How to Write a CV for Creative and Tech Roles

I did a resume review and it was a good reminder that most of the time, it’s not your experience that’s the problem, it’s how it’s coming across on paper. This designer had great work across the U.S. and Taiwan. Strong branding and motion projects, solid clients but the way it was laid out was unclear. Here are a few fixes we worked on that might help if you’re tweaking your own resume: 1. Add a short summary. Just 3–4 lines at the top about who you are, what you do, and what kind of roles you’re after. Makes it easier for a hiring manager to get the picture right away. 2. Standardize your titles. Freelancers sometimes list projects under different names “Freelance Graphic Designer,” “Freelance Motion Designer,” "Brand Designer” which can make your path look scattered. We pulled everything under one clear title (“Freelance Brand & Motion Designer”) so her experience read as consistent and intentional instead of all over the place. 3. Make bullets about impact. Lead with a strong action verb and connect it to an outcome. Not: “Responsible for motion graphics." Better: “Designed and animated typography for a Google campaign, driving engagement.” It’s stronger and easier to skim. 4. Mention collaboration. A lot of resumes only talk about the work and forget to show how you worked with others. If you partnered with clients, producers, copywriters, or engineers, say it. For example: “Collaborated with producers and copywriters to align creative direction across video and social campaigns.” This tells employers you can work as part of a team, not just on your own. 5. Show results (even without numbers). If you don’t have data, talk about project scope, repeat work or client feedback. Example: “Earned ongoing partnerships with agencies based on successful delivery.” or “Promoted to Senior Designer within a year based on strong project delivery.” Those details prove the value of your work without needing exact percentages. 6. Don’t forget the basics! Make sure your portfolio and LinkedIn are clickable, list months (not just years) on your dates and keep your education section clean and simple. When I was recruiting, I wasn’t looking for the “perfect” resume.  I wanted to understand someone’s story without having to guess. If your experience reads clearly and shows how you’ve grown, you’ve already done more than most.

You’re not getting the job because LinkedIn isn’t reading your resume like a person; it’s reading it like a computer. At an AI conference, LinkedIn shared that resumes are filtered through machine learning systems that scan for metadata, not creativity, storytelling, or even your interview skills. As a design mentor with over 15,000 mentoring minutes, this is one of the biggest things I stress to my mentees: If your resume isn’t written for a computer first, it may never reach a human. Here are five ways to fix that: 1. Mirror the job description. Use the same language they use, especially for skills and responsibilities. 2. Use clear, standard headers. Stick with “Work Experience,” “Education,” “Skills,” etc. 3. Add a keyword-rich skills section. Keep it scannable and relevant. 4. Avoid overly designed layouts. ATS systems struggle with graphics, text boxes, and columns. 5. Submit a .docx or clean PDF. Ensure it’s readable (text should be selectable, not an image). As creatives, we’re naturally compelled to stylize and storytell. But in this case, that impulse might actually work against you. If you strongly believe in having a visually enhanced resume, one strategy is to keep two versions: ✔️ One ATS-friendly for online applications ✔️ One beautifully designed version to bring to interviews or share directly You can still showcase your creativity, but make sure the computer prioritizes your qualifications first. #linkedinjobs #jobsearch #designers #creativeprofessionals LinkedIn

Your CV & Portfolio Should Tell Your Story – Not Someone Else’s 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 In a world where interviews are getting tougher, standing out isn’t just an option anymore friends—it’s a necessity. Yet, I see so many candidates submit a Canva-template resume, even a JPEG image of a resume and a Dribbble-inspired look alike portfolio of someone else, the same Freepik graphics and the same hashtag #UIkits as your own project, hoping to impress. Truth be told and this is could be your turning point.1st copy-pasting someone else’s style won’t showcase your unique value. N E V E R! Your CV and portfolio should be a true reflection of YOU—your skills, your impact, the problems you solved (even as a member of the team) and the journey that made you successful. Hiring managers don’t just look for designers; they look for original thinkers and problem solvers. After my job post for positions at Apple and Google , I received 100s of DMs with the same questions and after going through a ton of CV's here's my 5 keys to standing out in your resume submissions and making interviews. -𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 and explain the ‘why’ behind your designs. What problem did you solve? What impact did it have? - Align your CV & portfolio to the role such that your tailor your materials to highlight skills relevant to the job. 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐭. - Be authentic & original as generic designs and processes don’t get impress, 𝟗𝟓% 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐕𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭. - Designers MUST demonstrate business impact as companies now hire designers who drive results, for the no thought UI outcomes there's many tools. 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝. - 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐲 and hence your portfolio should back up your words, your passion, clarity, and storytelling and that's the main thing that will make you unforgettable. Reenforcing for your good- 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞—so don’t let your CV and portfolio be one. Be bold. Be original. Be YOU. #Designjobs #Strategy #InterviewTips #UX #CareerGrowth

