10 Key Skills for a Graphic Designer Resume

The key skills in resume for graphic designer should include both the soft and technicals skills.

Building an attractive and impressive résumé is a tedious task.

It is a challenge to keep your résumé appealing at the same time comprehensive and truthful.

You know that you are good at designing brochures, websites, or even banners. 

But have you asked yourself, what skills do you need and should be reflected in your resume? 

You could be a great graphic designer, but there are other 100 or even thousands like you applying for the same job.

Does your resume include the skills essential for a graphic designer? 

Let’s take a look at the top ten key skills in resume for graphic designer now.

Soft Skill #1: Creativity

If there is one skill you need to have, this is it!

You will never become a Graphic Designer without creativity. 

Why are you designing without being creative? 

Just think about why employers are hiring you.  

Clients are hiring a graphic designer because they need help. 

It is for you to design whatever they want you to design. 

And by design, you need to play with colors, shades, fonts, and pictures to come up with an amazing idea. 

Whether it is for branding, logo, print or web design and etcetera. 

Creativity is a valuable tool to come up with new ideas and solve problems from a fresh perspective. 

Upon researching, it shows that being creative is in the third skill, problem-solving and critical thinking. 

Because employers believe that employees should adopt the change in new technologies, making new products out of it and benefit from these changes.

Employers tend to employ creative employees who develop new products or services that fill the marketplace while automating repetitive tasks and cutting costs. 

And if you think you still lack in this skill, do not worry because it can be learned and developed over time. 

You can enhance this through programs that encourage creativity. 

It may be an online class or webinar.

You can also read resources that can fulfill your profession regarding this skill.

Soft Skill #2: Good Communication

Through good communication skills, you understand what the client wants and needs from a design. 

This is another key in creating a successful product. 

It allows you and others to achieve and process information correctly.

There is no better relationship between the client and the designer than communicating well.

Pursuing graphic designers like you must listen to their clients’ needs and come up with a solution. 

Through this, you can conduct a summary of a blog post or showcase a new product.

Moreover, it can also be used to clearly explained statistics, and most importantly, it can easily target your audiences’ satisfaction. 

Being a good communicator can help you attain a greater career. 

An excellent example of communication skill implemented in a company is having a face-to-face meeting rather than sending emails to every employee. 

Maintain good communication amongst others because it’s the key to everything. 

Without good communication, everything may lead to misunderstanding and frustrations for both parties.

Soft Skill #3: Active Listening

In connection with communication, you must have active listening skills.

For you to understand your client’s problem and turn it into a visual solution, active listening is used.

Most of the time, messages from others can easily be misunderstood when you don’t know how to listen.

Or, on the other side, you will just waste your time communicating for a long period if you both speak, and no one tries to listen. 

Active listening also helps build relationships, solve problems, avoid conflict, and ensure understanding. 

Clients may require you with this skill for you to connect with them and deeply understand your responsibilities. 

When you apply this skill to your profession as a graphic designer, you can put your own feet into your client’s shoes.

You understand them by their own experiences and point of view. 

Being able to listen carefully allows you to understand the given assignment and what your clients expect from you.

Soft Skill #4: Collaboration

Are you outgoing and friendly when working? 

Maybe, you have this skill.

While most graphic designers work with bosses, teammates, and clients, some designers lack their collaboration skills when working solo or independently.

This skill helps everyone work together, brainstorm ideas, and share goals leading the group and even them towards a successful career rate. 

Collaboration skill is also a big part of communication through giving and take. 

You must know how to accept feedback regarding your work, giving suggestions, and vice versa. 

This skill enables you to work well with others, meeting expectations, and managing priorities from everyone in the group. 

One way to have a good collaboration is to form a friendly relationship with your clients – former and present. 

Having contact with them will both give you opportunities for a future job. 

A well-known quote once said that “No man is an island.” 

You can read more about collaboration and communication skills on thebalancecareers.com.

Soft Skill #5: Time Management

Good time management is one of the skills you must have as a designer. 

Either you are a freelancer, or in a long-term job, everyone must meet a deadline for one or more projects. 

You cannot spend hours on just one task. 

When you try to manage your time, you will be able to grow your business and at the same time take on new opportunities. 

Time management can also give you more free time because of your accomplishments in a shorter period.

It can also give peace to your mind and less stress. 

With this, you can focus on things that matter the most and enhance new ideas coming for future projects, too! 

You can also get more jobs done by having this skill.

I am pretty sure your client would love to hear that. 

And that is one of the secrets of having a successful career. 

With this, I will leave a quote, “Time management is life management.” 

How’d you like that?

Technical Skill #1: Expertise in Technology

In today’s world, we were all familiar with technologies around us, but most of us would not know how to build apps and maintain websites we have become so reliant upon. 

But not with you.

Designers should be more familiar with using technologies. 

You will be engaged in everyday tasks which rely on different software, processes, and tools.

It is one of your platforms to have a successful job. 

With different applications and software, like Adobe, designing will be much better and acceptable.

It is an essential skill to make your design and with your limit.

Being tech-savvy enhance your idea into this new world. 

These tools can provide ease with both graphic designer’s and clients’ needs. 

You should be aware that you will not be a passive consumer of technologies.

Instead, you are also knowledgeable about the websites and applications you are using and create one too.

Being tech-savvy can also help you build your other set of skills to be used in your future careers.

It can also boost your target market and enhance your work design.

Technical Skill #2.1: Software Skills

Do you know the top 3 software used by designers? 

Well, if you aren’t a master of Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, then you might consider adding it to your to-do lists.

These are the software I am talking about, 3 of the most important key skills in resume for graphic designer.

Upon researching, most employers required this on their job posts. 

So, if you are one of those applicants, you know what to do.

And as we all know, modern businesses rely heavily on computerized tasks. 

