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A Freelance Graphic Designer's job is a blend of creativity and technical skills, with a dash of entrepreneurial business savvy. You're not only illustrating, designing logos, and manipulating images; you're also managing your business, building client relationships, and working remotely. It's essential to keep your finger on the pulse of the industry, as design trends ebb and flow rapidly. For example, minimalist design is currently all the rage, which means your portfolio should showcase your proficiency in this field. When writing your resume, ensure it reflects the breadth of your skills and experience, as well as your ability to manage your own business.
As a Freelance Graphic Designer, your familiarity with software tools is crucial. Therefore, don’t just list them, but give context on how you’ve utilized tools like Adobe Creative Suite and Sketch to create standout designs for various clients.
You’re not just a designer, but a business owner, too. Highlight any experience you have managing client relationships, scheduling, invoicing, and marketing your services. Any evidence of your entrepreneurial spirit can make you stand out from other designers.
Freelance graphic designers work on the same kinds of projects as any other graphic designer, but as self-employed contractors. If you’re looking to pick up more freelance work, or to transition from freelance to regular employment, you’ll need a resume that emphasizes your ability to take initiative, work to a deadline, and understand your clients’ needs.
If you’ve been freelancing for a while, it might make sense to structure your work experience section according to different projects rather than clients. This lets you highlight your most impressive accomplishments in a way that is easy to follow and is clear about your specific role and achievements.
Not all employers fully understand the nature of freelance work, so the more specific you can be about your accomplishments, the better. Listing the number of projects, designs, and proposals you completed makes it clear how you were spending your time and helps emphasize soft skills like time management and work ethic.
As a hiring manager who has recruited freelance graphic designers for companies like Adobe, Wix, and Canva, I've seen countless resumes over the years. The best ones always stand out by showcasing the candidate's unique design skills, creativity, and ability to deliver results for clients. Here are some tips to help your freelance graphic designer resume rise to the top of the pile:
When it comes to your portfolio, quality trumps quantity. Instead of listing every project you've ever worked on, carefully curate a selection of your best work that demonstrates your range and expertise.
Be sure to include specific details about the impact your work had, using numbers and metrics wherever possible.
A resume summary, also known as a professional summary or summary statement, is an optional section that appears at the top of your resume. It's a brief paragraph, usually 3-5 sentences long, that highlights your most relevant skills, experiences, and achievements. While a summary is not required, it can be a valuable addition to your resume, especially if you're a freelance graphic designer with a diverse range of experiences or if you're looking to change careers.
On the other hand, an objective statement, which used to be common on resumes, is now considered outdated and should be avoided. Objective statements focus on what you want from a job, rather than what you can offer to an employer. Instead, use a summary to showcase your unique value proposition and grab the hiring manager's attention.
Your work experience section is the heart of your resume. It's where you show hiring managers what you've accomplished and the skills you've developed that are relevant to the job you're applying for.
As a freelance graphic designer, your work experience section should highlight your most impressive projects, the skills you used to complete them, and the results you achieved. Here are some tips to help you write a compelling work experience section:
When describing your projects and accomplishments, use strong action verbs to convey your contributions. Avoid weak verbs like "helped" or "assisted."
Instead, use verbs that demonstrate your leadership and initiative:
When writing your education section as a freelance graphic designer, focus on highlighting your relevant design education and training. This section should be concise and showcase the most important qualifications that make you a great fit for the job.
Your skills section is one of the most important parts of your freelance graphic designer resume. It's where you showcase your expertise and convince potential clients that you have the technical skills to deliver great results. Here are some tips to help you write a compelling skills section that will make your resume stand out.
Here are examples of popular skills from Freelance Graphic Designer job descriptions that you can include on your resume.
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Freelance Graphic Designer job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more likely you should include it in your resume.
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