Design & creative CV guide
The portfolio does the selling: link it prominently. A designed CV is fine here, but keep it readable by applicant tracking systems.
Build a design & creative CVYour first CV is free. The builder applies these rules and checks your CV before you download it.
Sections to include
| Section (in this order) | How important |
|---|---|
| Profile | Recommended |
| Portfolio & selected work | Expected |
| Experience | Expected |
| Tools & skills | Recommended |
| Education | Recommended |
Tips
- The portfolio does the selling: link it prominently.
- A designed CV is fine here, but keep it readable by applicant tracking systems.
- List tools (Figma, Adobe CC, Blender, Cinema 4D).
Questions
What should a design CV include?
A design CV needs your contact details, experience and portfolio and selected work, and usually profile, education and tools and skills. Lead with what employers in this field check first, and back it up with specific examples. The portfolio does the selling: link it prominently. The CV Atlas readiness check flags anything this field expects that your CV is missing.
What order should the sections of a design CV be in?
Use this order for a design CV: Profile, Portfolio & selected work, Experience, Tools & skills and Education. Put the most important evidence for this field near the top, and list entries within each section with the most recent first. Contact details and your name always come first, in the header. Some countries change the order, for example Japan lists history oldest first, and CV Atlas applies that automatically.
How long should a design CV be?
It depends on the country more than the job. A design CV in the United States should be 1–2 pages; in the United Kingdom, 2 pages; in Australia, 2–4 pages. Keep recent roles detailed and older ones brief, so your strongest evidence sits on the first page. Pick your target country in CV Atlas and it applies the local length and paper size.
How do I make a design CV stand out?
A designed CV is fine here, but keep it readable by applicant tracking systems. List tools (Figma, Adobe CC, Blender, Cinema 4D). Be specific: name the systems, settings and results, start each bullet with a verb, and keep it to one line where you can. Show the scale of your work with numbers where it helps. Link your portfolio near your name: employers in this field often look at it before the CV.
Which jobs does the design CV guide cover?
This guide covers 38 job titles, including Graphic designer, UX designer, UI designer, Product designer, UX researcher, Web designer, Motion designer and Animator. They share the same CV structure and checks. If your exact title is not listed, type it into CV Atlas and pick the closest field. Country rules such as photos, length and references are added on top when you choose where you are applying.
Jobs this guide covers
Graphic designer · UX designer · UI designer · Product designer · UX researcher · Web designer · Motion designer · Animator · 3D artist · Illustrator · Art director · Creative director · Brand designer · Packaging designer · Fashion designer · Textile designer · Interior designer · Industrial designer · Furniture designer · Game artist · Concept artist · Video editor · Videographer · Photographer · Photo editor / retoucher · Film director · Film / TV producer · Cinematographer · Sound engineer · Music producer · Set designer · Costume designer · Make-up artist (film / theatre) · Tattoo artist · Fine artist · Craftsperson · Gallery / museum technician · Broadcast technician
Country guides
Photo, date of birth, length and paper size change by country. Start with United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, or see all 200 countries.
Open the builderYour first CV is free. The builder applies these rules and checks your CV before you download it.
Guidance checked October 2026. General information for most employers, not legal or immigration advice. A job advert’s own instructions always come first. CV Atlas is not affiliated with any regulator or professional body named.