Having some knowledge of software may ease you in either publishing or editing certain content. 

Proficiency in these programs or other visual designs and wireframing tools is a plus. 

You can rely upon other resources such as magazines, blogs, live classes, courses, and webinars to enhance this skill. 

But you know what? 

The better time is when you train alone, where you’re facing that computer or your mobile phone exploring those applications and websites. 

And now you’re curious about every little thing.

Technical Skill #2.2: HyperText Markup Language (HTML) Skills

HyperText Markup Language is another language used by web designers to tell your web browser that “I understand every part of you”. 

The more you understand the coding process, the better you can collaborate with developers and programmers with your design. 

HTML is just a style and structure information about the webpage, but it’s not technically programming languages. 

Besides having software skills, HTML is also required by some of the employers who hired Graphic Designers. 

You do not have, and you are not required to build a website from start to finish. 

Unless it is negotiable. 

Program developers, business stakeholders, and project management prefer HTML over other programs because of its advantage characteristic. 

But even a piece of basic knowledge about coding can help your résumé stand out.  

Because when you have this skill, you can have full control over every aspect of the website.

You can control styling, make lists, format paragraphs, insert images, create links, create characters, and so much more. 

Some of the positive sides of HTML are that it is easy to use, it is supported by all browsers, and it is free!

Big or small companies want their employees to know HTML. 

If you understand the developers’ language or what we call HTML, you can fully understand and read their minds.

It will be an opportunity to collaborate and design a website.

You can visit Monster.com to learn more about graphic design skills.

Technical Skill #2.3: UI/UX Experience

A high number of users are in digital media, either on desktop or mobile phones.

That is why you must have experience in “user interface” and “user experience”. 

As a graphic designer, you should make the applications look appealing and feel extremely good when using them. 

With these experiences, you can catch your client’s eyes the same with its users. 

The user interface is more on creating a creative interface for its user. 

While user experience’s focus is more on the analytical and psychological side of the website or application. 

It’s like having two fruits in your hands, you can eat one of each kind, but it’s tastier when you combined it both.

And if your client is looking for someone who can help him increase the user of his application, this is the number one skill he has got to see on your résumé. 

But talking in today’s competitive market, getting both experiences is an absolute must. 

It’s like having bacon and egg for your career. 

The result would truly be delicious!

Ultimately, you know it is worth it to have this skill.

Technical Skill #3: Print Designing Skill

Even now, in the digital age, print design is still important and impactful to designers like you. 

Almost everyone uses web designs.

There are some of the companies out there still need brochures, calling cards, and even receipts for their business. 

Print design idea? 

It is a communication to convey the audience through tangible surfaces, just like what we see off the roads and other establishments. 

Having some knowledge in print design helps you stand out.

How?

It allows your brand to be noticed and get more attention. 

By this, your work can be more recognizable. 

If you are an excellent print designer, why don’t you try to apply to the publishing industry?

It is one of the significant employers of print designers.

Print designing can take you ahead of your competitors through print design material and not the internet, where most businesses are using. 

Be proud and continue to learn more techniques and tips through watching vlogs, get more feedback from a previous client, or even with just a friend! 

Explore, and you will be great!

Technical Skill #4: Knowledge in Typography

What is typography? 

It’s what we refer to as the art and technique of arranging type to make written legible, readable, and appealing when displayed. 

It allows designers like you to create visuals for brands. 

With these designs, a made brand can effectively communicate to its audience and eradicates a bad user experience. 

Sometimes, designing can be a complicated task, but good design can attract potential clients. 

You need to have this skill because it represents the brand of your job and voices its content. 

Having this typography skill can carry your brand forward.

It can bring a memorable experience and influence decision-making to every user.

It is your way of communicating by controlling your work’s tone of voice, emotion, gender, and age.

This skill is much more than choosing fonts. 

It means that fonts do speak louder than words. 

This is a must-have skill for every graphic designer. 

Need to boost this skill? 

Why not try to make your own font?

Technical Skill #5: Photography Skill

Do you love taking pictures professionally? 

Well, you got this skill and talent. 

Graphic designers who have the skill to capture their images are a great resource. 

Building your photography skills can strengthen your profession as a graphic designer. 

It can also save your time relying on tons of stock images on the internet once you need them for the job. 

Photography skills can help designers like you develop a better appreciation for color and contrast impact to your content. 

Using your image also adds value to your client and your portfolio. 

You can also tell stories through visuals with your creative mind and not the afterthought. 

Photography can be your skill to offer the world and your services they need from a different perspective. 

Photography and graphic design are somehow connected.

They are purposely blended to create that eye-catching effects; at the same time, they convey messages and tell a story. 

Need to enhance your photography skill? 

Go get that class and stand out for your next job application! 

For more tips on what skills graphic designer needs, go to Creative Bloq’s website.

Final Thoughts

As of the research, there are about 286,000+ people employed as Graphic Designers; and it will add more in the future.

We all know that the competition is quite hard, and you’ve got a long way to make it until the end. 

Stick by being yourself, being proud, and make your résumé as if it were you presenting in front of all the graphic designers and employers.

Impress your clients by submitting that clean and clear layout cover letters and CV with your skills standing out. 

Treat your résumé like a presentation of how you will design their job, on how you will work on their company like it’s the best you have.

Just a quick recap:

1. Be creative; this is all where you start.

2. Make good communication a habit.

3. Don’t just talk; try to listen.

4. Be open-minded and collab with others.

5. Make time and manage it!

6. Being tech-savvy is a great hobby.

7. Master that software, learn about coding HTML, and experience using UX and UI

8. Shine as a print designer.

9. Typography is much more!

10. Take a shot for that photography skill.

We hope these key skills in resume for Graphic Designer helped you start a new career journey.

Good luck!

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