Creative Resume
Select majors have the flexibility to design a creative resume and only a few industries seek them. The Creative Resume is meant ONLY if you’re going into a creative field such as: Graphic design, marketing, or the arts. Outside of this, candidates not going into a creative field are encouraged to stick to a formal resume with no color or design elements. With that being said, all candidates should start off with a formal resume and have one on hand in case you do not stay in the creative industries.
For creative positions, you want to get the employers attention through your material to show what you can do…what better way to sell yourself as a great Marketing Manager through marketing yourself! Feel free to use the sample below.
Need a Creative Resume? Let’s get started!
To design a creative resume, you can start by using Word, Google Docs, Abode Illustrator, InDesign, even Photoshop or a free account on Canva. Start with a blank document and add in the pieces you want.
Be aware – There are many templates online from Pinterest to Etsy and even a simple Google Search but many candidates use these which then lumps your application in with similar documents that won’t stand out. Most importantly they don’t show creativity, your personal brand or your skills in designing.
Certainly, feel free to use parts of them as inspiration but be mindful of the absolutes on a resume (easy to read & find information, unique, your own). Some templates or heavily designed resumes can also cause errors in Application Tracking Systems used by employers to screen large pools of candidates which could eliminate you from the interview process.
Do you have a website? Portfolio or Social Media? Link these throughout your resume or in the contact info at the top of your resume so employers may see for themselves. If you don’t yet have one consider it and ask your Career Advisor for the Portfolio Guide.
Did you work on a design for a competition? Did Emmanuel College use a logo you created on swag at events? Did you get chosen to redesign a website or social media for a company? These are all things to include under the education section on your resume!
Start by moving your skills to the top of the resume (under the Education section). This is so that your skills will be one of the first things employers see! Examples to get you started could be software’s and programs such as Adobe Suite products: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, coding or computer languages, Canva, and specific social media platforms.
Consider both academic and personal projects you’ve worked on. Think about projects you’ve done in courses, include course titles or the title of the project. What was your role or position? Were you on a team or was this individual? How many people if it was a team? What was the project? The end goals? Results? For personal projects think of things you have created for fun, for yourself or for friends and family. Has anyone ever asked you to design or create something for them? These are all experiences you can include!
Design a logo or symbol that’s unique to you – think about your initials, the work you do & interests. For example, if you love skiing and you plan to work as a Social Media and Marketing Manager at a Ski Mountain maybe your design is a simple trio of snowflakes in different shades of blue or maybe it is your initials bolded under blue mountain tops.
You may add color but keep it simple! Stick to (at most) two neutral colors that are not too bright or harsh. Your resume is still a professional document and representation of you so blues, greys and neutral colors are safe and more appealing to the eye than a shocking red or hot pink. With that being said, you should choose color(s) that speak to you.
You can stick with the formal cover letter format (guide on Hire Saints) or you can use the heading of your modern resume as the heading of your cover letter. This creates a well put together set of documents.