Graphic Designer CV: Template, Skills & Example (2026)

Key skills for a Graphic Designer CV

Sample professional summary

Graphic designer with 5+ years across brand, digital, and print. Designed a rebrand that lifted social engagement 45% and built a design system that cut production time 30%. Fluent in the Adobe suite and Figma, with a portfolio spanning identity, campaigns, and UI.

Lead with your portfolio link

Your portfolio is the single most important thing on the page. Put a clean, working link near the top (Behance, Dribbble, or your own site) and make sure it's current — recruiters click it before they read a word.

Tailor the portfolio to the role: show the kind of work they're hiring for, front and center.

Pass the ATS with a real skills section

Even creative roles are often filtered by an ATS first. List your tools as text — Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, After Effects — exactly as the posting words them. A CV that's only a graphic (one big image) can be unreadable to an ATS, so keep your text as real, selectable text.

Group skills clearly: software, disciplines (branding, typography, motion), and any UI/UX or web skills.

Frame design work as impact

Move beyond "designed social posts." Tie work to outcomes: engagement lift, conversion, time saved with a design system, or a rebrand's reach. "Redesigned the email template, lifting click-through 22%" shows you design for results, not just looks.

Keep the CV clean and ATS-friendly

It's tempting to over-design your own CV, but a clean, readable layout beats a cluttered one — and stays parseable. Let your portfolio show your creativity; let your CV be clear, scannable, and easy for both a recruiter and an ATS to read.