The CV habits that make Aussie job seekers look outdated and how to fix them. I’ve reviewed thousands of tech CVs across Sydney, Melbourne, and Auckland. Here are the signs that instantly age a candidate, plus the fixes that get interviews moving: ❌ “References available on request.” Recruiters already know this. Use that space for impact. ✅ Replace with: a one-line achievement. Example: “Scaled fintech app from 2k → 50k users in 12 months.” ❌ Career objectives. “Seeking a challenging role…” = filler. ✅ Replace with: a sharp summary naming your industry, stack, and value add. Example: “5+ years in cloud engineering, specialising in AWS cost optimisation.” ❌ Duties copied from a job description. Looks generic. Doesn’t show what you achieved. ✅ Replace with: measurable outcomes. ❌ Copying duties from the job description. Looks generic. Doesn’t show what you achieved. ✅ Replace with: consequences + results. Here’s an example from a recent 1:1 coaching session: Before “Set strategy and led execution for stateless hosting golden paths via the Internal Developer Portal (IDP).” My feedback: This tells the reader what you did, but not what it delivered. So I asked: - How long did this take? - How many teams were involved? - Was this a multi-year strategy? AFTER “Delivered a 3-year stateless hosting strategy via the Internal Developer Portal (IDP), adopted by 14 engineering squads across APAC. Reduced deployment time by 60% and unlocked $2.5M in annual infrastructure savings.” That’s the difference between describing activity and proving impact. ✅ Replace with: clean, single-column, 4 pages max. White space matters. ❌ Listing every job since uni. No one needs your 2009 retail gig. ✅ Replace with: last 5 years of relevant roles. Highlight stack + results. The rest can go to "extended career history". There are two things matter more than design trends: 1. Write facts in plain English so anyone can grasp your value in 10 seconds. 2. Apply to jobs where those facts matter most. Tailoring is what wins interviews. A CV isn’t about telling your whole story. It’s about telling the right story, to the right audience, in the clearest way possible. If you want to see how these CV fixes have worked for real tech professionals in AU/NZ, check out the testimonials on my site: https://lnkd.in/gW7Equtj #LinkedInNewsAustralia

As someone who works in recruiting by day and a multihypenate creative outside of work, I've seen how difficult it can be for artists, freelancers, and creatives to translate their experience onto a resume — especially when it doesn't follow a traditional path. Your creative work IS valid experience. You've likely worn more hats than most people in full-time roles. 🎧 Designed your own flyers? That’s graphic design and brand marketing. 🗓️ Planned your own events? That’s project management. 📈 Gained followers or increased engagement? That’s digital strategy. Here's some tips to make it land on your resume: ✅ Use job-like titles: Freelance Creative Director, DJ + Event Curator, Visual Artist & Content Strategist ✅ Lead with impact: “Built a brand from scratch and grew digital reach to 10K+ across platforms” ✅ Highlight collaboration: “Worked with 20+ clients across music, fashion, and tech to deliver custom visuals and live experiences” ✅ Don’t shy away from listing tools: Adobe Suite, Serato, Shopify, Canva, etc. If you're a creative trying to break into more structured roles — or just want your freelance work to get the credit it deserves — reach out to me! Your artistry deserves to be seen AND respected on paper! 🌐 #artists #freelance #resumetips #careerdevelopment #branding #branddevelopment

Lately, I’ve been reviewing a lot of creative resumes and I keep seeing the same mistakes. If you’re updating your resume right now, here are 5 things that can instantly make you stand out (and help you land more interviews): 📍Show leadership (even if you're not a manager) Have you led projects, mentored juniors, guided creative decisions? Make it clear. Leadership isn't just about titles, it's about ownership and impact. 📍Show you owned the creative process Don't just list projects. Tell us where you shaped the vision, drove ideas forward, and made things happen. Companies want creative thinkers, not just order takers. 📍Highlight your technical skills The tools you know matter. List platforms you’re fluent in and any specialized skills for interactive, experiential, or digital work. 📍Connect your work to business results Creative work drives real outcomes. If your designs boosted engagement, sales, attendance even by a little, call it out. Impact makes a difference. 📍Tailor your resume for each role One version of your resume won’t fit every job. Adjust it to highlight the skills and experience that match what this role needs most. The best creative resumes tell a clear story: ✅ You lead. ✅ You create impact. ✅ You deliver results. You’ve got this. Raksha Shah LinkedIn LinkedIn Guide to Networking