designer's CV has one job: get the portfolio opened. Keep it clean and ATS-readable, name your tools, and put the portfolio link where it can't be missed.

    Hard skills to highlight

    • Design tools (Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
    • Typography and layout
    • Brand identity and visual systems
    • UI / web design basics
    • Print and digital production
    • Motion / video (if relevant)

    Soft skills that matter

    • Taking and applying creative feedback
    • Time management across projects
    • Collaboration with marketing / product
    • Presenting and defending design decisions

    ATS keywords to include

    • visual design
    • brand identity
    • Adobe Creative Suite
    • Figma
    • typography
    • design systems
    • print and digital

    Sample Graphic Designer summary

    “Graphic designer with 5 years across brand and digital. Led a brand refresh adopted across 12 markets and designed campaign assets that lifted email engagement 25%. Portfolio: [link].”

    How to structure a Graphic Designer CV

    • Put your portfolio link at the very top — it's the single most important element.
    • Keep the layout clean and ATS-readable (no text trapped in images/columns).
    • Name your tools explicitly; they're the literal ATS keywords for design roles.
    • Show business impact of design work, not just 'designed assets'.

    Common Graphic Designer CV mistakes

    • No portfolio link, or a broken one.
    • An over-designed CV the ATS can't parse (text inside images, heavy columns).
    • Listing tools without showing the work or its impact.
    • Treating the CV as the portfolio instead of the doorway to it.

    See how your Graphic Designer CV scores

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